UPDATE on Aug. 31, 2025

Help with Max's Medical Bills.

As parents it has been difficult to wrap our heads around how Max is in the condition he is in. Words cannot express how grateful we are he is alive and with us still. I am going to in detail list what happened once in the care of Loma Linda Medical University. (The list of wrongs from Providence St Mary's is just too long.

Max woke from his induced coma a couple days after arriving at Loma Linda Hospital. His liver was failing quickly and Loma Linda does liver transplants. When Max woke up he couldn't speak. We thought it was due to him being incubated (breathing tube down his throat). Then we soon realized he wasn't even responding to the commands of the Dr. What I believe debilitated Max's ability to properly recover from the induced coma was immediately upon waking up he was in restraints on both his wrists and ankles (with locks on them). The Dr and staff said it was done to PREVENT him from trying to pull his breathing tube and IV out and also so he wouldn't try to get out of bed. I definitely expressed that they can't predict how someone is going to behave. Every day there I asked to remove the restraints. After a couple more days. He seemed a lot more aware. And a lot more frightened, scared and confused to why he was strapped down. I explained, to Max, that the Dr's said he had his leg muscle cells breaking , they call it rhabdomylosis. And his ankles are restrained so he doesn't try to walk. The Dr.'s can not predict how Max would be. He's not an angry person. I couldn't see him putting the medical staff in danger or fearful of him, another reason Dr's said for the restraints. The restraints were on Max 24 hrs a day for 6 straight days, when instead of improving he was now becoming agitated all the time and frustrated, and upset. Nothing neurologically was improving only seeming to get worse. I felt from the beginning the restraints were not necessary. Us parents, were only allowed to be with Max from 9am to 6pm and the last 2 days, Friday & Saturday, we demanded for the restraints to be off of Max, while we were there. Sunday August 24, 2025. The day I Chose to give my son a chance. Something the doctors were refusing to do. Being restrained the entire time at Loma Linda put Max in a constant anxiety loop. His brain was not being given a chance to heal on its own naturally. It was actually making him very agitated and stressed. Two major negative effects for his brain to develope. Sunday I arrived and asked to remove the restraints. That his parents are here. We've been taking them off the last two days. Well that Sunday morning they said No. We will not be removing the restraints today. When the psych DR. Arrives she will access if he's fit to have them removed. But as long as he remains agitated they will not be coming off, "for the safety of the staff and himself". Now mind you it's been his 9th day at Loma Linda and he has been out of his induced coma for 8 days, and off the breathing machine (no tube) for 6 days. All while being restrained, wrists & ankles!. 24/7. When we walked into Max's hospital room he pulled my hand and mumbled "mom take home, can't do this" , I about lost it. As parents we knew the restraints had to be removed to eliminate the anxiety/fear/stress loop he was going through mentally. Now they were refusing them off even with us there. Also no reports were made by any of the staff caring for Max regarding him being aggressive or violent ..Never. And there couldn't be, because he was never unrestrained. He was only getting an IV drip for fluids. He already had his cathader out and was made to wear diapers. Remember cause he can't walk to the restroom.

We took Max home that Sunday evening.

We could do more for Max than they were doing at this point.

• Since Max has been home, he immediately got out of the car and walked himself inside the house. He has full leg mobility and YES MAX CAN WALK. On top of walking day 1 home he was a bit shaky but he insisted on feeding himself and pouring his own water into a cup. Brushing his own teeth, even carefully put the toothpaste on. And went to the restroom all on his own.

Physically he will bounce back without a problem.

What we are worried about is his brain and the damage that was done to it. We have set up appointments with two different neurologists to compare they're initial findings. Either way he does have Brain Trauma for sure. The lack of oxygen to his brain, the induced coma, and the negative psychological damage due to being strapped down ankles and wrist for 5 consecutive days 24/7, and the most difficult is his inability to speak and formulate words clearly to form a sentence. Right now he basically mumbles so fast and it even frustrated him. But we can understand when he mumbles these words: "love you, nite, sorry, thank you,yes, no", and a few other words.

The GoFundMe has now been appointed 100% for his upcoming rehabilitation team of Doctors to help Max live his life to the fullest.

• Neurologist: the 1st to see Max. Specializes in brain and nervous system disorders and can manage the overall medical recovery from a brain injury. They can order and interpret diagnostic imaging, such as MRIs and CT scans, to assess the injury's location and severity..

• Neuropsychiatrist: This doctor has expertise in how brain function relates to thinking skills, behavior, and emotions. They can prescribe medication to help manage emotional and behavioral changes, such as mood swings or anxiety.

• Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): specializes in speech, language, and cognitive issues and is essential for addressing communication. They can help with memory, organization, and finding the right words to say.

• Neuropsychologist: diagnoses and provides therapy for cognitive impairments, such as memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating.

• All GoFundMe donations will be paying each of the Dr 's mentioned above because Max did not have medical insurance. I recently found out that he had canceled his insurance through his employer. I asked why would he do that? His reply is he's never used it in 2 years. He was currently waiting for the next opportunity to rejoin medical insurance through his job, which is in January 2026. We are being made to jump through hoops to get him Medical through government insurance but every turn there's another hurdle to jump. I'm going to just have faith. Without your acts of generosity and kindness. I don't know what we'd do. Please your help is needed and beyond appreciated.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO GoFund MAX ROMAN!!!!