Dad's Update VI - 9/16/09

 Dear friends and family-

I am back in the U.S. where Meg and I are researching U.S. rehab options, longer term fund raising alternatives, and meeting with people who have been through this process before.  We are finding a wonderful new family of helpful, energized, and loving people willing to openly share their time and energy to a new friend in need.

While Bryce has recovered significantly from his pneumonia, he experienced a second setback with the loss of feeling and movement in his left arm after Saturday night.  He had been turned more toward his stomach to help clear the lungs, which helped significantly, but woke up with less arm utility.  After xrays, the doctors realized that his neck had shifted a bit from two of the metal plate screws loosening so he will need an extra plate fused onto the back of his spine to stabilize the front plate; part of the problem is softer bones, a Rafferty family inheritance.  We are not sure whether this movement caused the problem or whether it was simply a pinched nerve from the arm position overnight. Bryce now has a Philadelphia collar on to keep things more stable, similar to what I had when I broke my neck in college.  Surgery is tomorrow, Thursday, early in the morning. Apparently, this process is fairly routine, but Bryce is more frustrated and apprehensive about another operation and the obvious delay in rehabilitation.

Bryce lost his voice for a week due to the tracheotomy, frustrating him considerably, but we had the pleasure of Skyping him today to hear his voice again.  Given his improved pulmonary status, he has spent increasing time off the respirator (pulled out of his trachea hole), which allows normal breathing and flow over his vocal cords.  Bryce's strong voice came flowing out asking us all to pray for 1) him not to get discouraged, 2) for the doctors to perform a successful surgery to get his arm movement back, and 3) for him to keep psychologically focused forward.  He is well aware that the odds of getting his legs back are low, but he really wants to get his upper body back to power a wheelchair and increase mobility on multiple levels.  For all of you Prayer Warriors out there, that's the focus right now.  Also, when we asked what we could do for him, he replied that he desperately wants a HAIRCUT.  Can you believe that?  He truly is a changed man and retains a sense of humor in a challenging situation.

Feel free to call now that I am back in the U.S. (John 203-606-6354 or Meg 203-722-8045).  This is a Bryce research week for us.  Next week, provided everything goes well with Bryce's surgery (and I don't have to jump back to Switzerland), I hope to re-engage my job search process.  Please pray that I can manage all these challenges with aplomb.

In Him,

John