Dear Family and Friends,

Ryan D. Jacque, a local wildlife and portrait artist, father and devoted husband has suffered a traumatic head and leg injury while hunting on November first. As many of you know he was flown to UMASS Medical Center in Worcester , MA where he underwent head surgery to repair several fractures to his skull and to relieve pressure from his brain and behind his eyes. He also has several fractures to his right femur and facial bones. The head surgery was successful and Ryan has been kept in a medically induced coma to keep his intracranial pressure low while we monitor the swelling in his brain. He has needed blood transfusions as a result of bleeding from his leg injuries and we now know that they will go into repair the fractures to his leg sooner than expected because of this bleeding. We have seen some slight improvements over the last couple of days. His vital signs have been stable and his intracranial pressure has been within normal limits. He is moving all his extremities slightly, but remains heavily sedated
 
As you can imagine there is a long road to recovery ahead for Ryan and his family. The continued overwhelming support, well wishes and love from all of you has made and will continue to make this slow recovery much easier for his family.
 
A benefit fund has been set up in Ryan’s name to help alleviate the financial strain during this stressful time. Contributions can be made at any Country Bank for Savings under Ryan D. Jacque Benefit Fund or through the PayPal link below.
 
Updates on Ryan’s condition will be posted on this site as his recovery continues. These first few days are crucial and Ryan has been receiving exceptional care. We want to thank everyone for their support - it means more than we can say.
 
Thank you and we love you all,
 
The Jacque Family

Monday, Feb. 1, 2010

It’s now been a little over a year since Ryan came home from the Spaulding rehabilitation hospital in Boston. His recovery progress has been remarkable and everyone in the family is more than very happy. He will continue to recover for some time to come but he is pretty much back to "the old Ryan" and that is simply great. This blog will only remain active for a short while since it's now time to look exclusively to the future and that is the best news of all.

We want to thank everyone who has contributed to his recovery in multiple ways both tangible and in thoughts and prayers. There is no way we can ever let everyone know how positive and beneficial your support has been for all of us.

Ryan has begun to draw again both finishing works he had begun before his accident and creating and completing a couple of new pieces. We are working on updating his web site so please stay tuned for some exciting changes to appear in the near future.

One announcement is the availability of a limited edition print, signed, numbered and matted, of "Off Flat Hills Road". This is the initial print in a New England Scenes series of limited edition prints that will be available over the next several months. The prints of "Off Flat Hills Road" are a limited edition of 79 prints several of which have already been sold. If there is interest, especially for a specific number in this series, please contact us at Info@Ryanjacque.com.

The Jacque, Wallace and Bronner families


Tuesday, Nov. 24

In anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday the Jacque, Wallace and Bronner families want to let everyone know how thankful we are for the support Ryan and all of us have received from all of you during the past year.  We couldn't be happier this Thanksgiving with the progress Ryan has made in his recovery.

It has now been a little more than a year since Ryan's accident. His recovery, although not complete, has heartened all of his family and friends. While it is still too early in his recovery to consider employment, physically, he continues to recover. He is regaining sensation in his right side, foot, leg and most importantly his hand. That has allowed him to do some work on drawings that were incomplete at the time of his accident as well as beginning his first new/from scratch drawing this month. 

Ryan is continuing to work on all aspects of his recovery therapies. And for those of you who know him, his sense of humor has also returned, which has made all of us very happy.

There are a number of original drawings still available and we are considering the possibility of doing some limited edition, numbered, signed and matted prints from a few of Ryan's most popular drawings. There will be more information about that venture in the very near future.


Friday, Aug. 7

It’s obviously been a while since the last update. Ryan is continuing to recover although his pace has slowed as he recovers his physical and cognitive capabilities. He is walking unaided and has returned to his studio in the lower level of his home. While his dexterity and physical sensation capabilities in his right side are still compromised, he is recovering those capabilities as well and he has begun to sketch a little in his studio. His family is also doing well and we are all pleased. In terms of what Ryan does, in addition to his ongoing therapy visits and therapy "homework" he has been fishing with his brother Lou and has also joined Lou and other family members and friends on the golf course where Ryan drives the cart and takes a few practice hits. Needless to say we are all very happy with his recovery to that degree.

Many people have asked what they can do to help with Ryan's recovery and future, and all the donations he has received have been gratefully accepted and very much appreciated. While Ryan has never pursued prints of his art, we are now reconsidering the opportunity of signed/numbered and unsigned prints. Therefore we'd appreciate your input by looking at the wildlife page on this website and responding to info@ryanjacque.com letting us know which of the available, still for sale, pieces (identified with a red asterisk *) you would either be interested in as prints or the ones you think others would be interested in.


Monday, June 8

Ryan is continuing to make steady progress in his recovery. His attitude is good and he’s looking forward to continuing his recovery. He uses a crutch when he’s out of the house, but more often that not in the house he walks without it. Recently, he went downstairs and into his studio for the first time in seven months. While his eyesight and dexterity and fine motor skills in his right hand have not improved sufficiently to let him return to drawing, he has begun to make plans for arranging his studio in the hope that he will return to drawing at some point in the future.

However, he does have a number of drawings available for sale as well as prints from some drawings. If anyone has any interest in making a purchase, please let us know and we can discuss prices and availability of specific pieces.

Wednesday, May 13

Ryan visited his Orthopedic surgeon today and received VERY GOOD NEWS!!  He has been cleared to put weight on his right leg and begin physical therapy towards completely normal walking.  For a while he must be careful from a stability perspective and may use a single crutch or get assistance, spotting, from someone when he walks without a crutch.  But this step will lead to climbing stairs and that will let him get back into his studio in the near, we hope, future.

If you are as happy as his family, send him an email and let him know.

Monday, May 11

A little later this week Ryan will see his Orthopedic surgeon again and find out if he can put weight on his right leg, and we are all hoping he gets the OK to do so.

This is really just a note to his friends, family and neighbors to say give him a call or call and visit with him.  Ryan is doing well, but he could use some encouraging calls to talk about things other than "How do you feel."  Although he is busy with multiple therapies and homework, he is pretty much confined to his house and calls, especially in the evening, is what he could use from friends, family and neighbors, as well as visits if people have some time.

Wednesday, May 6

For anyone who has recently heard about Ryan’s accident and his progress to date, the details are on Ryan’s website. There is a posting about the original accident and multiple updates which will help you to understand just how serious this injury has been. Emails of encouragement are always welcome at ryan@ryanjacque.com. We also established a Benefit Fund to help Ryan’s family with expenses and we encourage people to spread the word about that and if so inclined, to make a contribution.

During the weekdays he goes on an outpatient basis, to multiple therapies – speech, cognitive, occupational and physical therapies. At this point he is not yet walking normally but we are happy to say that he has transitioned from a wheelchair, to a walker and now to crutches. In addition to his brain injuries, he had a very serious set of multiple fractures to his right femur. Now he is finally able to put partial weight on his broken right leg and he will know in a couple of weeks whether he can start to put full weight on his leg.

Unfortunately one of the worst consequences is that Ryan has lost sight completely in his left eye and we have no reason to believe it will return. So he is adjusting to that slowly and over time, his right eye will learn to compensate as much as possible. Also, since his head injury was on the left side, his right arm and hand are not fully functioning normally. But strength and dexterity are returning and that’s one of the main things he works on in occupational therapy and we have seen much improvement in his fine motor skills. We are hopeful that over time he can once again become the artist he was. But it is way too soon to tell and frankly, it puts too much pressure on Ryan to worry about art right now. He has so much to do in his various therapies and his brain is still healing. So he focuses on the short term goals and tries not to get too caught up in the long term.


Monday, April 27

Ryan is continuing with all of his therapies and has lots of assignments to keep himself very busy when he is not at one of his 6 or 7 therapy visits each week.  He is continuing to make progress, but it is slow and the effort it takes is very demanding. 

At this point, it will be beneficial for Ryan and Tonia to receive notes from everyone who has been following his progress as your encouragement will help significantly.  For those people who live in the Brimfield area and want to help, both Tonia and Ryan would benefit from calls, visits and offers to assist with driving Ryan to his therapies once in a while.  And of course any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
 

Sunday April 12

Ryan,Tonia and the girls wish every one a Happy Easter and we are all thrilled to be able to spend this holiday together. 

Ryan has settled into a very demanding and busy rehabilitation schedule and is making progress, slowly.  A "typical" day, after the kids are off to school begins with a trip to Occupational or physical therapist at Harrington hospital, about 20 minutes away.  He spends an hour of concentrated effort with his therapist and heads home for a break and time to practice his "homework" either from his most recent therapy or in anticipation of his next visit.  Almost everything he does, from helping with breakfast to assisting Tonia around the house is therapy based and assists in his recovery.  After lunch he's off in the opposite direction for a speech therapy hour that again required all of his concentration.  Once home, he works on tasks to improve his cognitive capabilities, speech improvement or occupational/dexterity improvement.  Throughout the day, he is now using his crutches and must walk numerous times, inside and out if possible to promote strength development and bone growth for his leg.  As he progresses through the afternoon and evening, Ryan plays cards and games with Tonia and the girls, again to assist in his overall cognitive, speech, occupational and physical development.  This has all worked to help him continue his progress and recovery.

In terms of his medical situation, he has visited his orthopedic surgeon and is due back in another month.  Until then he cannot put much weight on his right leg.  While there has been some bone growth, his Dr. is concerned that it is insufficient to support his full weight.  Hopefully, his bones will heal/regrow enough to begin more physical therapy allowing him to walk unaided.  If not, another round of surgery may be required for his leg and hip.  He also visited Mass Eye and Ear hospital in Boston for an evaluation of his left eye.  Unfortunately their conclusion agreed with an earlier exam and Ryan has lost vision in that eye.  There are no current medical approaches to address this loss and it would be extremely rare if his vision were to come back.  His right eye has limited peripheral vision and he will return to Boston for more tests in the near future. 

The good news is that his spirits are high and he is encouraged by his overall progress.  He looks forward to hearing from his friends, art lovers and acquaintances through his web site.  His family remains grateful for all the contributions they have received and we will keep the option open for more contributions through this site. 


Friday, March 20

 

Ryan visited his orthopedic surgeon earlier this week and the summary of all his conditions are mixed.  He has made great progress in some areas, has obstacles to overcome in others and there are some areas where he and we can only wait for healing to continue.  Cognitively he is doing very well.  He is gaining a good deal of his long term memory back and he is much better at retaining memory of events and activities that occur every day.  His right side remains weaker than his left, but his dexterity and strength are improving with his therapies.  He's able to participate in many chores around the house including meal preparation and his great enjoyment of cooking.  His corned beef and cabbage on the 17th was excellent.  Another area where he is improving through his therapies and exercises is his speech which is much better than Ry is willing to admit.

Physically he continues to have challenges.  He cannot put weight on his right leg although he can use it minimally for balance.  He also has no vision in his left eye and a limited field of vision in his right eye.  However, this does not prevent him from playing a number of games and wining at least, if not more than his share.   

The bottom line is he is doing better than any of us would have imagined a few months ago but he has a long road of therapies ahead of him.  The good news is that Ryan is working very hard every day at his therapies, brain stimulations, doing his share around the house and making everyone happy with his sense of humor.

Please continue to send him notes and emails that either he or Tonia or Koryn will read.
 

Thursday, March 5

 

 

 

 

Just a brief update.  Ryan is still unable to put weight on his right leg, but we all hope that will change within a couple of weeks so he can expand his physical therapy. 

The silent art auction from Hitchcock Academy can be reached at their web site  http://www.hitchcockacademy.org/

 

or directly at hitchcockcommunity.cmarket.com
 

 

 

Monday, March 2

 

 

Ryan is continuing to make progress.  Last Thursday he visited with Dr. Chae, his "brain doctor" at Spaulding rehab hosp in Boston.  Dr. Chae is very pleased with Ryan's recovery to date with the recognition that there are many months of therapies to go.  However, Ry's speech is getting better, his memory is coming back and his ability to reason and "pull our legs" is just wonderful.  Tonia and the girls play lots of word and dexterity games with Ryan and he does extremely well as well as winning his share.  Physically he remains unable to see from his left eye and has a limited field of vision in his right.  But, Dr. Chae made the point that Ry's brain healing is a slow process and we must give it months before any action can be considered from a vision perspective.  This week, Ry goes back to see his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Siegel, and we all hope she gives him the OK to begin to put some weight on his right leg.

 

 

On another note, there is a silent art auction sponsored by the Hitchcock Academy in Brimfield that began last Tuesday, February 24 and continues through March 17.  One of Ryan's newer drawings, "Showdown" is included in the auction and everyone is encouraged to look, not only at Ryan's work but all the available items. 

 

 

And finally, Ryan, Tonia and the girls, including of course Emma, are very appreciative of all the support and notes they have received from many of you.  Since Ry is now able to read the notes, please do not hesitate to show your support and to give him encouragement towards his full recovery.  
 

 

Monday, February 23

An additional art related item.  Ryan's drawing "Stonemill and Sparrow" was juried into the International Guild Of Realism show in Naples, FL.  The opening of the IGOR show was February 17 and it was spectacular.  Ry's work stands up very well in this high level group and his drawing was judged to be second best, by one vote, in the drawing category.
 

Monday, February 23.

Ryan is continuing to make progress in his rehabilitation and recovery. The pace of recovery is slowing down as expected, but he continues to show improvement. He has been ale able to take small trips outside his home, including a visit to Bass Pro Shops with his brother in law Larry. Ryan will visit his orthopedic Doctor in March and hopes at that time to be able to begin to put some weight on his right leg.
 

Sunday February 1, 2009

Ryan has been home for a week and a half and has begun his therapies as an out patient.  He has settled in at home to the great joy of his family and friends.  While he still has a long way to go in his therapies, he has been out of the house not just for therapy, but for lunch and a visit to one of his favorite places, Bass Pro Shops.   He will visit his orthopedic surgeon in a few days and hopefully get the OK to begin to put weight on his right leg and include that in his physical therapy routines.  But, he's become quite adept at hopping around the house on his good left leg with the support of a walker.

One of his recent drawings, "Stonemill and Sparrow" was accepted into the International Guild of Realism, or IGOR show which will begin February 17 at the Weatherburn Gallery in Naples, FL.  Anyone in the area is encouraged to both visit this prestigious show and to see one of Ryan's most recent works completed not long before his accident.  His mom and dad hope to be able to get to FL to represent him at the show's opening.  A step in the near future will be to update his wildlife gallery with works that remain available for sale, since it is currently quite out of date and we need Ryan's help to identify works that have been sold.
 

Thursday January 22

Ryan is home!!!  He came home yesterday and is able to navigate around his house, first floor only, using a walker or wheelchair. His family was there to greet him coming home and there were very big smiles, and a few tears, all around. He will continue his therapies, speech, cognitive, occupational and physical, as an out patient at Harrington hospital in Sturbridge. 

It probably goes without saying, but THANK YOU to everyone who has offered support and prayers for Ryan's recovery.  Still a long way to go, but he has come a long way too and we are all optimistic he will come all the way back
 

Sunday January 18

While there has been a gap in news about Ryan, he has continued to make excellent progress.  All of his therapists and Dr. Chae, his Dr. at Spaulding, have been very please with his recovery to date.  In fact, it is now projected that Ryan will continue his therapies, speech, cognitive, occupational and physical as an out patient at Harrington hospital in Sturbridge, MA.  For those of you who don’t know the area, yes the community next to Brimfield where Ryan and his family live.  In fact, Ryan is expected to go home this Wednesday, January 21.  It will have been a very long 82 days from his accident on Nov. 1 to Jan. 21, and he has a long challenging road ahead in his recovery process, but he can now be home with Tonia, Koryn, Madelyn and of course close to Lou, Sarah and Emma.

The Chili cook-off was fantastic, but not as fantastic as Todd Sullivan and everyone at Pioneer brewery have been.  There were 21 chili cooks entered and several came solely because they ready about Ryan on this web site.  Tony, THANK YOU!!  As soon as we have all the results the winner's names will be published and if they read this and would like to add their winning recipes to Ryan's update page, just email it in. 
 

Wednesday January 7

Ryan continues to improve with all his therapies.

The news today is that this coming Sunday, January 11 there will be a chili cook off fund raiser for the Ryan Benefit Fund at Hyland Orchard and Brewery in Fiskdale (Sturbridge), MA from 12:00 to 5:00 PM.  Call the Brewery at 508-347-7500 or go to the web page http://www.hylandbrew.com/ for complete details.
 

Monday, January 5, 2009

Ryan made progress over the holidays.  He is now speaking much better.  He's putting his thoughts together pretty well, although he does get confused and frustrated when he can't say the words he has in his head or he can't think of the word he wants to use.  But, physically he is doing well.  On New Years Day he was allowed out of Spaulding for a couple of hours and a number of his family members got together at a restaurant for a late lunch.  Ryan clearly enjoyed himself and the steak he was able to order now that he is on an unrestricted diet.  His therapies are continuing for speech and cognition, daily activities and physical development.  So, even though we are all extremely happy with his progress thus far, it's still too early to know what his long term limitations, if any, will be.
 

Tuesday December 30

Ryan is continuing to make progress through his therapies.  He is in room 824 at the Spaulding Rehabilitation hospital in Boston.  He has now reached the point where friends and family can visit during the normal 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM visiting hours at Spaulding.  In fact, he would welcome visitors during the week if anyone can make it.  It's not necessary to check with Tonia, but large groups are still a little much for him when it's people he hasn’t seen in a while.
 

Saturday, December 27

Ryan and all of us want to first say Happy Holidays and thank you to everyone who has sent notes and supported him, Tonia and the girls for the last two months.  We had a very happy Christmas with Ryan as he progresses through his rehabilitation.

Ryan had a very good week.  He continues to make progress that all his therapists are happy with.  He is now eating a soft diet for all three meals and spends much of his time in his wheelchair.  His speaking is getting better very slowly.  His "voice" remains a hoarse whisper, but he is understandable and answers most questions.  On Christmas he had a steady stream of visitors including "Gram" Kay and his brothers Lou and Dick and he talked to his sister Julie on the phone, although his end of the conversation was one word at a time.  He recognizes just about everyone and his long term memory is coming back which is shown by his remembering his birthday and how many years he and Tonia have been married.  All of this progress is wonderful, but it also shows how much is ahead in his rehabilitation both physically and mentally as his brain continues to heal.

On another note, we are trying to catalog all of Ryan's outstanding drawings and are missing a few owners.  If you own or know who owns the following pieces, please respond through Ry's web site and let us know.  "Huddled", "Showdown", "Too Close" and "Through the Lilys"
 

Sunday, December 21

A very short news item tonight.  Ryan speaks!!!  Tonia, Linda and Dick were able to call his room with assistance of the great nurses on the 8th floor of Spaulding and talked to Ryan on the phone.  His voice is faint, a horse whisper in reality, but he was able to respond to us and clearly understood how excited we were to hear his voice.  It made December for all of us.  More to come later in the week.
 

Thursday December 18

Ryan was taken back to the UMASS Medical Center yesterday, Wednesday, so the orthopedic surgeon could assess his leg's healing progress.  She was very pleased with the healing to date, although it will still be February before he can put any weight onto his right leg.  Also, Ry continues to try to mouth and occasionally whisper words.  He seems to know his family every time we visit and he is also more attentive to all his surroundings as the therapists and medicines do their jobs. 

The Benefit at the Simple Indulgence Spa last Sunday was a great success and we cannot thank Laurie Manchester and her employees enough for their work and time donations.  There will be a chili cook off at Hylands Brewery in January and plans are underway for two Art auctions also in 2009 all to benefit Ryan and his family.  More details will follow as they become available. 
 

Sunday, December 14

Ryan continues to do well and improve.  He is currently in his wheelchair in the "piano room" with his family.  He is getting better medically.  His tracheotomy tube was removed Friday and he began getting small amounts of food to test his ability to swallow without getting anything into his lungs.  He is more attentive and when he is "tuned in" he clearly understands virtually everything we tell him, including a few comments aimed to bring smiles.  He is not yet talking, but he is trying and can occasionally mouth some words and every once in a while give us a hoarse whispered yes or hello if we put a cell phone to his ear.  He did that to his nephew Matt today when Matt told him he was dedicating all his basketball points to uncle Ry.  Tonia and the girls, Koryn, Maddy and Emma, always bring out a great smile when they show up and we are all encouraged.  We talked to all his therapists and without exception they are encouraged by Ry's progress and his ability to do what they ask during his therapy sessions. 
 

Thursday, Dec. 11

I am typing this in the day room at Spaulding Rehabilitation hospital.  Ryan is in his wheelchair next to me and Tonia is reading the girls' Christmas list to him.  The last couple of days have been good ones for Ry.  He is now fully conscious and his Dr. told us earlier today that he is very pleased with Ry's progress, especially the past few days.  Ry is accomplishing the tasks asked by his therapists and they too are all encouraged.  He responds to commands the majority of the time and nods his responses.  While he is not talking yet, he has begun to mouth a few words.  He saw Koryn yesterday on her 14th birthday and mouthed her name! 

Another reminder, don't forget the Spa day on Saturday at Simple Indulgence.
 

Monday, Dec. 8

Ryan showed more awareness of his surroundings over the weekend.  He was able occasionally to respond to single commands and began on an infrequent basis to nod agreement to simple statements.  For example if he was raised in his bed and asked if that was better, he is able to nod yes, but not every time.  On Saturday as he was wheeled out of his room he did give us a little wave which made all of our weekends.  He also gave us a big smile when his daughters were at his bedside.  However, progress is extremely slow, the best analogy is it's like watching grass grow, but we all hope it continues to grow. 

This coming weekend, thanks to Laurie Manchester, there will be a fund raiser at the Simple Indulgence Spa in Sturbridge, MA where Tonia is a massage therapist.  All services including chair, foot, hand or facial messages; makeup applications and of course nail polishing and foot soaks and polishes, are being donated by the staff and donations of $10 to $15 dollars are suggested for each service.  In addition, Carl Beane, "The voice of the Red Sox" will be on hand and you or your kids can have your picture taken with him and his World Series rings.  There will be raffles of items and gift cards from local business and all proceeds will help Ryan, Tonia and the girls.  


Thursday, Dec. 4

It's now been a week since Ryan entered the Spaulding Rehab Hospital.  His is making some progress in his recovery.  He is now able to frequently follow commands "Hold the cup or open your mouth."  And, while he has yet to speak, he does seem to recognize his family when we speak to him.  It will be a long road of recovery, but he's taken the first steps, however small.

Also, a reminder about this Saturday and Sunday and the Artist Open Studio Trail featuring a number of artists in the Brimfield/Sturbridge area including a display of Ryan's work at Anna Ozolins' studio.  It runs from 10 to 4 both days and there will be notices and large signs on the Brimfield common.
 

Monday, Dec. 1

Ry and everyone in the family had a good weekend.  He is settled in at Spaulding and received therapies on Saturday.  He is now placed into a chair for several hours a day and went for his first physical therapy session on Saturday.  While little has changed with his responsiveness, the small changes that did seem to take place were positive.  Larry, his brother in law brought a "Sox" baseball hat on Saturday and Ryan genuinely seemed to look at it with some level of curiosity and understanding.  He also has begun to occasionally follow simple commands and even smile.  As we have all learned, the smallest of steps can be uplifting for his family and give us hope for the future.

Also, while I will highlight it again later this week for people who live in central MA, this coming Saturday and Sunday  from 10 to 4 is the Artist Open Studio Trail walk beginning in Brimfield.  There will be a display and pieces of Ryan's work for sale in Anna Ozolins' studio.
 

Friday, Nov. 28

Ryan is now settled in at Spaulding Rehabilitation hospital in downtown Boston.  His medical condition is good, with the understanding that he is healing physically and it will take time for his body to heal.  His lungs are improving and he is breathing through a tracheotomy with supplemental oxygen.  His right leg will take a minimum of three months before it will accept any weight.

The main concern continues to be his brain injury.  His Dr. lists him as minimally conscious which means he can follow simple commands sometimes, but certainly not regularly.  His right eye is open and he seems to be able to follow a person who moves close to him.  He continues to wear a neck collar to prevent quick movements of his head and he occasionally lifts his left arm to pull the collar slightly away from his neck.  The immediate treatments will be focused on making him more conscious as well as some physical therapy for muscles and body movements.

At this point there will be fewer than daily updates for several reasons.  Since he is in Boston and will be on a full schedule of therapy during the work week, he will be very tired and there will be fewer visitors to report on his condition.  Also, his progress cannot really be measured on a daily basis since changes from one day to another may not be particularly observable.  However, we will try to post notes as frequently as possible and we will also use this forum for other notes relating to Ryan, his family and the various events and benefits being planned on his behalf.

We all appreciate the concern, support, prayers and good wishes Ryan and his family have received from so many people. However, his condition and rehabilitation program is such that visitors and direct contact is limited to his immediate family as he is simply not able to see people at this time.
 

Wednesday Nov. 26  PM

Ryan was discharged from the Umass Medical Center ICU and transported to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in dpwntown Boston this afternoon.  Tonia and Linda followed him to Spaulding and report this evening he is settled into a room on the 8th floor with all the medical attention he needs.
 

Wednesday Nov. 26 AM

Ryan continues to show gains medically on Tuesday.  He was in a more sitting like position in his bed and his chest/lung Xrays also looked better.  Based on conversations late in the day Tuesday, it looks like he will soon, as early as today perhaps, be moved to a rehabilitation facility, most likely in Boston.  It's obvious he will require significant rehabilitation care for some period of time although predictions cannot be made until he is in a  rehab hospital and has been fully evaluated.
 

Monday, Nov. 24

A quiet day for Ryan.  He remained off the ventilator and his IV meds are being reduced and in some cases removed.  He still is close to a coma although his eyes are open and occasionally track movement in his room.  When his eyes are closed and someone calls his name (loudly) he does open his eyes although it is highly debatable if he sees us and he does not seem to recognize anyone by sight.  But we are encouraged by his steady medical improvements.
 

Sunday, Nov. 23

Ryan has been off the ventilator since mid day Saturday, although he continues to receive oxygen through a small mask covering the tracheotomy tube.  His eyes have been open numerous times today and while he has not yet communicated to us in any way he does seem to occasionally respond to commands to squeeze our hands and in one case wiggle his toes.  The rumor is he will be moved to the ICU "step down" area in a day or so which is a clear sign his medical conditions are improving.
 

Saturday, Nov. 22

Ryan has been breathing on his own for a few hours today with only a 50% Oxygen supplement.  He will go back onto the vent for breathing assistance later this afternoon but his numbers, heart rate, blood pressure and blood Oxygen gas level, are all good.  Thus he has been sleeping with his right leg being exercised, actually moved slowly from extension to a slight flex, by a leg exercise machine that is placed right in his bed.   

Another piece of news is that there is a group of artists in the Brimfield area who will have an "Artist Open Studio Trail" on December 6 and 7 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Anna Ozolins who is the group's organizer and lives very near to Ryan and Tonia has made it a point to include Ryan's work in the event, so anyone in the area is encouraged to take the tour beginning on the Brimfield common.
 

Friday Nov. 21

Ry had the surgery to close his leg incision early this afternoon.  He now has no additional surgeries scheduled. 

He has now been in the UMASS Medical Center ICU for three weeks.  He is pretty stable medically although he remains on a ventilator and continues to require his lungs to be suctioned.  He leg has been operated on with screws and a plate attached to his femur to provide stability and structure while his bones heal and grow.  At this point we don't know the status of his brain injuries, although it is a good sign that he is moving his arms and hands both randomly and in response to stimulation when he is turned, cleaned up and suctioned.  Also, today he had his eyes open and the nurse told us he was able to track, that is follow her across the room, but he cannot communicate to us as yet.  Nevertheless, it will likely be a number of days before he can be evaluated to determine where he will go for rehabilitation.  The extent that he comes out of his coma will be a major factor determining what rehabilitation he requires.  And, at this point, we simply don't know.
 

Thursday Nov. 20

Ry did not go for surgery today either.  The surgeon is now planning on tomorrow to close up his leg.  Today he seemed closer to coming out of his coma.  He is now showing facial changes and his face shows responses to being moved, turned and otherwise tended to.  The medical staff is pleased with his "progress"  and that is comfortable for all of us.
 

Wednesday Nov. 19

Ryan will not go into the OR to close the incision on his leg today.  The orthopedic surgeon looked at his leg this morning and was very pleased that the swelling had been reduced and the wound was very clean.  He concluded that if he was to attempt to close the incision today he could not do it all.  Therefore since Ry's leg was in good shape he would wait until tomorrow or Friday to finalize the closure in one surgery versus two.  Ry continues to respond to requests to squeeze our hands.
 

Tuesday, Nov. 18

Great news from Tonia.  Ryan squeezed her hand on command this morning.  He also had his right eye slightly open and his fever was around normal this morning.  He also began having his right leg moved with a device proscribed by the orthopedic surgeon to keep his muscles from losing tone and cramping.  Tomorrow another visit to the OR to close up his leg incision, which we believe is his last planned surgery.
 

Monday Nov. 17

Another brief visit to the OR for Ry today to have his feeding tube installed.  We're telling ourselves the liquid protein feed is almost like a bacon cheeseburger, But I suspect not.  Also he is now driving the ventilator by his own breathing cycle.  He is not breathing on his own because the ventilator is assisting, but this is a step towards breathing on his own.    
 

Sunday, November 16 4:00 PM

Ryan returned to the OR today to have most of his leg incision closed, although it remains partially open to continue to allow drainage.

But the most encouraging news is that his sedation medication was lowered substantially this morning and he was able to squeeze our hands when we asked him to.  We couldn't have been happier at this step. 
 

Sunday, November 16 8:15 AM

While we haven't yet seen Ryan today, we had a piece of good news at the end of the day Saturday.  When Ryan was first in the trauma center, prior to his brain surgery, an Ophthalmogist examined his left eye which was obviously hurt badly from his fall.  The Dr. released pressure from behind Ryan's eye and told us it was impossible to determine the amount, if any damage, that had been done to the eye.  Late yesterday the Ophthalmologist examined the eye again and while it didn't respond as well as Ryan's right eye, there doesn't appear to be any serious nerve damage.  That was very good news!!!
 

Saturday Nov. 15

Ryan is still stable, has not suffered any setbacks from his surgery and is recovering slowly.  We expect a restful weekend and hope sometime next week the medical team will bring him out of his coma.
 

Friday Nov. 14

Ryan had a busier day than we expected.  He had the staples removed from his head which were inserted during his surgery last week ago.  The medical team did not insert the feeding tube into his stomach, which they expect to do next week.   Again, thank you from all of us;  Tonia, Linda, Koryn, Madelyn, Lou, Sarah, Emma and Dick.  All of the notes, donations, words and prayers of support have been wonderful and greatly appreciated. 
 

Friday Nov. 14

Ryan is doing well today, although he remains in the medical coma until all the various medical teams agree he can be awakened.  He has not had any negative experiences from his surgery.  At the moment he has a sponge with a suction drain in his right leg to remove the excess fluids that have collected there.  It is expected to be removed in a couple of days.  The tracheotomy is now used for Oxygen and the ventilator.  Later today he is expected to receive a feeding tube directly into his stomach which should result in no tubes through his nose and mouth. 

The surgery will now allow for more freedom in treating his lungs and pneumonia.  We are all pleased at the results and getting over the hurdle that his leg fracture presented. 
 

Thursday Nov. 13 11:30 PM

Ryan's surgery was completed about 11:00 tonight.  It began at 5:30 and was successful.  Two screws were put into the small "neck' that attaches the femur to the ball going into the hip socket.  It was not possible to have a rod placed through his femur, but a plate was attached against the outside of the bone which the surgeon says will be equally effective.  The Surgeon told us it was more complicated than she expected due to the fact that the bones have had almost two weeks to begin healing on their own.  However, her prognosis is good and Ryan tolerated the surgery well with no other difficulties occurring.  Ryan will require another trip to the OR on Sunday or early next week to close the surgical wound that must remain open to drain while the swelling is allowed to go down over the next several days. 
 

Thursday Nov. 13

Ryan headed off to the OR a little after 3:00 this afternoon.  We anticipate it will be a minimum of 5 hours before we hear anything and I'll post an update when we have any information.
 

Thursday Nov. 13

As of 11:45 Ryan is still waiting to leave ICU for the OR.  There is another case that the Trauma team is dealing with before Ryan can be operated on.  It looks like he will go to the OR in mid afternoon and all his "numbers" have been solid so we have every reason to believe the surgery will take place today when an operating room is available.  We talked to the orthopedic surgeon late Wednesday and she inspires confidence just by talking to her.  She is clearly very good, has performed similar operations before, has consulted with her peers and we believe he couldn't be in better hands.  More to come as we proceed through the day and evening. 
 

Wednesday Nov. 12 5:30 PM

Ryan's day continued stable.  He is scheduled for surgery at 11:00 tomorrow morning and I'll update tomorrow as we know more.
 

Wednesday Nov. 12

Ryan had another uneventful night!!!!!  His brain pressure is no longer considered to be an issue to the extent that the sensor that was placed into his brain during the skull fracture surgery Nov.1 has been removed.  His lungs have also improved slightly and he may have major leg surgery tomorrow, Thursday.  That surgery will last 3 or 4 hours to repair his right femur very close to his hip socket.  The surgery will involve fixing the bone using aids that may include plates, screws, rods and bone material from cadavers that will be used to "fill in" areas to assist in healing.  If we get more information later today, I'll post a second update.
 

Tuesday Nov. 11

Ryan had a good night and remains stable today.  The swelling and pressure in his brain is minimal at most and he has now been weaned off medication to reduce the brain swelling and his "numbers" still look good.  His lungs have shown a little improvement and the medical teams are pleased with his progress.  The music selection now includes Brazilian rain forest sounds and Blues Traveler, a Ryan favorite!!! 
 

Monday Nov. 10

Ryan remains "Critically stable".  His vital signs are strong and all the areas being monitored are in the ranges that the UMASS medical teams expects.  He had a quiet night and day today.  His Mom brought in some CDs after talking to the nursing staff and there are a variety of bird calls playing in the background.  For those of you who know him, these are sounds he loves. 

We know progress will be slow but we are also learning slow in our environment is very different from slow in the ICU, where progress is measured in events and monitoring metrics versus calendar schedules.  And that is what will dictate when his leg will be operated on.

 

Sunday Nov. 9

Tonia, Linda, Dick and all the Jacques and Wallaces want to thank everyone for you thoughts, support and prayers.

Ryan had another solid and stable day on Sunday.  His numbers are heading towards normal and the next day or two should see the sensor being removed from his brain.  He is still under close watch for his lungs but today's Xrays were better than yesterday.  The situation seems to be that he is stable and progress will be slow and measured in baby steps.  But we are pleased with all steps.
 

Saturday Nov. 8

Friday ended well for Ryan.  He maintained steady numbers on all of the monitoring devices and had a stable day with no regressions.  Overnight he was also stable and has now been bathed and shaved by his nurses.  Again a quiet day the nurses call "good" and that 's the first time we've heard that.  No projection as to when his leg will be operated on, but we are very happy with a quiet stable day.
 

Friday Nov. 7  AM

Thursday turned out to be a tense day for all of us as Ryan's "numbers" were up when they should have been down and down when they should have been up.

However the status at the end of the day was that the Dr. seems comfortable with Ryan's head injury to the extent that the pressure is controlled within normal limits and there is no indication of additional swelling.  His leg was not operated on due to his lung situation which includes pneumonia and bruises to his lungs.  That is of most concern to Ry's Drs. but moving him late in the day Thursday, overnight and this morning did not stimulate any negative readings that were not expected. 

This morning Ry is still in his medical coma but all of his numbers and pressures are where the medical teams want them and they don't think his leg is bleeding internally to any great extent.

We are hoping for a quiet and stable day.
 

Thursday Nov. 6, AM

The situation is not too different than it has been. Ryan is in the ICU in a medically induced coma and the medical teams work to stabilize his brain conditions, pressure and swelling, and deal with pneumonia which we were told to expect. Surgery for his leg remains on hold until his "numbers" are at a point where the risk is acceptable. For us that means we wait anxiously as all families do under these type of circumstances.
 

 

Wed. Nov. 5,  5:30 PM.

Ryan had a quiet day and that's exactly what he needs and we all want for him at this point.  He is expected to undergo surgery on his right leg tomorrow morning.  He has multiple breaks in his femur and we are all hopeful his brain status will remain stable overnight to allow for the surgery in the morning.

Again thanks for all your support, prayers and messages of hope.

The Jacque and Wallace family