I know this is very over due, but I know that having a blog will be Ryan's family and friends can stay connected with his progress and what he is up to. I plan on posting at least once a week. We are also in the process of getting our non profit organization incorporated. "Raising with Ryan" will be a non profit organization that focuses on love ones that come home in a coma. In addition to people that have a head injury due to an accident or medical condition, there are many of our soldiers that are returning from the war with head injuries. Hospitals send people home in a coma everyday. Something that I was unaware of until Ryan came home where he spent a total of over 8 months in a coma. I hope to bring awareness to head injury in general and also to the head injuries of the war which has become an epidemic. I would like to start by putting together a care package for family members and their love ones which includes thing that the hospital does not prepare them for. Items that make life easier. Almost 6 years ago one of Ryan's best friends Chirs Dier along with others started an organization to raise funds for Ryan. They were very successful in collect funds in less then a week. Hurricane Katrina hit and everyone one was relocated. I ask Chris to use the funds for people in his new temporary location that need help. A couple of weeks ago Chris came over to visit along with a check to the balance that he had been holding. This starting to make me think, but it was not until I heard about one of my neighbors several blocks away that had taken a bad fall from her attic that I was ready to do something. Erin has been in coma since March and just came home (in a coma) 8 days ago. Her husband left to care for her. I remember from my own experience how much support we had, but how alone I felt. After several months of dealing with our situation I decided to go grocery shopping to cut the tension. Do know those hamster balls that you put your little critter in to roll around the house. That is best I can describe what I felt. As people walk by, you see them passing you in conversation, laughing joking, and discussing what they are buying, but the sound is muffled, like you are in a bubble. Don't they know they world has stopped. How can the world be still continuing when you and your loved one's world has come to a complete stand.
Today, I gave Ryan a hair cut, and it is very short. He keeps feeling the top and snapping his finger to let me know that he likes it. We also watch some video of when his friends just recently came over for a visit. Mandy, Tommy and Tommy's mom Beth came over and Ryan had a blast. We had not seen Tommy in a while but he and Ryan just reconnected immediately. I really enjoyed watching Tommy interact with Ryan. They picked up right where they had left off. And, Mandy has been visiting Ryan often and he always lights up when he sees her. For 8 straight days after Ryan's accident Tommy's mom Beth made sure that my husband and myself had our morning breakfast and pep talk in the Neuro ICU waiting room. Many things are cloudy about that time, but that is one thing that has stuck with me. Thank you Beth. So again I know this first blog (my first blog ever) is long and probably has numerous spelling and grammar errors so I will sign off and update you in a couple of days.
