An unwanted update

Time just flies by in-between blog posts it seems, and I wish I were able to write something light and happy about Kerensa instead of having to recount for you what happened today. Ryan was in an accident on his way home from work. It seemed like something had to be wrong when he wasn't home shortly after 5 and my calls weren't being answered or returned. I fixed some dinner for Kerensa and I and then decided to call his parents around 6:30. They told me they would call around and call me back. While I was waiting, I started feeling anxious particularly after Ryan's dad mentioned that Lynn heard an accident report on her way home that fell within a route Ryan might have taken home. I decided to call the nearest hospital and felt my fears were put to rest when they told me no one had been admitted under that name.

A call back, however, destroyed my sense of calm. My in-laws had spoken with an ambulance service who reported to them they'd taken Ryan to a hospital downtown. Sacred Heart is known for its emergency care, but that did not bring me much calm either. I packed up Kerensa's diaper bag with everything I could think of and then realized I needed to bring some of Ryan's personal items too. By the time I actually made it out to the car, Ryan's mom called to let me know she'd spoken briefly with the doctor who told her not to hurry and that Ryan was alert.

After traversing a maze of corridors and elevators, I found my way to the ER where Ryan's mom was already waiting. We were taken back to see Ryan, and I frankly had not prepared myself very well. Apparently, "alert" can have a myriad of meanings. I think I'll avoid detail, but suffice it to say he didn't look very good. I started hearing terms like "bruising on the brain," "closed head injury," and "some blood in his brain." Having defended personal injury cases for over 4 years, I know how serious head injuries can be. Ryan kept coming in and out of awareness. The doctor told us he was disoriented and kept repeating himself (both of which are normal in such a situation). We stayed in the ER for a little over 2 hours before they moved Ryan to ICU. It took awhile for the staff to get him set up there, and while Kerensa had gotten to see him downstairs, the nurses now told us she had to stay in the waiting room.

Ryan seemed a bit less able to rest in his new quarters and his eyes kept fluttering open to see me standing there. Almost every time he told me his head hurt. We kept telling him he'd been in an accident, and he kept telling us he hadn't. When I decided to come home to put Kerensa to bed, I told Ryan that and that it was after 10pm to which he told me it wasn't. We won't know the extent of his injuries for awhile yet, and he has to stay in ICU for the next 24 to 48 hours for monitoring of his cognition. I don't think he meant to be humorous, but certainly some of the stuff he said made me laugh. When the ICU nurse gestured toward his dad and asked Ryan who that was, Ryan said "dad pops," which is similar to how he refers to himself at times to Kerensa, i.e. "I'm your daddy pops."

I know I need to go to bed now and try to get some rest. I have no idea what the next several days will bring, and I have already been stressed with how busy I've been at work. Your prayers for our family are appreciated. I will update when I can.