"As Good as We Hoped"



We had the follow-up appointment yesterday which included new xrays.  It was great news!  The bone is fusing nicely around the hardware, and in the words of his surgeon, "This is as good as we hoped for." 

Cory "Lieutenant" Snyder also joined us for the appointment as did the physician's assistant, Dave.  Dave is awesome and we think he has taken a special interest in Ricky's condition.

The other update is that Ricky was given the green light to go to the mall or perhaps to a movie with Cory and/or his friends (if he feels up to it).  He can't try to turn his head yet - he needs to wait for a few more months until the skull is fully fused to the neck.  At that time, he will be able to start with a few neck rotations.

The pain level is becoming a bit more tolerable and Ricky is weaning off the pain meds.  His goal is to be done with the pain medication by Sunday.

Cory has been a God-send.  He is helping Ricky to focus on playing some games, liar's dice of course and a little Chess (Destiny, I think Ricky won :)) in addition to helping out by cooking dinner and taking care of the dogs.  We've seen Ricky perk up since he brother arrived - his spirits are definately much higher this week. 

The next follow up appointment is in two months.  Until then, Ricky still needs to be very careful and not try to over do it.

All in all, the recovery is progressing much better than we originally anticipated.  Jimmy and I think there are several reasons for that including his young age, good health, the best surgeon around, and the love and support of family and friends.

It's as good or better than we had hoped and prayed for.

What's Your Reason?

         This will be the only post I write. This is my moms blog, on her point of view of my progress. She's done a great job so far, and I'm gonna keep letting her do what she's doing. But I thought you might want to hear from the direct source, of what this journey has been like so far.

        



Me - Spring 2012

         The first thing I always tell people when they ask me is that this scenario has completely remodeled my definition of both physical and mental pain. I wake up feeling pain, I go to bed feeling pain, eating brings pain, and breathing brings pain. Just writing this entry brings pain. With all this being said, from the readers point of view, it may seem like I'm at my lowest. And while this is temporarily going to be a negative situation, it's forced me to grow years in a span of a little under a month. 

       All throughout my recovery I've had a lot of time to self reflect. Self reflecting about my goals, my dreams, where I want to be in life, and where I'm currently at in life. And every time all this thinking brings me back to one question, 'What gets me up in the morning?'. Meaning, what's my reason to find motivation to get me out of bed in the morning. What do I have to tell myself, to find a reason to make it through the day? Should I get out of bed in hopes that I'll meet my dream girl? Maybe I should get out of bed so I can accomplish goals...

       Regardless of my reason, I'm sharing this information in hopes that you as the reader will ask yourself the same question. While some of you know exactly what gives you a passion for life, others may be completely lost. For all those who don't have a reason, try and think deeply about it, and find a reason. And no matter your reason, how simple it may seem, and how others may not necessarily understand, it's YOUR reason, and no one can take that from you.  Having a reason makes life easier, gives it purpose, and makes you more confident in the things you do. It almost alleviates all the pain life brings with it. 

        After thinking about this question for a while, I've found my reason. And with this reason, no amount of physical or mental pain I experience will bring me down. Because I know what i have passion for in this world, and I know what gives me motivation to do all the things I do, and to go through what I've been going through. No matter the setbacks that may come my way, or  the thoughts that may race through my head I'll be fine, because I've found my reason. 

       

Changing of the Guards, II




Lieutenant Snyder and Ricky
May 27

Today marks a couple of milestones.  First, it's been 3 weeks today since the surgery, and second, Jimmy returns to work today after 3 weeks off.

 

We won't have to worry about Ricky being alone though because one of our other sons, Cory (aka Lieutenant Snyder) is here for the second offical, Changing of the Guards.  Ricky loves his brothers and I've already seen his spirits lifted since Cory arrived.



Ricky has had an eventful weekend and took his first walk down the block and back.  The pain level is now hovering around a 5 and we're hoping it will decrease and stay at least 4 or under soon.

Also, look for an upcoming blog by Ricky himself.  He told me yesterday he is ready to post a blog giving his perspective on the surgery and healing process.

Getting Better Every Day

It's been 18 days since the surgery, and Ricky is getting a little stronger each day.  The pain level is beginning to lower to under a "5" which is wonderful news.

Ricky also has a little more energy and has even walked outside a few times to the mailbox.  He can't really go anywhere as far as being in a car (except to the doctor) yet; maybe in a few more weeks.  We see his doctor on Thursday for a follow-up which will include a new xray.

When he isn't sleeping, Ricky spends most of his time catching up with the basketball playoffs and a few video games.  Many friends are stopping by to watch a movie or hang out with him in the evenings. 

All in all, things are getting better every day.  We are so very thankful.  God is good.

The Power of Friendships

Ralph Waldo Emerson was quoted as saying, "There are two elements that go to the composition of friendship...one is truth...the other element of friendship is tenderness."

There have been many studies done on friendship and its impact on our physical and emotional well being.  Even in the book Wellbeing:  The Five Essential Elements, the authors emphasize that having close friendships are good for our physiological health - our relationships with others serve as a buffer in tough times.

Ricky is blessed with many friends.  Each and every one of them is supportive and express geniune concern for his recovery.  In fact, over the last few nights, several of his friends have either stopped by to say hello or spent some time watching a movie.  I love to hear them laugh and joke around. 

We've seen an improvement in Ricky's health the last few days.  The pain seems to be stablizing and his spirits are up.  He seems to have a little more energy and is looking forward to getting better.

So for all of Ricky's friends out there, we just have one thing to say to you, YOU ALL ROCK!!!

Peaks and Valleys

We're twelve days post-op.  Ricky is able to walk around the house a little more, take a shower (love that shower chair!) with a little assistance and even play a video game in his new pink chair.  I will talk about the pink chair in a future post. :)

Pain management continues to be a primary focus.  Some days, Ricky feels strong enough to reduce the medication dosage and other days, the pain climbs high on the scale and can be close to unbearable.  I remembered what the doctor said before we left the hospital, "you can expect peaks and valleys in recovery."  

Meet the Doctor





Neurosurgeon Charles Rich and Ricky, May 16

   Ricky had a big day yesterday.  Jimmy and Aunt Vickie took him to Salt Lake City (with Ricky very carefully positioned behind the driver's seat) to have his staples removed.   Ricky has a follow up appointment in a few weeks so yesterday's time was mainly to remove the staples and check for any sign of infection.  The doctor said so far everything looks great.

His neurosurgeon, Dr. Charles Rich, is one of the best.  He had never performed a surgery exactly like Ricky's because it is so rare but had done 10 very similar surgeries.  All with positive outcomes. 

We are blessed to live in an area with such skilled medical staff.  Dr. Rich graduated from Harvard Medical School in Boston and specializes in neurological surgeries.  He and his team took great care of Ricky.

Changing of the Guards



During difficult times like these, family and friends are especially important for support and encouragement.  We are so appreciative of the messages, cards and letters -- thank you!

Aunt Vickie arrived last night to help out with Ricky (and Jimmy) while I returned to work.  When Ricky found out Vickie was coming, the first thing he said was, "Does she give massages?"  We're super glad she is here with us, and today marked the "Changing of the Guards" as I handed off my daily duties. :)

Ricky is getting a bit stronger every day.  Of course there is still the pain and we are trying to keep it at a "4" on a scale of 1-10.  For the most part, it stays around 6-7 and the other night, rose to a 9. 

Today, Aunt Vickie and Jimmy are taking Ricky to get his staples out.  I believe he has close to 40 total. 







Healing and Man's Best Friend

Ricky and Suki napping on Monday

I think dogs can help soothe our souls and calm our spirits in almost any situation.  They seem to have a sense when you're hurting emotionally or physically.

Our 4 year old Shih Tzu, Suki, has not left Ricky's side since we arrived home.  She cuddles with him at every opportunity.  Along with the outpouring of support from friends and family, man's best friend is also promoting Ricky's healing.

Monday was a better day regarding pain management, walking and sitting upright.  In fact, Ricky enjoyed his first shave (thanks to dad!) since the surgery.  Since his neck is fused, the doctor said he is able to take the brace on and off throughout the day as needed.  The main concern now is protecting him from getting an infection.


Jimmy giving Ricky his first post surgery shave.



Real Talk - Surgery, Cuts and Staples

I will give a warning right up front, if graphic medical pictures make you queasy, you might not want to read any further. 

Ricky uses a phrase quite often when he says it like it is, "Real Talk."  I thought it would be the perfect heading for this post:  Real Talk - Surgery, Cuts and Staples.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, Ricky is extremely interested in the medical field and is doing his undergrad studies toward a degree in sports medicine.  He is fascinated by the human body and so it is with his approval that these pictures are posted.

Ricky was born with a spine issue although it was not diagnosed until he was 17.  As you recall, his spinal cord was slowly being compressed and would have resulted in almost total paralysis or sudden death.  (He would have been like Christopher Reeve after his accident.)  The doctor reaffirmed to us last week that it was not a matter of "if" but "when."

The surgery saved Ricky's life.  He will be able to move forward, graduate from college, have a career, get married and start a family.  :)

To perform the fusion at the base of the skull, bone needed to be harvested from Ricky's hip.  (The body tends to accept its own bone).  The hip material was used along with the hardware in the skull and neck to make the fusion stronger.  Thus, Ricky has two incisions, one in the back of the head and one on his rear hip.  

Back of Ricky's neck, 5 days post surgery

 Ricky's neurosurgeon is one of the best, if not the best, in the state.  He has never done an exact surgery like Ricky's because it is so rare but he has done 10 "similar" surgeries in his medical career.  

Real talk.

Hip incision, approximately 3 inches, 5 days post surgery.

There's No Place Like Home

We got home today shortly before 1:00 p.m. with Ricky.  While it is true there's no place like home, I think Ricky would tell you home would be way better if it had an adjustable hospital bed!

The hospital staff was fantastic.  They were attentive and extremely caring. I know Ricky is going to miss a few of them. 

Goodbye Intermountain Medical Center - thank you!

Made this surgery my @$#%@!

First Challenge of the Day: 
Using the new technique for getting in the car. 

Friend Jace helped get Rick's things in the house.  (Ricky had just eaten lunch and we had not put his brace back on yet.)

Ana, Brittany, Ricky and Cody - right before Ricky fell asleep at 5:00.  It's been a long day.

Come Saturday Morning...

One more night in the hospital and Ricky will be ready to come home.  There were several big milestones today including walking down the hallway without the walker, and eating a meal sitting in a chair.  The pain is still at a fairly high level so pain management remained the primary focus today.

 

Jimmy napping on his bed in the hospital room. 
Notice the huge window with the million dollar view!


Rick is excited about coming home and being in his own room again.  Although for a hospital room, Intermountain Medical Center has some of the best!  The bed they provide for the loved one staying with the patient was better than the hotel we stayed in!

Ricky is spending his last night at the hospital with his dad at his side and watching the basketball play-offs.  Come Saturday morning, he will pack up for the trip home.


Ellen and Ricky - Friday, May 10 



Day by Day, Hour By Hour

Ricky is having a bit of a rough day.  The goal for today is pain management, a little physical therapy and rest.  We are not sure if the doctor will discharge him this evening or not.  They said we will just play it by ear and like he told us, it's baby steps day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

We'll update the blog again this evening.

It's Heavenly

Ricky has had quite the day.  After the walk with his physical therapist, he was in an enormous amount of pain and tried to rest for several hours as we worked through it with sleep

Katie, Julisa, Ricky, Ben and Caysem

, a light massage, a little food and medication.

His occupational therapist visited in the afternoon and worked with Ricky on ways he can sit himself upright in bed, turn to sit on a seat and how to lay on his side with pillows.  He loved that part and slept for several hours just laying on his side. "It's heavenly," Ricky told me when he woke up.

Those two tasks really wiped him out so we let him sleep and rest as much as he could.  Later in the day, Ricky's friends Caysem, Ben, Julisa and Katie stopped by to visit.  He was able to end the day with some lighthearted joking and laughter with a little help from his friends.

First Steps

Rick had a better night last night.  Still lots of pain but no more fainting.  The EKG results are normal. :) 

Today is going to be focusing more on pain management and walking.  Check out the pictures of his first steps.  He walked down the hall, maybe 10 yards or so with the help of his physical therapist.
Love those physical therapy people! (That one's is for Angemarie!:))

The really good news is that if Ricky keeps making progress like this, we may be able to take him home tomorrow to care for him there. 

Look for another update this evening.  Thanks for the messages.  Sorry we can't respond to them individually too much but please know we do receive them and share them with Ricky.  He said, "there sure is a lot of love going around."  Yes there is!

It's Been a Good Day

There were some positive steps made today.  Ricky sat up in a chair for 30 minutes and he learned to how put his socks on.  Those two tasks pretty much wiped him out.  There was one additional fainting spell but we believe those are under control now.  The doctor had an EKG done but we don't have the results back yet.

He also ate.  He is unable to feed himself at this point unless it's something easy like jello but we'll get there soon.   Ricky also has no numbness in his feet or hands - awesome news!

It's amazing to watch Ricky interact with the medical staff and take part in his own care.  Even though he is heavily sedated he will remind them of they have missed a step (in a nice way) or when it's time for his next dose of medicine.  They all love him and talk about how tough he is.

Here is an xray of Ricky's skull and cervical spine taken post surgery.  It will help give you a visual of  how serious an operation this was. 

We're all exhausted both physically and emotionally but all in all, it's been a good day.

"Dad is a Bad A"

Jimmy and I are tag-teaming our shifts.  He stayed the night with Ricky and I went to a hotel down the street catch a few hours sleep.

Ricky had a rough night.  Could have been a bad reaction to anesthesia.  He was sick and passed out when trying to walk.   Ricky was out cold.  Jimmy quickly grabbed him while the nurses called for back-up help.  When Ricky came to, he looked at his dad and said, "Man you're pretty strong, you been working out?"

Between cleaning up vomit and catching Ricky, Jimmy was the hero of the night.  When I got here early this morning, Ricky looked up at me and whispered, "Dad is a bad A."

The doctor will be in shortly but so far, Ricky is looking good and feeling a bit better than yesterday.  I will post more later.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures taken last night.   Check out the picture of Ricky - he wanted to send his siblings a picture message.  The view from Ricky's room is awesome.  Ricky, with his interest in the medical field, is thrilled we are overlooking the helipad for Life Flight.  He's very involved in his recovery, asking questions, etc.  

Ricky is da Man!

The surgery took longer than expected and lasted almost 5 hours.  Ricky was in recovery for about an hour afterward and brought to his room (14th floor penthouse view!).

The doctor said the surgery went very well.  The real good news is that they did not have to fuse to C3 - only C1-C2.  That was really good news! 

The respiratory therapist, physical therapist and occupational therapist will begin working with him right away on the journey to recovery.

He is in much pain and feels very hot.  The nurse just brought in a huge fan to help cool it off.

We will have another update with a few pictures tomorrow. 

Ricky is da man!

The Waiting

Ricky was taken into surgery shortly after 11:00 this morning.  He was incredibly brave.  The surgery should be finished by early afternoon.

Thanks for the loving emails and text messages.  We have seen them and appreciate the support.  Look for an update late this afternoon or early evening.

It's Still Your Set

Ricky loves to lift weights and build strength.  He’s been going to the gym regularly for several years.  Even after his diagnosis the doctor said he could still lift if he didn’t over do it. 

Ricky is committed.  Period.   He sets a goal and is committed to achieving it.  He expects only the best and nothing less.

Our guest pastor spoke yesterday on “It’s Still Your Set.”  It’s a term sometimes used by coaches to encourage you to continue your sets to get stronger.  It reminded me of Ricky and his commitment to keep moving forward even when he is ready to put the bar away.  And how God’s grace empowers Ricky to stay on track – He is not done with Ricky.
 

The video was taken on Saturday, May 4.  It was Ricky’s last day of lifting before surgery and the recovery time. 

Ricky, It’s Still Your Set…

DISCOVERING RICKY'S HEALTH ISSUE

In 2011 Ricky visited the doctor for a shoulder problem and also asked for his neck to be xray'd.  He had been experiencing "popping" of the neck most of his life and it was increasing when he began driving.

After several xrays, and MRI and scans, test results clearly showed Ricky's cervical spine never finished forming at C1 (that's the area right beneath the skull).  Consequently, his spine had shifted putting his spinal cord in grave danger from collapsing.  2 of 3 specialists thought he would be ok to wait for radical surgery and modify his lifestyle in the meantime. 

That all changed this year when the annual evaluation showed a dramatic change.  Ricky must have an occipital cervical fusion (basically securing his skull to his upper back with hardware) or face the risk of sudden death or paralysis from the neck down.

Ricky's surgery is scheduled for this Tuesday, May 7.  He is currently working toward a degree in sports medicine and thought it would be useful to chronicle his medical journey, and also keep family and friends posted along the way.

Thus, the blog on Ricky's Journey is born...