Monday June 30, 2008
Ryan Update / New Tigers
Ryan Update 6-30
Today is the four week mark from the day of the accident and he looks so much better. Sometimes we go back and look at pictures from the third day just to remind us of his progress.
Ryan has had a busy few days. He is more active everyday and his movements appear to be more purposeful. Sunday morning his nurses were cleaning him up and they were talking about strawberry and chocolate milkshakes when Ryan began to mumble. He has moaned a few times before but this was the first time he mumbled.
His EEG results came back Friday and the doctor said they looked improved from his first EEG. She said he is waking up. The results showed that his seizures have subsided so they started his brain stimulating medicine. This is another positive step because this will help increase brain activity but he has not slept a lot over the past 72 hours.
Ryan is not in a coma and he is not really clearly out of a coma. He is stuck in between states. His eyes are open and he moves a lot but he is not able to follow commands consistently. The doctors say he is just waking up and the signs show up every day.
Pretty soon Ryan will be moving to a rehab facility in Charlotte, Atlanta or Greenville. I thought he was almost ready to move this week but he has had a high heart rate (120-150 at times) and has had a low grade fever. His white blood count was higher today which is a sign he is fighting an infection. I don't think he will be moving now until all of the test results come back. I think he will be here through the weekend.
On a sports note, Ryan has been so fortunate to have so many people continue to bring by sports related gifts. This weekend Ron Scarborough of 103.1 FM in Anderson brought a great New York Yankee print. My friend Hook Bruner brought a picture of the 1960's New York Yankee infield signed by Joe Pepitone, Tony Kubek, Bobby Richardson and Clete Boyer. Our friend Ralph Patterson brought a signed game jersey from the two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash. We hung the Phoenix Sun's jersey from the "rafters" of our hospital room to brighter the place up a little bit.
I hate to take up so much of the blog with these updates but this is the only means of information for so many who want updates on Ryan. For those that are not as interested, I ask to remain patient. For all those who continue to pray every day, our family says thank you so much for your help. We continue to get support from so many in the form of cards, letters, e-mail, calls, text messages, visitors and prayers. Your support is a huge key in getting us through this time. Thanks.
Schedule Change
Because of the long update on Ryan and some scheduled appoints we have with his doctors today, I will move today's scheduled blog on Clemson's wide receivers to tomorrow. Actually, I will just move the rest of the week back one day so Tuesday's normal subject will be on Wednesday this week and so forth.
Travis Padgett
I was glued to the television all weekend to watch Travis Padgett's attempt for the Olympics. He was phenomenal all weekend and my heart went out to him after finishing fourth in the finals and just missing a spot.
Not all was bad news for Padgett. He is the new record holder for the collegiate mark and he should be on the U.S. 4 x 100 m relay team. He is also the first alternate in case any of the three athletes ahead of him cannot compete for some reason. Padgett is on the Olympic team and will travel and compete in the games which begin August 8th in Beijing.
New Tigers
Today is the start of the second session of summer school so the incoming freshmen football players that have enrolled for the second session moved in over the weekend. That list includes:
QB-Jon Richt
RB-Jamie Harper
RB-Andre Ellington
WR-Brandon Ford
WR-Jaron Brown
TE-Dwayne Allen
OG-Dalton Freeman
C-Matt Sanders
OT-Antoine McClain
OG-Kenneth Page
DT-Brandon Thompson
LB-Jonathan Willard
S-Spencer Adams
S-Daniel Andrews
S-Rashard Hall
S-Carlton Lewis
SNAPPER-Matt Skinner
P-Dawson Zimmerman
Already Enrolled in January:
QB-Kyle Parker
WR-Marquan Jones
DE-Da'Quan Bowers
LB-Stanley Hunter
LB-Tarik Rollins
PK-Spencer Benton
Will Enroll in August
CB-Xavier Brewer
Signed in February But Will Not Enroll at Clemson
DE-Jarrett Crittenton
Summary-This fall 25 of the 26 Clemson signees will be eligible with the one exception being Jarrett Crittenton. The defensive end did not qualify and has enrolled at Memphis.
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