Rusty McNeil needs your prayers

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It's been a while for this thread, but I do have an update.

Ryan might be coming home around the 16th!!

That's only 2 1/2 months since the accident.

She has done fabulous in rehab and totally surpassed everyones expectations for how well and far she would recover.

She's bored stiif and has been requesting to come home for a while now.

There will still be some ongoing home healthcare perhaps and most certainly outpatient rehab till she stops making gains...

Physically she's still kinda fighting a mild and lingering lung issue with a bit of lung infection as well, but they say it will get better with time and care.

She'll stay on antibiotics till she is a young adult due to the missing spleen.

The missing kidney isn't really an issue at all, just a "thing to consider" as far as life style management goes.

All her motor skills are just about 100%, she's got full control over everything, her finer motor skills show up as a deficit only when she writes and that is getting and will continue to get better. Its good enough that she is styling her hair and make up and giving her self manicures!!

She's been walking for a while now, like I said she has all the right motor skills to do it but since being in a bed for two and half months, losing 25 lbs of muscle mostly, and just being generally weak she is sort of scary to watch walking but it's improving every day the stronger she physicaly gets, and theres no reason to believe she'll have any deficts in that area.

Mentally she seems to be 100% as far as the memory and knowledge of everything she has done and learned up to this point in her life, hell she was telling me Pi to 6 significant digits the other day and recited all the right formulas for area, circumference and volume of cubes, cylinders etc...I can't do that....

She is now conversing in a completely normal manner, her speech is clear and understandable, joking and laughing and being the same smart ass witty kid she always was before...Her voice has perhps permenantly changed and is a little weak on volume tho', they think it could actually be due to the extended intubation as well as an attempted tracheotomy that didn't work.

Her short term memory is a little defecient in remembering events etc from the previous few days but that also is improving....Were hoping that it wil not cause her any learning difficulties...

Emotionally she sometimes will cry like a really young child when theres something she's not happy about instead of just talking about it like she used to, but it'll get better and if not we'll just deal with it.

Also on the emotional front she went thru a pretty severe depression when she became cognitive enought to be fully aware of her injuries and the possibillity that she may lost much of her ability to be a normal person and live a normal life; but that's gone away rapidly as it became obvious to her that with hard work she'll pretty much get it all back.....She always been an obnoxiously confident kid which is exacly what I want in a daughter since the world at large tries so much to destroy a young girls confidence. It'll stand her in good stead now.

The plan is for her to mainstream right back into her regular classes when school starts in the fall, hopefully it works out....she hates the idea of being in any sort of "special" classes because kids are cruel and aren't going to differentiate on the different reasons kids aren't in regular classes....

For someone with the massive brain trauma she underwent it's completely amazing to have recovered even close to as much as she already has, I'm astounded, and it's early yet and as far as full recovery goes were just getting started...

I originally said that If I could only get her smile, laugh and joy of life back it'd be enough for me,....We've gone way past that....and we're elated and thankful for it. Thankful to God and to her Dr.'s

I finally went ahead and started legal action to "make it legal" as far as custody goes.
When Ryan woke up she told us she wanted my last name and asked why hadn't we done it yet?
It arose from her having to make nice with the womb donor after she woke up and started to be aware of stuff. She can't stand them.
Her parents were starting to act like they were wanting to make trouble after she got out of the hospital too. My lawyer already got an emergency custody order and feels that permanent custody is going to be a slam dunk due to all the drug/alchohol and criminal history with them combined with the fact that she's been with us for 6 years and they never made any effort to see her or get her back..After that we'll work on adoption.

Oh, BTW, Insurance is a really good thing, we all know that of course, but so far the total bill "as billed" before negotiated discounts is well over $700,000, she would have got the same care regardless while in the hospital but once she comes home that's when trying to get all the aftercare can get tough w/o it....

Thank you each and everyone for all the prayers and wonderful things you've said and done to help us keep our heads up through all this, I honestly have come on here just to reread comments to try and brighten my day at some of the more "down" moments along the way, and so has Michelle, and she feels the same way and says all y'all are awesome.:punk:
 
Great news man!... Im glad to be reading this... Thumbs up for this great recovery...
 
:clapping::th_image003:GREAT NEWS!. I was VERY concerned when this post started.

My son raced quads for five years,in that five years I watched accidents that took the lives of two young racers, one a 18 yo girl that was one of the nicest kids anyone could have ever met, in the end she improved the life of many donor reciepents.

sounds like you have one very lucky girl , and not just for her recovery but to have found GOOD parents.
 
That is such great news! I am so happy for Ryan, you and all of your family. Sounds like she is well prepared to take on the few hurdles she has left.


Sent from my Tapatalk enabled iPhone w/ V-boost.
 
So glad to hear this (as he wipes a tear away). Sure puts life into perspective.
 
OMG!!. I am so happy to hear of such incredible news. It truly is a remarkable recovery!!!!! Praise the Super Deity (whatever His/Her/Its name is)

praise.jpg

 
Thanks so much for the update Rusty....Heidi asked me just last night how Ryan was doing. This is such great news, it brightened our day.

'Obnoxiously confident' is a huge asset in today's world! :punk:
 
Thanks for keeping us in the loop with all that's happened. So happy to hear Good News.

Depression from all of this will be something that comes and goes. It's been 44 years since I wrecked Horribly @16 YO. Still there are times I let down my guard and think too much about it... Then I tell myself to look at all the good there is in my life, all the things I've accomplished since. Having great friends like everyone here is a huge help.

You, your family and everyone here are always in my Prayers. If you ever need someones insight into how this all may affect Ryan mentally in the future, I'll be happy to talk with you or her and offer any help I can....

My number is 727-422-0021, EST.

Dave
 
Thank you Rusty for the update!.......I have been wondering how Ryan was coming along, the power of prayer still amazes me!..... Praise the Lord for his healing hand and guidance given to those around her!........I'm so happy for all of you right now!.....:eusa_dance:.....Give her a big hug and kiss from all your friends here!..................Tom.
 
That's freakin great to read Rusty!!! I'm very glad to read that she has made such excellent progress in her rehab! Prayers will still be coming.
 

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