Jessica Amaya

8 Months Since Zyan’s Sledding Injury ❤️ Today, September 26, marks 8 months since Zyan’s sledding injury. Honestly, I’m almost lost for words trying to put into perspective everything we have been through. We can finally say that Zyan is stable. His sodium levels have been staying within the normal range, and instead of having blood draws every three days, we are now moving toward once a week. That may seem like a small thing, but to us, it is a huge milestone. We are seeing so many small changes and improvements. Zyan is sleeping more throughout the night and staying awake more during the day. He has been doing well with regulating his temperature, which has allowed him to spend up to two hours in his wheelchair. He has also been working on his breathing and allowing his speech therapist to use a speaking valve for a few minutes at a time during his therapy sessions. We are learning something new about our son every day. We are learning his body language, his expressions, and the little ways he communicates with us when he needs something. These may seem like small things to some, but to us, they mean everything. Zyan is such a sweet, smart, and incredibly strong boy. ❤️ And today, we are beyond grateful and excited to share some of the biggest news we could have hoped for: WE GET TO BRING OUR SON HOME! ❤️ Zyan’s discharge date is October 1st. After eight months of hospitals, uncertainty, setbacks, procedures, therapy, long days and even longer nights, our boy is finally coming home to start a new chapter in his life. We have worked so hard to learn every part of Zyan’s care, and we have gained so much knowledge and support from the incredible staff at Inova. We have faced so many roadblocks along the way, but with God’s grace, we have overcome so many of them. There were moments when we didn’t know what the next day would bring. There were moments when we were scared, exhausted, and overwhelmed. But through it all, we kept going. We never gave up on Zyan, and we never will. God has blessed us with such an amazing son. We know the road ahead will still come with challenges, but we are ready to face them together. Zyan, we want you to know that we will give you everything we have. We will continue to fight for you, care for you, encourage you, and do everything in our power to make you comfortable, loved, and happy. You fought your way home, honey. Now you get to come home. ❤️ Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Zyan, supported our family, encouraged us, donated, checked on us, and walked beside us throughout these past eight months. We could never fully express how much your love and support have meant to our family. Please continue to keep Zyan in your prayers as we prepare to bring him home on October 1st. This is the beginning of a whole new chapter. ❤️

Zyan has now been in the hospital for 7 months and 13 days. We wanted to share the updates we have so far and let everyone know how he is doing. Zyan will not be transferring to National Children’s Hospital as we had expected for another opinion. After the doctors discussed Zyan’s diabetes insipidus, they feel that he is in good hands and will continue to be closely monitored and cared for at Inova Children’s Hospital. Zyan had an MRI done early last week. When compared to last month’s MRI, there were no major changes, which we are thankful for. He has also been more stable with his body temperatures. His sodium levels are still a little on the higher side, but they are currently checking them every 12 hours. We are hoping to eventually get to the point where they only need to check his sodium every 24 hours, and then hopefully every 48 hours. Zyan is working so incredibly hard to stabilize enough for us to safely bring him home. He seems happy and relaxed, and his vitals have been looking great, which gives us so much hope. Many of Zyan’s medications have also been switched from his G-tube to his J-tube, which delivers directly into his small intestine. Some of his medications were causing him to become nauseous and vomit, so the doctors are trying different ways to make sure his medications are better tolerated. There has been a lot of trial and error throughout this journey, but we will keep working with his team until we get everything right for him. One of the sweetest updates is that Zyan is so much more awake during the day. He absolutely loves watching his SpongeBob on his MacBook, and seeing him awake, comfortable, happy, and relaxed means more to us than we could ever explain. We know there is still a road ahead of us, but every bit of progress matters. We are so proud of how hard Zyan continues to fight every single day. Keep fighting, Zyan. Mommy and Daddy are right here with you every step of the way. Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for Zyan, check on him, support our family, and keep him in your thoughts. It means more to us than you know.

It has now been 7 months since Zyan’s sledding accident, and our journey is still far from over. We have been back at Inova since July 22, and although we are grateful for everyone who has cared for Zyan and continues to fight alongside us, we are still facing some difficult challenges. Zyan has been having episodes of vomiting, low body temperatures, and continues to struggle with consistently being able to use the bathroom. We are expecting another MRI next week, and we have also agreed to seek another medical opinion regarding Zyan’s condition. We want to make sure we are doing everything possible to understand what is happening with his body and brain and to find the best path forward for him. One of our biggest concerns right now is his sodium levels. Because of the severity of his traumatic brain injury, Zyan’s body is having difficulty regulating his sodium on its own. We are hoping to transfer him to Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. so that he can be evaluated by another team with specialized experience caring for children with complex neurological injuries. So today, we are asking everyone who has been praying for Zyan to please pray specifically over these things: • Pray that his sodium levels stabilize and that his body becomes better able to regulate them. • Pray that the vomiting and temperature fluctuations improve. • Pray that his body begins functioning more consistently, including his ability to use the bathroom. • Pray over his upcoming MRI—that it brings answers and shows progress. • Pray for wisdom and clarity for every doctor and specialist caring for him. • Pray that the second opinion gives us answers and a clear direction forward. • Pray that, if Children’s National is the right place for Zyan, the transfer happens quickly and without obstacles. • Most importantly, pray that God continues to protect Zyan and gives his body the strength to heal so that one day soon he can safely come home. We know this journey has been long. There have been so many moments of hope, fear, setbacks, and small victories. But through all of it, Zyan is still fighting. And so are we. Thank you to every person who has prayed, checked on us, encouraged us, helped our family, and continued to believe in Zyan when this journey feels overwhelming. Please don’t stop praying. We are praying for stability. We are praying for answers. We are praying for healing. And we are praying for HOME. #PrayForZyan #ZyansJourney #KeepFightingZyan #TBIRecovery #PrayersForZyan #BringZyanHome