A little boy from Abbotsford who survived a drowning in Cultus Lake is on a slow road to recovery, and needs help to take the next step.
Azaryah (Ryah) Hope will be traveling to New Orleans soon to access hyperbaric oxygen treatment that isnB次元官网网址檛 covered by health care and available with the necessary level of expertise in B.C.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 an amazing specialist (Dr. Paul Harch) whoB次元官网网址檚 been doing this for 30-plus years and you could say heB次元官网网址檚 an icon in the field,B次元官网网址� said RyahB次元官网网址檚 mom Natalie. B次元官网网址淗e treats a lot of drowning victims, and in particular children like my son. When it comes to kids with these issues, and because itB次元官网网址檚 so soon after the injury, what weB次元官网网址檝e been told is it requires a lot of doctors knowing what to look for in a patient and and how they respond to the treatment.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 all these details and itB次元官网网址檚 one of those things where you donB次元官网网址檛 wnat to risk doing it with someone who doesnB次元官网网址檛 know this specific injury, because all of these variables come into play. You donB次元官网网址檛 want to experiment with your child, so thatB次元官网网址檚 why weB次元官网网址檙e doing it with Dr. Harch.B次元官网网址�
Ryah and his family need to charter a properly-outfitted airplane to get there, and theyB次元官网网址檒l have to stay in Louisiana for two months before coming home. The three-year-old will need ongoing support when he gets back, including the use of a home-version hyperbaric chamber. When all is said and done, mom Natalie Hope figures itB次元官网网址檒l cost the family around $300,000 to $400,000.
But you could triple that and she wouldnB次元官网网址檛 care. All that matters is getting her son well.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 been home for a few days now, which is incredible,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 responding to us in terms of his emotion. He can feel, touch, and all that kind of stuff. HeB次元官网网址檚 smiling and laughing and crying, and heB次元官网网址檚 needing less and less life-support type of monitoring, which is a huge good sign. So every day weB次元官网网址檙e seeing improvement, but itB次元官网网址檚 a process. ItB次元官网网址檚 a journey.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 been a roller coaster of emotion for Natalie and husband Cam since their child was pulled from the waters of Cultus Lake on June 1.
B次元官网网址淗e was gone. He didnB次元官网网址檛 have a heartbeat when I pulled him out and started CPR,B次元官网网址� Natalie said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of those things you never think is going to happen and it was like a living nightmare.B次元官网网址�
Ryah was on a ventilator, barely responsive for days afterwards. Natalie and Cam were told heB次元官网网址檇 probably never come off the ventilator. He was on heart and oxygen monitors. He had pneumonia and a collapsed lung.
Now heB次元官网网址檚 breathing on his own and maintaining a relatively normal sleep schedule for a toddler. The B次元官网网址榥eurological stormsB次元官网网址� that he experienced are getting less frequent and less severe, and heB次元官网网址檚 been able to go off some of the heavier medications he was on.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that heB次元官网网址檚 there, inside, when youB次元官网网址檝e been told heB次元官网网址檚 never going to be there, heB次元官网网址檚 never going to do this or do that B次元官网网址� for him to defy all the odds keeps me going. We are faith people (they go to Hope City Church in Abbotsford) and thatB次元官网网址檚 been a huge part of our journey, seeing God help him defy the odds. All these little miracles have been confirmation of our faith and to keep praying.B次元官网网址�
RyahB次元官网网址檚 motor functions are now the big concern, and thatB次元官网网址檚 where the hyperbaric treatments are supposed to help. The Hopes are going to New Orleans because Dr. Paul Harch is a rock star in the field. HeB次元官网网址檚 done this sort of thing for 30-plus years and helped children in RyahB次元官网网址檚 position. Natalie and Cam connected with the parents of two other kids in similar situations who went through hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e done a few consultations with him and you can tell heB次元官网网址檚 very passionate about helping people,B次元官网网址� Natalie said. B次元官网网址淲e feel confident with him treating Azaryah.B次元官网网址�
As she understands it, hyperbaric oxygen treatments increase stem cells in the body to the point where dying brain cells can be brought back to life. Harch wrote a book about it called B次元官网网址�The Oxygen Revolution.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty incredible if you think about it, and those kids he treated are thriving today,B次元官网网址� Natalie said. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e walking and talking and pretty close to the way they were before their accidents.B次元官网网址�
A GoFundMe that was created June 2 () is nearing $28,000 and the family is grateful for the help. Natalie is uncomfortable asking for more, but the sooner they get RyahB次元官网网址檚 treatments started the better the outcome is likely to be.
B次元官网网址淚f you have a child, you know you would do anything to get them healthy and happy,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓ven a little amount helps because small amounts in large numbers can totally make this happen. Just peoplesB次元官网网址� hearts doing what they can, and if they canB次元官网网址檛 give financially, their prayers are a huge help to us.
B次元官网网址淧eoplesB次元官网网址� love and willingness to lend a helping hand carries you through stuff like this. The prayers and encouragement and people dropping off meals at our house, it has been overwhelming.B次元官网网址�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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