Each day, Ryan Duffy wakes up ready to conquer the world.
It”s the same attitude that provided the foundation for a standout college baseball career at Mississippi State.
Today, Duffy is using that exuberance and determination to achieve what used to be effortless before a diving accident Aug. 14 in Key West, Fla., left him paralyzed from the neck down.
Losing the ability to walk was the most significant consequence of Duffy”s accident, but wrapped around that seemingly unclimbable mountain have been smaller, equally consequential milestones.
When Duffy was initially injured, he had saltwater in his lungs and doctors estimated it would take a month or longer to clear out. Two weeks later, the saltwater had completely moved out of his lungs.
It was the first positive step he”d made after doctors saved his C-2 and C-3 vertebrae during emergency surgery.
“Being an athlete, he was in such good shape that he got through it quicker,” said Kevin Duffy, Ryan”s father. “(Doctors) were really impressed with that.”
Ryan was not able to talk or to swallow food and his breathing was assisted by a ventilator in his six weeks at Miami”s Jackson Memorial Hospital. He worked through constant temperature spikes, which would see his body temperature rise as high as 104 degrees and dip as low as 93, Kevin said.
Ryan has muscle spasms and pain throughout his body, and lacks the ability to control parts of his body.
Talking to his mom and dad and swallowing food on his own became Ryan”s next missions. He accomplished them after being transferred from Miami to Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
When a trach is put in, a balloon known as a ”cuff” is inserted to hold into place. The cuff prevents air from going in and out so the body gets enough oxygen.
Talking gives your body less oxygen, but if your body can tolerate it, speaking is possible by adjusting the cuff.
“When he was about five or six weeks in, there was a real experienced nurse there who just loved Ryan because of his attitude,” Kevin said. “She told me one Friday, ”You wanna hear him talk?” I said that”d be amazing, I know he”d love to talk. She adjusted his cuff and told Ryan to start counting, and all of a sudden his voice came back. I cried. It was so amazing.”
Ryan”s next hurdle was to get off the feeding tube, which helped him to eat 2,500 calories a day. The feeding tube was removed three days into his two-month rehabilitation stay in Atlanta.
“The expectation (to remove the feeding tube) was longer than that,” Kevin said. “Anything he”s had control over that he could do something physically about, he has not only been successful, but he”s gone above and beyond what their expectations were. Most people with his injury cannot tolerate the adjustment of the cuff and talk. We”ve been very blessed.”
Ryan left Atlanta and returned home to Florida on Dec. 3. Since he has been home, he has had one blood pressure drop and his weight has stayed the same. He has begun new treatments, such as using a bicycle-like machine to maintain blood flow to his legs and stretch.
“It”s been really nice being around my family every day,” Ryan said. “I”m spending as much time as I can with my family and extended family.”
Ryan said he has talked to former MSU teammates Connor Powers and Jarred Wesson and keeps in contact with friends. He”s ready for baseball season to start so he can watch former teammate Mitch Moreland, who is a first baseman with the Texas Rangers.
“ESPN is getting boring with hockey and basketball,” Ryan said.
Though the chance of regaining movement throughout his body is extremely unlikely, Ryan said he must find a balance between conquering new obstacles and knowing those victories might not translate into movement.
“It”s really tough,” he said. “When I go through each little phase, it”s day by day. I just don”t get ahead of myself.”
For Ryan”s parents, Kevin and Cathy, learning about spinal cord injuries gave them insight as to how long the recovery could take. Kevin said three-and-a-half months — the time Ryan spent in Miami and Atlanta — still seems like a long time.
After watching his son play sports as a youth and in college, Kevin admits accepting Ryan”s injury was difficult.
“With no disrespect to anybody else who”s had to go through this, but I think it”s harder on a parent when their child was an athlete like he was,” Kevin said. “He did some very incredible things. He could hit a baseball 450 feet. He was built like a rock, and was incredibly strong.
“He used to squat 450 pounds and now struggles to hold his head, which is eight pounds, in place. For a parent, it”s hard and emotional, but once you understand where he”s at, every accomplishment is a big deal.”
Ryan hopes to travel to Starkville to be a part of Super Bulldog Weekend, though air travel would have to be by private plane.
“I”m trying everything I can to get up there,” Ryan said. “I”d love to see everybody up there.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
