Wednesday June 11, 2008

Ryan Charles Harless Update

Ryan Charles Harless Update
My 16-year old son, Ryan Harless, was in an automobile accident Monday, June 2, 2008 between 9:30-9:40 a.m.

I am writing this for several reasons. First is for therapy. I love telling people about Ryan and sharing Ryan's story. We love Ryan more than any words could ever describe but I try anyway.

Second, this is a way to get information to those who are concerned. We have had so many visitors, phone calls, text messages and e-mails. I wish I could call everyone back but we really have not had time.

Third, I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers. Our family feels your prayers!

But most importantly, I am writing this to ask for more prayers. Ryan needs your prayers and we will need them for some time to come.

I think maybe the best place to start is the Monday morning. Ryan did not have an exam until 9:45 that morning so his good friend, Will, came to pick him up. They were on a gravel road and they were not going above the speed limit but when they were going around a turn and the back end of the car went out like a NASCAR getting loose. The car was over corrected and went back across the road to the left. The car grazed one tree and then hit head on on the passage side.

Both Ryan and Will had their seatbelts on. Ryan was knocked unconscious but Will was not. Will's door on the driver's side would not open. Smoke was coming in the car and Will suffered from smoke inhalation. Will was alert enough to climb over Ryan and get out of the car. He then struggled but got Ryan's seatbelt undone despite the car catching on fire. Will was then able to pull Ryan out of the car.

Ryan is 6-3 and over 170 pounds. Will was also injured, so it was hard pulling the dead weight but he pulled Ryan as far as he could. Will is trained in CPR and found Ryan breathing and with a heartbeat so he ran to get help. The accident was about a mile down this dirt road and Will had a hard time running.

Clemson's assistant athletic director, Andy Johnston's daughter, Kiera just got out of an exam and saw the smoke from the main road. She and a friend drove down to see if they could help. They found Will running down the road. Will's cell phone was burning in the car so they tried to use Kiera's phone but she had no signal. They found Courtney Adair, Clemson's soccer coach Trevor Adair's daughter, who was coming down the road to help. Courtney called 911.

EMS arrived at the scene and they brought Ryan to Greenville Memorial. The best news in hindsight is that Ryan was breathing on his own.

At 10:28 a.m. I got a text message from Deputy Porter of the Pickens County Sheriff's office. It said call him because Ryan had been in an accident. I called and he told me to get someone to drive me to Greenville Memorial. He said for me to not drive myself and to get there ASAP in order to make decisions.

My bosses, Aly Haley and Pam Ponder, came and got me. Aly drove my car and Pam drove me to the hospital. All I remember was praying the quickest and most repetitive prayer I have ever said. I just remember saying Please God. Please God. Please God. Please God.

When we reached the emergency room I encountered perhaps the lowest moment I have experienced. The first person who came to see us was the Chaplin. She introduced herself and I thought the next words that were about to tell me he was gone. However, she immediately informed me that she did not know his condition. That was perhaps the hardest and most emotional moment for me.

The next person we saw was his doctor who told me he was getting a CT scan and I asked to see Ryan as soon as possible. He took me back but they had him covered from his eyes down. All I could see was the top of his scalp.

His mother and sister were in Charlotte and got to Greenville about an hour later. The next hardest moment for me came when they told us Ryan's pupils had pinpointed. The cause of this is could have been the morphine or it was a neurological reason. Obviously we were praying it was the medicine. The doctors ordered another CT scan and moved Ryan to ICU trauma ward. Our family gathered around as they told us the results of the CT scan which was great news. Ryan's CT scan was had not changed. It was the morphine that caused the pupil reaction.

That pretty much brings us to the end of the first day. They said the first 72 hours were so important because the brain and the swelling and bleeding were crucial in the first 72 hours.

The doctors told us that brain injuries are like snowflakes in that no two are ever the same. They also say that from the neck down they can tell you what will happen but from the neck up the best neurosurgeons in the world can't tell you what can happen to your brain this soon after the injury.

The first week was difficult as reality set in. The doctors and nurses told us not to get too high or too low because this was going to be a long summer. The first day they told us Ryan had a 50-50 to live. By the end of the first day, the doctors told us he was 80-20.

Over the next few days Ryan took tiny little steps.

He moved his left hand in the emergency room on Monday.

In the first 48 hours they gave him his third CT scan. The results showed no major change so he was out of the 72-hour window a little early.

On Wednesday he moved his arms up. He later moved his left knee up. This is flexing and this was better movement than extension.

On Thursday afternoon he came off of the ventilator. This was a huge step.

Friday Ryan had the first surgeries of his life when they put in a trach and a peg feeding tube. The trach was a big step because they were able to get the tubes out of his throat and mouth. They said this was a good step because it would help reduce the chance of infection.

Ryan opened his eyes Monday. We think this was his biggest step but his pupils are not the same size all of the time. It wears him out to open them so he rests often.

Every morning we meet with his doctor and get a little more information each day. I want to give a daily update on Ryan because we have had so many people praying for us. So here is the latest:

Wednesday 6-11-08 12:00 noon
Dr. Gardner told us this morning that Ryan has a mixed brain stem injury. This means that sometimes the brain can actually get information down through the stem into the body. However, other times he gets overloaded and the brain stem is the only thing that functions. The brain stem regulates body functions like breathing, heart rate, etc.

Sometimes Ryan can respond by opening his eyes or moving his thumbs when he is asked. Other times he cannot. This is the mixed brain stem injury.

Ryan has three fractures in his cranium, a broken right eye socket, a broken right cheek bone, his sinus cavity have been broken and he has a big cut from the front of his forehead to the back of his head. They have taken the stitches out of the forehead but the staples are still in the back of his head. They have removed stitches from the cuts on his cheek and shoulder.

Besides his brain, the next biggest concern is his burns. Ryan has burns on his left hand and forearm, his left thigh, his back, the outside of both of his legs and both feet. The burns are second degree burns and they are improving. The burn that concerns us the most is on his left thigh.

Ryan has no broken bones below his cheek bone. He was wearing his seatbelt and thankfully has no bruises or any internal injuries. Ryan had no internal bleeding.

His vital signs are good. His heart rate goes up sometimes but he gets it back down. When he got here in the ER it was 160 but now it usually rests between 70-100. His blood pressure is good.

We may be moving out of ICU into a step down unit today or tomorrow. The next step would be a private room followed by a move to the rehab center.

The doctor told us again today to expect a long summer. He said Ryan could have a full recovery but it is too soon to tell.

Thanks for everyone who has come by, called, text messaged and e-mailed. Thanks for everyone who has prayed for Ryan. Thanks for all of the prayer lists. The response from the community has been amazing. Ryan has one thing going against him and that is his brain stem injury. But he has five things going for him:
1. A merciful God that is looking over Ryan and healing Ryan every second of every day.
2. The best medical team here at Greenville Memorial.
3. A strong family that loves him more than words can describe.
4. A great community of support from friends and loved ones.
5. He is 16 years old and strong as an ox.

Ryan is going to make it but your prayers will be needed for a long time. Thanks and I will update more often.

Mickey