Ryan's car accident & current condition

Ryan was in a car accident on Wednesday, January 28, 2009, around 7:00pm. Ryan lost control of the car & was struck by another car. His accident was covered by a few local media outlets, so if you'd like to read see some you can find articles here & here. He was taken to Samaritan Medical Center, located in Watertown, NY, where he was stabilized & then transferred to University Hospital, a level 1 trauma center, in Syracuse, NY. Here is a list of his injuries:

• dissection of the descending aorta (repaired via endovascular stent grafting)
• small subarachnoid hematomas along with other small bleeds in the brain
  
• partially collapsed left lung with bruising (currently re-inflated)
• several small pelvic fractures
• a minor fracture of the sternum
• a small fracture at the base of his skull (left-sided)
  
• lacerated spleen
• bruised kidney
  
• 3 broken ribs
• fractured left clavicle
• fractured left arm
• a small laceration along his left jawline & lacerations on his left ear (they were sutured, but the stitches have already been removed)
• some small cervical soft tissue injuries
  

Ryan/we were very lucky: he didn't have any spinal injuries. Also, amazingly, all of his fractures were (& remain to be) very stable & required no surgery. A monitor & drain were initially placed in his skull to monitor the pressure & drain excess fluid. This monitor & drain has since been removed, & neurology believes that his brain/skull injuries are doing very well.

Ryan is still intubated & remains under fairly heavy sedation. The doctors attempted to remove the intubation, but he was unable to tolerate it. He is able to breathe on his own, & when waked from sedation is able to respond to commands. Yesterday they performed a bronchoscopy & removed a large mucus plug which was inhibiting his breathing somewhat. Ryan's also running a fever so specimens were sent out from his lungs to be cultured. The doctors aren't sure yet, but it's thought that he might have developed a case of pneumonia. They already have him on antibiotics in case the cultures start growing bacteria; if they don't, he'll be taken off of them.

The doctors are allowing him to rest & he's very comfortable. They'll keep him like this for the next few days, reevaluate his condition, see what (if anything) the cultures are showing, & then consider extubating him again.

He's doing amazingly well, as well as anyone can hope for given the severity of his injuries. We, his doctors & nurses included, are all very happy with his progress thus far & his current condition.

I'm going to try & keep this blog updated daily so that everyone will be able to follow Ryan's progress with us. His family & I so greatly appreciate everyone's prayers & concern.