This is the note from his mom. They have had lots of set backs but we have kept them going with all our faith and I fully believe god will be with them with all the prayers going tomorrow night. ____________________________________ From: GroverSAR To: Csg228 Sent: 9/19/2009 10:08:39 A.M. Central Daylight Time Subj: Fwd: News from Ryan Cunningham News about Ryan Cunningham From Michelle Cunningham Hello all you wonderful people out there! This is our Church she is talking about Woods Chapel United Methodist in Lees Summit,MO Well, we have had a busy week all culminating in progress but not necessarily in the path we desire. Sound familiar… We met with our neurodude on Wed. to have him look at the "egg" on the back of Ryan‘s head. It has been very puffy (but still soft to the touch, not firm and scary) since Sunday. This is the place that is supposed to heal and we just couldn‘t understand how something could heal that was that swelled with fluid…. so his reaction was not reassuring (as we expected). He requested an MRI to be done so we can see what things look like inside. Unfortunately he is going out of town thru the weekend and is back on Monday, so the MRI is scheduled for then AND we are tentatively SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY ON TUESDAY! I‘ll get to the small amount of detail I have on that shortly. On Thurs. we were able to get in to see another area neurodude (who also has worked with our doctor) to get a second opinion. He did give us a bit more detail on things going on with Ryan‘s sort of case and let us know that unfortunately what he sees with Ryan is "normal" with these types of cases. Ultimately he agreed that we have just been getting the wrong cards and we are due for a lucky streak. He didn‘t give us the impression that anything is life threatening, but that it is just a hard and risky road we are traveling. He did feel very confident that we are in the best hands with our neurodude here. He concurred with the options that our neurodude threw out during our brief appt. on Wed. They are: Based on MRI results: 1) Go back in to the back of Ryan‘s head and "fix" the "leak" that is apparently causing the "egg". Here is the technical piece as little as we know it. When you open the skull, the dura is cut open and then must be closed with a "patch". This is to allow it to grow back together like normal. But with all the stress of the fluid pressure Ryan has undergone because of the meningitis infection and such, it was not able to sufficiently heal and probably sprung a leak. 2) All of this has probably been made worse if the shunt is malfunctioning. We just don‘t know on this, but as much as we have witnessed this is probably the case. Will they also do a shunt revision during this same surgery session? 3) Since they will have Ryan‘s head opened again, if the remnant tumor is in a place that he feels safe to get it, he will also do that surgery! 4) Lastly, in order to give the head the balanced pressure that it needs to heal, they most likely will suggest a lumbar drain again for 10 days. O.K. So that is what we are facing. (And I forgot to mention all the wonderful opportunities for another infection!!!!!!) Once we know the results of the MRI scheduled for Monday at 2pm, we will KNOW what the true plan will be. We are VERY nervous about all this and are especially nervous about telling Ryan. We have not discussed it with him yet and plan to do so Sunday evening most likely (at least the part that he is going to need to go back to the hospital and maybe surgery). We are not sure how to address him. He has been fairly rational these last few days. But now he has a touch of a cold, so is somewhat uncomfortable from that. The swelling also bugs him. We pray that it will not grow any firmer between now and Tuesday. This means pressure is building and that is bad and cause for emergency service. Tuesday is days away and it has been so big for so long now, it has me on edge. He did throw up some fluids this afternoon, but I am hoping it was just having overdone it too quickly. He did eat a good dinner and is trying to go to sleep presently. If this isn‘t enough, Dana and Emma are off on a Girl Scout family weekend to the Omaha Zoo. Trying to have a normal life as much as possible. I will be settling down to read a book and watch over Ryan until I go to sleep tonight. We wanted to ask one thing of whomever can help us. Because we are so nervous of Ryan‘s reaction to this next trip to the hospital, I have felt compelled to focus our attention on Ryan in the following way: WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANYONE WHO CAN COME TO OUR HOUSE SUNDAY EVENING AT 7PM TO HAVE A PRAYER CIRCLE TO HELP COMFORT RYAN. We would not expect a lengthy stay, just long enough for a time of prayer. While it is really unnerving as parents to have to go through this, I have found it more disturbing to put myself in Ryan‘s shoes. Ryan needs to know that he is on Eagle‘s Wings and that he is under the best care and that so many people love him, and that God especially is watching over him, etc. I don‘t know what else to do. Our doors will be open Sunday evening for those of you who are able to come. We will begin promptly at 7PM. No need to call, just come. I don‘t know how parking will be, but for a short time, we‘ll make it work. You have asked what can be done. This is our request today. If you are not able to come, please pray wherever you are. It all ends up in the same place right! We hope this request isn‘t too bold, but we are honestly pretty nervous. We wish this could have been a great update for sunny skies and clear sailing, but we aren‘t there yet apparently. Hugs to all of you special people. Trying to hang in there, Michelle

Carolyn we know this family through the clergy of the Methodist Conference. We have been praying for the family for a long time & will continue to do so. Marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: <Csg228@aol.com> To: <down-home-chatter@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, September 19, 2009 8:50 PM Subject: [DOWN-HOME-CHATTER] Fwd: News from Ryan Cunningham > This is the note from his mom. They have had lots of set backs but we have > kept them going with all our faith and I fully believe god will be with > them with all the prayers going tomorrow night. > > > > ____________________________________ > From: GroverSAR > To: Csg228 > Sent: 9/19/2009 10:08:39 A.M. Central Daylight Time > Subj: Fwd: News from Ryan Cunningham > > > News about Ryan Cunningham From Michelle Cunningham > Hello all you wonderful people out there! This is our Church she is > talking about Woods Chapel United Methodist in Lees Summit,MO > Well, we have had a busy week all culminating in progress but not > necessarily in the path we desire. Sound familiar… > We met with our neurodude on Wed. to have him look at the "egg" on the > back > of Ryan‘s head. It has been very puffy (but still soft to the touch, not > firm and scary) since Sunday. This is the place that is supposed to heal > and > we just couldn‘t understand how something could heal that was that > swelled > with fluid…. so his reaction was not reassuring (as we expected). He > requested an MRI to be done so we can see what things look like inside. > Unfortunately he is going out of town thru the weekend and is back on > Monday, so > the MRI is scheduled for then AND we are tentatively SCHEDULED FOR > SURGERY ON > TUESDAY! I‘ll get to the small amount of detail I have on that shortly. > On Thurs. we were able to get in to see another area neurodude (who also > has worked with our doctor) to get a second opinion. He did give us a bit > more detail on things going on with Ryan‘s sort of case and let us know > that > unfortunately what he sees with Ryan is "normal" with these types of > cases. > Ultimately he agreed that we have just been getting the wrong cards and we > are due for a lucky streak. He didn‘t give us the impression that > anything > is life threatening, but that it is just a hard and risky road we are > traveling. He did feel very confident that we are in the best hands with > our > neurodude here. He concurred with the options that our neurodude threw > out > during our brief appt. on Wed. They are: > Based on MRI results: > 1) Go back in to the back of Ryan‘s head and "fix" the "leak" that is > apparently causing the "egg". Here is the technical piece as little as we > know > it. When you open the skull, the dura is cut open and then must be closed > with a "patch". This is to allow it to grow back together like normal. > But > with all the stress of the fluid pressure Ryan has undergone because of > the > meningitis infection and such, it was not able to sufficiently heal and > probably sprung a leak. > 2) All of this has probably been made worse if the shunt is > malfunctioning. > We just don‘t know on this, but as much as we have witnessed this is > probably the case. Will they also do a shunt revision during this same > surgery > session? > 3) Since they will have Ryan‘s head opened again, if the remnant tumor is > in a place that he feels safe to get it, he will also do that surgery! > 4) Lastly, in order to give the head the balanced pressure that it needs > to > heal, they most likely will suggest a lumbar drain again for 10 days. > O.K. So that is what we are facing. (And I forgot to mention all the > wonderful opportunities for another infection!!!!!!) Once we know the > results of > the MRI scheduled for Monday at 2pm, we will KNOW what the true plan will > be. We are VERY nervous about all this and are especially nervous about > telling Ryan. We have not discussed it with him yet and plan to do so > Sunday > evening most likely (at least the part that he is going to need to go back > to > the hospital and maybe surgery). We are not sure how to address him. He > has been fairly rational these last few days. But now he has a touch of a > cold, so is somewhat uncomfortable from that. The swelling also bugs him. > We > pray that it will not grow any firmer between now and Tuesday. This means > pressure is building and that is bad and cause for emergency service. > Tuesday > is days away and it has been so big for so long now, it has me on edge. > He > did throw up some fluids this afternoon, but I am hoping it was just > having overdone it too quickly. He did eat a good dinner and is trying to > go to > sleep presently. > If this isn‘t enough, Dana and Emma are off on a Girl Scout family weekend > to the Omaha Zoo. Trying to have a normal life as much as possible. I will > be settling down to read a book and watch over Ryan until I go to sleep > tonight. > We wanted to ask one thing of whomever can help us. Because we are so > nervous of Ryan‘s reaction to this next trip to the hospital, I have felt > compelled to focus our attention on Ryan in the following way: > WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANYONE WHO CAN COME TO OUR HOUSE SUNDAY EVENING AT > 7PM TO HAVE A PRAYER CIRCLE TO HELP COMFORT RYAN. We would not expect a > lengthy stay, just long enough for a time of prayer. While it is really > unnerving as parents to have to go through this, I have found it more > disturbing > to put myself in Ryan‘s shoes. Ryan needs to know that he is on Eagle‘s > Wings and that he is under the best care and that so many people love > him, and > that God especially is watching over him, etc. I don‘t know what else to > do. Our doors will be open Sunday evening for those of you who are able to > come. We will begin promptly at 7PM. No need to call, just come. I don‘t > know > how parking will be, but for a short time, we‘ll make it work. > You have asked what can be done. This is our request today. If you are not > able to come, please pray wherever you are. It all ends up in the same > place right! We hope this request isn‘t too bold, but we are honestly > pretty > nervous. > We wish this could have been a great update for sunny skies and clear > sailing, but we aren‘t there yet apparently. > Hugs to all of you special people. > Trying to hang in there, > Michelle > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > DOWN-HOME-CHATTER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Carolyn: Count me in on the prayers. Nancy