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 isn害羞草研究所檛 covered by health care and available with the necessary level of expertise in B.C.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 an amazing specialist (Dr. Paul Harch) who害羞草研究所檚 been doing this for 30-plus years and you could say he害羞草研究所檚 an icon in the field,害羞草研究所� said Ryah害羞草研究所檚 mom Natalie. 害羞草研究所淗e treats a lot of drowning victims, and in particular children like my son. When it comes to kids with these issues, and because it害羞草研究所檚 so soon after the injury, what we害羞草研究所檝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.

害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 all these details and it害羞草研究所檚 one of those things where you don害羞草研究所檛 wnat to risk doing it with someone who doesn害羞草研究所檛 know this specific injury, because all of these variables come into play. You don害羞草研究所檛 want to experiment with your child, so that害羞草研究所檚 why we害羞草研究所檙e doing it with Dr. Harch.害羞草研究所�

Ryah and his family need to charter a properly-outfitted airplane to get there, and they害羞草研究所檒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 it害羞草研究所檒l cost the family around $300,000 to $400,000.

But you could triple that and she wouldn害羞草研究所檛 care. All that matters is getting her son well.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 been home for a few days now, which is incredible,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 responding to us in terms of his emotion. He can feel, touch, and all that kind of stuff. He害羞草研究所檚 smiling and laughing and crying, and he害羞草研究所檚 needing less and less life-support type of monitoring, which is a huge good sign. So every day we害羞草研究所檙e seeing improvement, but it害羞草研究所檚 a process. It害羞草研究所檚 a journey.害羞草研究所�

It害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淗e was gone. He didn害羞草研究所檛 have a heartbeat when I pulled him out and started CPR,害羞草研究所� Natalie said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 one of those things you never think is going to happen and it was like a living nightmare.害羞草研究所�

Ryah was on a ventilator, barely responsive for days afterwards. Natalie and Cam were told he害羞草研究所檇 probably never come off the ventilator. He was on heart and oxygen monitors. He had pneumonia and a collapsed lung.

Now he害羞草研究所檚 breathing on his own and maintaining a relatively normal sleep schedule for a toddler. The 害羞草研究所榥eurological storms害羞草研究所� that he experienced are getting less frequent and less severe, and he害羞草研究所檚 been able to go off some of the heavier medications he was on.

害羞草研究所淭he fact that he害羞草研究所檚 there, inside, when you害羞草研究所檝e been told he害羞草研究所檚 never going to be there, he害羞草研究所檚 never going to do this or do that 害羞草研究所� for him to defy all the odds keeps me going. We are faith people (they go to Hope City Church in Abbotsford) and that害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�

Ryah害羞草研究所檚 motor functions are now the big concern, and that害羞草研究所檚 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. He害羞草研究所檚 done this sort of thing for 30-plus years and helped children in Ryah害羞草研究所檚 position. Natalie and Cam connected with the parents of two other kids in similar situations who went through hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e done a few consultations with him and you can tell he害羞草研究所檚 very passionate about helping people,害羞草研究所� Natalie said. 害羞草研究所淲e feel confident with him treating Azaryah.害羞草研究所�

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 害羞草研究所�The Oxygen Revolution.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty incredible if you think about it, and those kids he treated are thriving today,害羞草研究所� Natalie said. 害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e walking and talking and pretty close to the way they were before their accidents.害羞草研究所�

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 Ryah害羞草研究所檚 treatments started the better the outcome is likely to be.

害羞草研究所淚f you have a child, you know you would do anything to get them healthy and happy,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淓ven a little amount helps because small amounts in large numbers can totally make this happen. Just peoples害羞草研究所� hearts doing what they can, and if they can害羞草研究所檛 give financially, their prayers are a huge help to us.

害羞草研究所淧eoples害羞草研究所� 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.害羞草研究所�

eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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