Dad's Update X - 10/25/09
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalm 91:14-16)
My hope provides me with a spur to help me run this race;
I know my tears will turn to joy, the day I see His face,
The day I see His face. (Keith Getty and Richard Creighton)
Dear friends and family:
The dust is settling……Bryce is out of the ICU and over two weeks into acute rehabilitation therapies. He is now off the ventilators and invasive respiratory therapy, the trachea hole has been closed up, and pneumonia issues are cleared. He is comfortably settling into the in-patient rehabilitation ward. When he first emerged into the sunlight, he quipped, “I’ve been in the darkness of ICU for too long…..like emerging from….like Charlton Heston emerging from the mines!!” While he is physically much stronger and looks better with increasing neck mobility, Bryce continues to grieve the loss of much of his body and all the things he loved to do. He also continues to have periodic minor issues with temperature, blood pressure, infections, and pressure sores. Bryce’s thoughts are beginning to shift forward toward getting back to the U.S. and Colorado College, back to his beloved Rockies, classmates, sunshine, and ENGLISH-SPEAKING friends. The Swiss Paraplegic Center has been great, but home is beginning to beckon in his heart.
Medical Perspective
Bryce is classified as a C6 incomplete injury in SCI language, otherwise known as a “quadriplegic” or “tetraplegic.” While each person’s recovery is unique and we should see meaningful improvement over 6-9 months, rehabilitation will be an expensive lifetime process and he will probably always need some personal care assistance. In addition to these challenges, he will have periodic medical complications common to those with spinal cord injuries. Currently, he remains paralyzed from the chest down with partial use of his right arm and only limited use of his left arm. Motor functionality in his left arm was lost during the bout with pneumonia. The doctors assure us that the left arm will recover over time, but it is excruciatingly difficult to trust and wait on the Lord as rehabilitation would be so much better with it. While his right arm biceps are working well, along with wrist and forearm functionality, triceps in both arms remain unavailable, thereby limiting manual wheelchair capability. Use of his fingers remains limited. This is the reality of Bryce’s “new normal”…... at least for now.
We remain hopeful and continue to pray for additional healing and motor functionality. Nothing is impossible with God, and we are early on in the process waiting for the spinal cord lesion to fully heal. Further neurological analysis over the next few weeks will shed additional light on the “completeness” of his injury. Healing to the C7 or C8 classification would add significant levels of independence through additional arm (triceps) and finger movement (for those medically interested, see attached SCI - C6 chart). Pragmatically, we should not expect trunk and leg recovery, yet we continue to pray and hope that it would be God’s will for more significant recovery.
Financial Perspective
Bryce’s financial needs will be substantial for the rest of his life. SCI industry materials suggest significant costs, likely well over $1.0+ million. Insurance should cover the next 4-7 months of rehab in Switzerland and a portion of rehab in the U.S. should we bring him back early. We encourage our friends to be proactive on fundraising events for Bryce. We will need all the help we can get.
To help with these and other expenses a fundraising campaign in Bryce’s honor has been established with the Catastrophic Injury Program of the National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF). NTAF is a nonprofit that has been assisting the transplant community with fundraising for over 26 years. In 2000, they expanded their mission to include patients who had sustained spinal cord or catastrophic injuries. Contributions are tax-deductible, qualify for matching gifts, and are administered by NTAF for injury-related expenses only. The NTAF has a website (www.transplantfund.org) that facilitates central information exchange, contributions, comments from friends and family, and pictures. Once on the site, simply search for patient “Rafferty” and you will find his NTAF webpage. Other links to his personal blogspot (www.brycerafferty.blogspot.com), Facebook, downloadable flyer, and fundraising tips are available. Rebecca Carr (800-642-8399; rcarr@transplantfund.org) is our personal consultant who can help answer questions and help volunteers with fundraising ideas, letters, and flyers. Donated funds “in honor of Bryce Rafferty,” will be used for qualified medical expenses uncovered by insurance or government programs.
We are also reviewing longer-term support mechanisms for those considering additional or more sizable capital contributions in the future. For those interested in leading fundraising events or contemplating significant long-term foundational support, please call us (John Rafferty - 203.606.6354 / Meg Rafferty - 203.722.8045).
Bryce’s NTAF webpage will act as a central information clearing house. Bryce and his Mom, Jennifer Zaccara, continue to make short Facebook and blogspot updates for additional daily detail. Bryce’s one page flyer is also attached for your convenience. Please feel free to forward this email and/or flyer to others to spread the news.
Many friends have already offered wonderful verbal, e-mail, and financial support and we thank you from the depths of our hearts. Please pray for Bryce’s continued recovery of motor skills (particularly his left arm), strength and endurance through rehabilitation, and uplift in his faith and spirit as he adjusts to his new normal. Please know all visitors are now welcome in Switzerland. May God bless you for all your love, prayers, concern, and support.
In Him,
John
