UPDATE:::::

Just so you know, I may do Robby or Rich in this. He's Robby to family, Rich to friends, I call him either.
But never,,,, call him late for supper. He gets POed on that one

YES!!! A bit of livetity there. DOWN RIGHT GOOD DAY!!!

Even though they have him at the upper limit of the drugs used to keep him under, Rich started comunicating with his Mom lastnight.

Staff is, "wait a minute, no way".
They don't know who they are dealing with.
Comes from the genes, I gots me on helluva fighter here.. AMEN!!!!

He is now spelling out words with his hands, or nodding to Y/N questions. He's not "signing", just writing in the air.

Swelling has gone down greatly, could see difference over the time I was there today. Mom is staying there, I'm doing all the "this end" stuff and traveling between. Linda and I divorced many years ago, but we be "friends" still. Besides, this is "our Son"

He does still have a rough road ahead,,, but he will fight a good battle. Robby has the same "mind-set" as me. And as the Country group "Alabama" sung. "YOU CAN"T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN".

I have much happiness in my heart from the visit today. I do know Robby is not "out of the woods" yet. But he is doing a damned good battle, he will,,, win this war.

Once again,
he's not out of the woods yet, but he can see the clearing.
Long trek across that field to get to the road of recovery.
But he has definetly started that journey long before they thought he would.

'At's my Boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Got there today, went in to see him with his Mom, 1st "we've" done that together. Been letting other people go with us when we go in, only 2 allowed at a time. So it's, I go back "with", or Mom goes back "with", or 2 other go themselves.



Anyways,,,,,, Damned beautiful sight to walk into his room and see what was ahead of us.



Swelling was down, way down. Rich had his eyes open and looking for the sound of Mom & Dads voices.



We had a good talk with him, then I opted out to let others come in while Mom stayed. Rich is unable to talk with the tubes in, but we do a good job of yes/no questions. Rich is still only to spell out things, (with air writing), he wants to ask, due to the tubes, he can't talk yet.



Precautionary neck-brace came off after I left. They plan to get him up and moving tomorrow, for a bit. They really have been waiting on the brace being removed before they started.



Insert the "Gentlemen,,,,, start your engines". Hell with the warm up laps, Green Flag is in the air.



The Nurse that was there when we 1st went in, has been in this field for long time. She said she has never seen a patient get to this point of recovery,,, this fast.



Got me a fighter...



Rich and me had a talk while Mom stayed off to the side. I just wanted to inforce the "don't push it" on the physical side of recovery. Mentally,, yes, don't push the physical.



Rich understood what I was talking about. Turn the OCD and AHAD energy back into the body to heal itself. "The Force is strong in this one".

That's why he's advanced sofar, so soon.



Nurse said, "he really does need to push himself " thru the physical aspect though.

Told her, "your push is like pushing a VW Bug off the road, his is pushing a loaded 18 wheeleer of the road".



Rich did a "thumbs up" and then a "Superman" in flight,, arm imitation.



At's me boy................

 

Neck brace was finally removed yesterday, and the tubes removed.

Rich was assisted out of bed and moved to a chair for a while.

He's able to talk now, but with a raspy voice. That will clear up soon....

Rich has had another, "very good day"!!!!

 

UPDATE,

1st off, Rich can only have 4 visitors right now. Bummer I know, but it's for his health that it was done. Hospital has the rule book, not us.

Anyways, went to see him yesterday. Plan was to only do the 1st visit time, but I opted to do the 2nd.

Damned glad I did.

Rich is not out of the woods yet, but damn if he ain't doing a good fight on getting there.
I'm in no way trying to paint a "Rosey Picture" of his condition, but he is doing very good on the recovery so far. Setbacks are inevitable, I know this. Just hoping that they be small ones and of short duration.

They move Rich from his bed to the chair, roughly an 8' distance. He walks the distance, with assistance.

Yesterday, during the 2nd visit, I was called out to the waiting room by my Son Chris. I go out there to find the wonderful person, Doug Tew, standing there with his Family.
Doug is the one what found Rich and delivered him to the ER.

There are no words known to man to exspress the gratitude I need to convey to him. Thank you, is no where near enough...........

While talking to Doug and his Family, I was waiting for Linda to come out of Rich's room, as visit time was over. I kept looking down the hallway thru the door window. Ah, here she comes.

No she was not on her way back to the waiting room. Linda was leading Rich out of his room into the hallway.

Glorious site to behold!!!!!

They crossed the hallway, turned around and went back into the room. Covered roughly 24' of floor during the trip. YES!!

I don't recall who went thru the double doors of the hallway, but someone opened the doors during this, so we all had a good clear view.

Linda has talked with Doug, but this is the 1st we've met in person.

It truley was a wonderful day

 

This is all wonderful news. Glad the son is fighting the good fight and make great strides.

Has anyone actually figured out what happened?? This is going to be a big thing for him when he starts to wonder what happened to him. I had an accident years ago while at a track day and I still don't remember all the facts, other than I messed up, but it still bugs me that I don't know the events of that incident.

 

No, Rich doesn't really recall that night yet. Foggy thoughts of a few things, but he's not sure he can say it "was" that night.

Talk last night of doing the vent tube again, just "to aide" his breathing some.

Didn't do it. Thank you.......

Rich has basically "held his own" today.

Skin grafts may start tomorrow. I know they plan to do the "prep" surgery atleast.

OUCH!!!

 

Been asked on a couple other sites on cards on Rich's behalf.

If anyone on here wants to do so, send cards to,

Rich, C/O
Tom Redmond
45 Greenwood St.
Hillsdale, Mi. 49242

Rich sends his "THANKS", for all of your thoughts and prayers.

 

Glad to hear he's doin better now. Your family will stay in our prayers

 

Appologies to the Board for the "Donation" stuff I had in previous thread.
I basically do a "copy/paste" and didn't really think of that on here. Was asked for that info over on the USMB site, my Subaru Family. I just copied the posting over to here.


More news...

Instead of the breathing tube, they opted for a mask. This way he can still talk with people. Little hard to hear over that though, so we have to talk louder, and listen closer.

Concern with his left upper lung. Dr. ordered x-rays, one on full inhale, other full exhale. Dr. is thinking a possible "partially" colasped lung. Dr. wasn't "happy" with what he saw in a previous set of x-rays. They're were still going over those when I left.

Rich's Nurses weren't to concerned about it. "It happens, we can fix it"...
I trust these people, they do know what they are doing....
Rich is still "within the norm" for this type of injury.

Plan tomorrow is to start "debri clean", in prep for grafts.

OUCH!!

They have to remove skin layers until they hit "viable flesh". That is where the blood flow is, that,, will aide the grafts in "taking".
Painfull to say the least. BT-DT!!!

Rich will have to go back on the vent tube during this procedure. Hopefully, he won't be on it long afterwards. It's done only to make sure he stays breathing during the operation. They do put you under, deeply.

Between this, and the next few days of grafts, I probally won't go back up there. Mom's there 24-7, and they let her know of any changes as they happen.

As much as everyone wants to go see him. Rich needs rest more than he needs visitors. I understand that...... And,, he'll be deeply sedated, so he won't really know anyone is there.

Rest and heal, Son......

OH!!
They didn't have him quite so "mummy looking" with the bandages today. Got a good look at good skin and hair still on major portion of his chest.
Re-painted the picture they painted for us the 1st day on burn coverage. Was greatly relieved to see that.

Arms and legs still covered up though. Same with his face. But Nurses believes his face will be just fine.
Little to no scaring there. Mostly under lower lip, maybe edges of nose.

But he should still have his "look".

His face had 2nd burns, but no blistering since his arrival at St. V's. Thank You!!!

More as I get it. In touch with Mom daily.....

 

Send our best wishes. Will continue to send thoughts and paryers.