Sent 12/1/05

WOW! How do I begin to email everyone about today! It has been an exhausting, emotional roller coaster ride! Eric stayed in San Diego to try to get something accomplished at work and Cameron and I drove up to Santa Ana. When we got to the hospital this morning, Ryan was still complaining of the pain in his head and neck. His night nurse had been given orders to change his pain medication and it seemed to be helping, so the day nurse continued with it. As the morning progressed, Ryan was still making crazy statements but was not complaining as often about his neck and head. He seemed to be ever so slightly better than yesterday and I thought, well, ok if it's just a tiny improvement each day - I'll take that.

Cameron, Lauren and I went to get a quick bite for lunch. I got a call on my cell phone from the hospital that Ryan had taken a turn for the worse and had stopped breathing. They had to put him back on the ventilator. I made a couple quick calls - most importantly to Eric who left San Diego immediately, and rushed back to the hospital. We found Ryan back in the drug induced coma with the ventilator tubes and all the other stuff that goes with it. It was awful because we felt we'd gone all the way back to square one. They did another CT Scan to see what caused him to stop breathing.

After the scans were read, which didn't show much except that he still has a swollen brain, his poor nurse was getting instructions from the trauma doctor, another doctor working on Ryan's case, and the Neurosurgeon. Two wanted him on the ventilator so his body could rest the night and then take it out tomorrow. His Neurosurgeon wanted him taken off the respirator this afternoon because it masks what may be going on with him neurologically. Anyway, this went on for quite a while and finally it was decided they'd take him off the ventilator. So now we have to stop the coma inducing drug and take out the ventilator. The first time we did this was VERY difficult on Ryan and we were not looking forward to another episode of fighting Ryan to keep him from pulling all the tubes out as he "came to". His nurse and doctors this afternoon were wonderful and this time was much less traumatic. But as he came out of the coma, he was relaxed - so much so that the doctor on the opposite side of the bed didn't watch Ryan's hand and missed the fact that Ryan broke the restraint and reached up and pulled the ventilator tube out himself. We were all trying to stop him and before we could even reach to stop him it was done. Strong bugger!

He was dozy after that experience so while he was resting we snuck out for dinner. After dinner Eric and I went in to say good night to him and he was asking us all kinds of questions and responding appropriately! I asked him how old he is today and he knows he's 21. He remembered everything that seemed to be missing when we asked him before. This morning he thought he was 20 years old and didn't remember having a 21st birthday. Tonight he knows he's 21, remembers going to the Eagles Concert a few weeks ago and remembers other details of the past few weeks. What a relief!!! He doesn't remember the accident, but I'll take what I can get!

Sorry this is so wordy, but as you can tell, it was a terribly emotional roller coaster day and we are so relieved to have it end on such a high note.

Thank you again for all your prayers and kind thoughts. We love you all and appreciate all the offers to help. Please pray for continued improvement. I think we're going to have a great day tomorrow!

Love to all,Debi