Update #1

Hey everyone...

I have some upsetting news. Ryan is OKAY and is going to be okay! But, he was injured. He was not injured in combat, so that is a good thing.

Here is the story as best as I can re-tell it.

Ryan was riding a dirt bike to chow hall early Monday morning Afghanistan time. (That would be late Sunday night our time.) It was still dark out and he hit a pipe (or something) in the road. He flipped off the bike and landed primarily on his left side. He was alone when this happened and it took a little while for someone to find him. It was very cold out and he was suffering from hypothermia when they got him to the hospital. But, that is a good thing. It probably kept his brain from swelling due to the impact.

He suffered injuries to his left orbital bone (the bone around your eye) and some trauma to the left eye. The seriousness of his eye injury is still being determined.

They thought his left arm was broken, but it's not. It just has some serious "soft tissue" damage. Probably some bad bruising, scrapes, etc.

His left lung had collapsed, but it is now better. There is some pneumonia in the left lung now due to the fluid. But, they have a tube in place to drain the excess fluid.

He is under heavy sedation to relieve any pain he might be feeling. But, they lowered the drugs enough this morning to see if he could react to physical tests (hand squeezing, toe wiggling, etc.). He passed those tests. So, his arms and legs still work fine.

The neurologist that was in to see him yesterday tested to see if the appropriate levels of blood/oxygen were getting to Ryan's brain. He doesn't think Ryan will suffer any brain damage. The doctor's in Germany will be able to find out more. Ryan is flying there right now.

Luckily, other than his orbital bone (and probably some ribs), Ryan hasn't broken any other bones. I think as soon as they can take him off the sedatives, he will be awake and back to his hyperactive self.