Al Parsons: Schedule

Ryan’s Story
On Thursday October 18th at 6:30am, Ryan was out for his usually hunting day. Once he climbed into the tree stand the lock broke causing everything, including Ryan to fall 26 feet to the ground. Ryan landed on his feet causing stress to his spine. He suffered a burst fracture of his L2 vertebrae. He was flown to shock trauma that morning and underwent 5.5 hours of surgery to remove the bone fragments and place a cage in and around his spine. The spinal surgeon said the vertebrae had burst into thousands of tiny pieces in and around the spine and close to the femoral artery. He remained in shock trauma until October 23rd when he was transferred to Kernan Rehab Hospital in Woodlawn, MD. During his 4 week stay at Kernan he worked with an Occupational and Physical Therapist. During occupational therapy he was taught how to perform the activities of daily living such and bathing and dressing from his wheelchair. Physical therapy worked hard to see what nerves had been damaged and what muscles and senses remained. Physical therapy also prepared him for almost any situation he could come across while in his wheelchair. Ryan was discharged to come home on November 20th. He will continue to travel to Kernan Hospital twice a week for the next year (at least) for physical therapy. His quad muscles seem to be responding well while everything else is slow returning. The doctor keeps reminding us that the spine only heals a millimeter per month. Ryan sure does have a long way to go, but he has already overcome so much. Our hope is to some day get Ryan back on his feet. The therapists are confident he will walk again; they are just waiting to see how much assistance he will need to do so.