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 isn91裸聊视频檛 covered by health care and available with the necessary level of expertise in B.C.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 an amazing specialist (Dr. Paul Harch) who91裸聊视频檚 been doing this for 30-plus years and you could say he91裸聊视频檚 an icon in the field,91裸聊视频� said Ryah91裸聊视频檚 mom Natalie. 91裸聊视频淗e treats a lot of drowning victims, and in particular children like my son. When it comes to kids with these issues, and because it91裸聊视频檚 so soon after the injury, what we91裸聊视频檝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.

91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 all these details and it91裸聊视频檚 one of those things where you don91裸聊视频檛 wnat to risk doing it with someone who doesn91裸聊视频檛 know this specific injury, because all of these variables come into play. You don91裸聊视频檛 want to experiment with your child, so that91裸聊视频檚 why we91裸聊视频檙e doing it with Dr. Harch.91裸聊视频�

Ryah and his family need to charter a properly-outfitted airplane to get there, and they91裸聊视频檒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 it91裸聊视频檒l cost the family around $300,000 to $400,000.

But you could triple that and she wouldn91裸聊视频檛 care. All that matters is getting her son well.

91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 been home for a few days now, which is incredible,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 responding to us in terms of his emotion. He can feel, touch, and all that kind of stuff. He91裸聊视频檚 smiling and laughing and crying, and he91裸聊视频檚 needing less and less life-support type of monitoring, which is a huge good sign. So every day we91裸聊视频檙e seeing improvement, but it91裸聊视频檚 a process. It91裸聊视频檚 a journey.91裸聊视频�

It91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淗e was gone. He didn91裸聊视频檛 have a heartbeat when I pulled him out and started CPR,91裸聊视频� Natalie said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 one of those things you never think is going to happen and it was like a living nightmare.91裸聊视频�

Ryah was on a ventilator, barely responsive for days afterwards. Natalie and Cam were told he91裸聊视频檇 probably never come off the ventilator. He was on heart and oxygen monitors. He had pneumonia and a collapsed lung.

Now he91裸聊视频檚 breathing on his own and maintaining a relatively normal sleep schedule for a toddler. The 91裸聊视频榥eurological storms91裸聊视频� that he experienced are getting less frequent and less severe, and he91裸聊视频檚 been able to go off some of the heavier medications he was on.

91裸聊视频淭he fact that he91裸聊视频檚 there, inside, when you91裸聊视频檝e been told he91裸聊视频檚 never going to be there, he91裸聊视频檚 never going to do this or do that 91裸聊视频� for him to defy all the odds keeps me going. We are faith people (they go to Hope City Church in Abbotsford) and that91裸聊视频檚 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.91裸聊视频�

Ryah91裸聊视频檚 motor functions are now the big concern, and that91裸聊视频檚 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. He91裸聊视频檚 done this sort of thing for 30-plus years and helped children in Ryah91裸聊视频檚 position. Natalie and Cam connected with the parents of two other kids in similar situations who went through hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e done a few consultations with him and you can tell he91裸聊视频檚 very passionate about helping people,91裸聊视频� Natalie said. 91裸聊视频淲e feel confident with him treating Azaryah.91裸聊视频�

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 91裸聊视频�The Oxygen Revolution.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty incredible if you think about it, and those kids he treated are thriving today,91裸聊视频� Natalie said. 91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e walking and talking and pretty close to the way they were before their accidents.91裸聊视频�

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 Ryah91裸聊视频檚 treatments started the better the outcome is likely to be.

91裸聊视频淚f you have a child, you know you would do anything to get them healthy and happy,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淓ven a little amount helps because small amounts in large numbers can totally make this happen. Just peoples91裸聊视频� hearts doing what they can, and if they can91裸聊视频檛 give financially, their prayers are a huge help to us.

91裸聊视频淧eoples91裸聊视频� 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.91裸聊视频�

eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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