Support Ryan Dykstra's Medical Recovery
Hello friends and family! As you may or may not know, Ryan Dykstra, my sister Abbie’s boyfriend, has been through the wringer this summer, and it’s going to be an uphill battle for the foreseeable future.
What Happened?
Ryan was hospitalized June 16, 2021 after having suffered 2 strokes, one in his parietal lobe and one in the occipital lobe which has affected his vision, stability and cognitive functioning. He took a turn for the worse after the 2nd stroke and spent 12 days in the ICU on a ventilator with pneumonia and kidney failure. During this time, he was also diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He was discharged from the hospital after a 28 day stay and began homecare occupational, physical and speech rehabilitation therapy. Ryan and Abbie were feeling pretty positive about how things were going, making progress each day.
Until today (July 28th). Ryan took yet another turn for the worse and has been admitted to the hospital again with fluid retention and low oxygen levels caused by heart failure. The cardiac and pulmonary teams are working to figure out what the underlying causes of these severe issues are and how to best treat them.
Ryan’s Present Day & Future Outlook:
Because of his lengthy hospitalization and long road of recovery, Ryan’s ability to work and provide income has taken a devastating blow. He has trouble walking short distances, his memory is compromised, his vision is very blurry even with glasses and he finds himself at a loss when it comes to recalling much of his vocabulary. These are the major issues he is working on in his rehabilitation program and he is finding it extremely challenging, painful and exhausting. All of this has left him with medical expenses and outstanding debts as well as ongoing future expenses to treat all of these chronic illnesses.
How You Can Help:
This is incredibly overwhelming for our family and we have decided to reach out to all of you for help. People shouldn’t have to have Go Fund Me campaigns to pay for healthcare, but here we are. Every little bit helps so please donate what you can to help Ryan on his recovery journey.
