Thinking of Riley

On Friday May 29th our lives changed forever.

I woke up at my mothers urging, laying on the spare bed at my mothers apartment, groggy from the wine the previous evening. 

Friday evenings have become a tradition since our youngest's birth. Spending the evening at my parents, drinking wine and visiting with Hunter. It's become more important to me since my fathers passing early last year. And Friday evening seemed like any other. 

What I didn't know was, during that time, our oldest child Riley had become unresponsive at his group home. An ambulance was called and Riley was being admitted to the Children's ICU at the Health Sciences Center. Jenn was called and informed and, with the help of one of our close friends, went down to stay with him.

I found this all out the next morning. 

And ultimately there was nothing that I could do other than pack a bag of necessities for Jenn and drop it off on the main floor. Because of the current Covid 19 pandemic I am not allowed to see Riley or Jenn until she leaves the hospital.

It's been four days now. Four days that I haven't seen my wife in the flesh. Four days where Jenn's entire life has been a single hospital room, not allowed to leave until the Covid tests come back negative. If she leaves she cannot return. 

Riley has been diagnosed with complications arising from diabetic ketoacidosis and pancreatitus. His brain is swollen and he has a fever. He currently lays on a hospital bed in a condition that I will not describe. His two beloved stuffed Pikachu's lie in the crook of his arm.

We have been warned that there may be damage to his brain. That should he regain consciousness he may not be the same person. 

I've been puttering around the house. I managed to get some work done in the back yard, cleaning up the branches and in the back. Tomorrow friends will come down to help me a bit more with the cleanup. I can't even do laundry because the breaker trips every time I try to run the dryer. 

I can't even concentrate enough to work on the comic. 

So to those that still read these posts, thank you for your support and please be patient while my family works through this difficult time. The comic will return at some point once we can start moving on in whatever form our lives take at that time. 

Until then please keep a little boy in your thoughts and if you are so inclined pray for him.