Posts Tagged: ‘TheBrandNewDad’

The RynoBoy Chronicles: The Toughest Foe Yet, Part 1

January 3, 2012 Posted by Brandon Gilbert

So there I was strapped to a bed. I had no idea how I got there or when, but I couldn’t move my right side. I was hooked up to countless wires and monitors. I looked a bit like the monster in Predator, only without the awesome cloaking ability. One by one, I was poked and prodded by an army clad in white coats. I couldn’t make out what their end game was, but all I knew was that every so often my brain would scramble and I couldn’t say the words I wanted to say or move to free myself.

I spent the next couple of days going in and out of consciousness, taking each moment of lucidity to try and get my bearings and find means of escape. Every so often I would charm those of my captors who were female and while they weren’t looking I would remove some of the wires hooked up to me. Alas, I was soon discovered and reattached. The whole operation was made all the more difficult by the lack of movement on my right side. I decided that while I was hooked up to all the machines and couldn’t move well, it was best to just bide my time until I could make my move.

After what felt like an eternity, but my best guest was about a week, they finally unplugged me and moved me to a new area of their compound. It actually wasn’t too bad, I had a TV to watch, and they brought me my favorite meal: French Fries and Sweet Tea. Then it dawned on me that my captors were trying to gain my trust. I stopped watching the TV because I was fairly certain it was a subliminal broadcast meant to brainwash me into joining them in some weird Stockholm Syndrome plot twist. I was too smart for that, though I did continue to eat because it helped me regain my strength and I knew I would need it to make my move and escape. Besides, I knew that if they were trying to get me to join them, then they most likely weren’t trying to poison me.

The people in the white coats continued to visit in droves, though, and they gave me a lot of drugs. At first I fought them, but I wasn’t at full strength and I couldn’t defeat them all, but soon enough I realized that the drugs were lifting the fog I was under and that the Brain Scrambles had stopped.  I still didn’t like it, but I decided the best thing to do would be to take them.

I was in my new quarters healing nicely for about another week when my chance to break free finally came. There was a supply vehicle that came in and I snuck a ride in the back. I was in there for four hours when the supply truck finally stopped. It was then I stepped out and realized the horrible truth: I was in an identical facility hundreds of miles from home.

Will RynoBoy be able to escape the WhiteCoats? Will he be able to get back home?

Tune in next time, same RynoBoy Time, Same RynoBoy channel.

Finally, a New Year.

January 2, 2012 Posted by Brandon Gilbert

2012

 

As most of you know, 2011 wasn’t the greatest era of TheBrandNewDad household. Thankfully, we are some very loved people and had the support of hundreds, if not thousands with spiritual and moral support. We also had many, many selfless people who lent financial support as well, including our church family. For all the bad things that happened this year, one thing that was confirmed for us is that we are loved by a lot of people. I wanted to give  a rundown of the year for all of us and an update as to where Ryne is now in his recovery.

Things that happened this year:

  • After nearly two years of unemployment, I got a job.
  • A week after I got my job, Ryne had a Stroke.
  • Due to the stroke, Ryne got to spend a month in the Hospital split between Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
  • Ryne had his first broken bone as he broke his arm while in physical therapy in Atlanta.
  • Jamie had to take off work for about 5 months to take care of Ryne and take him to therapy appointments.
  • Ryne developed an impressive collection of “ists.” He now has Neurologists, Geneticists, Gastroenterologists, Cardiologists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech Therapists.

After the initial horribleness, things started progressing nicely. Ryne made wonderful progress in his healing due to a lot of prayer and his “ists.” He had 20 treatments in a hyperbaric chamber and went to several therapy appointments per week. We found out that he may possibly have a genetic condition called Primary Carnitine Deficiency, and he started taking a Carnitine supplement, much in the way a diabetic would take insulin. All this has led him to thrive tremendously. Before the stroke, he was having trouble growing and had fallen off the growth chart, but now is back on the growth chart and it seems like he’s growing taller everyday. Before the stroke he was in size 12-18 month clothes. Now he’s in 24 month/2T. Before the stroke he was wearing a size 3 1/2 shoe. Now he’s in a size 7. He has Gilbert feet, no doubt.

Everything with his growth and development seems to be progressing great, but there has been one glaring setback: Seizures. After the doctors stopped his seizures in the hospital after the stroke he was seizure free for months until October when his seizures returned. Since then, it’s been an average of about one per week. We’re keeping a journal so that maybe we can pinpoint anything that brings it on like food, stress, etc. that would help us to prevent them in the future.

We’re excited about all the progress he’s made, but there’s still a big uphill climb. We need your prayers as we continue with his healing process. While we still have a ways to go, I am sure glad to be through with 2011.