Jack Hanlon Get Back, Jack

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Wednesday September 13th about 5 in the evening Jack was driving his motorcycle home from school when he was confronted with a large tow truck in the middle of the street. Yes he was wearing a helmet, but the impact was tremendous and devastating.

On Wednesday night, after six or seven hours of surgery,  they prepared him to rest for the night.  During surgery they removed one kidney while trying to save the other,  one half of his stomach, six of his ribs we're shattered,  crumpled and broken essentially destroying his diaphragm. His left arm was severely broken,and his right knee cap.

The good news from the doctor on Thursday  was "everything is fixable"  He is being sedated and obviously on a tremendous amount of pain medication. The biggest deal right now, well there are a lot of big deals, is finding a creative way to repair his diaphragm and ribs to support his lungs. Just a little detail :-) Because of the potential infection from  his arm he is on some temporary dialysis.

Tomorrow Friday he is scheduled for another cleaning of the forearm as the muscle affects the kidneys---the decaying muscle.  Then, maybe he will have some rods put in the span of two vertebrae, T12 and l-1. We are super grateful that there were no cord injuries. Even while sedated he was moving his legs and toes. There was also a cat-scan and there doesn't seem to be any swelling or brain damage. He has responded to the nurses commands and Missy's loud voice.

We will try to keep you updated as much as possible,  as soon as possible. All of the cards and flowers and balloons and bagels and welcome visits are overwhelming--in the best way. We personally have witnessed two seemingly impossible successes at this  UC SICU  and are completely convinced these people are miracle workers.  Jack will be another miracle but it's because of all the love and support and prayers and good thoughts. Please keep them coming