Monday August 25, 2008
Joe had his third brain surgery to successfully remove the last AVM from off the surface of his brain near the original incision. Today we heard that latest angiogram looked GREAT and that he will be flying home this weekend! This is great news!
Wednesday August 13, 2008
Joe had preventative and corrective surgery today.
This surgery was to correct another area with deformation that was found last week and the intent is that Joe will be free of future problems. Joe will be on another 72 hour watch in the neuro trauma unit post surgery.
All went well. Looks like it was a success. He is now in recovery.
They hope that he will be able to travel home next week.
Thank you so much for your support!
Thank You From Mona and Ron Ricard
To All Blue Devil and DCI members, family and friends, both past and present,
We want to thank everyone who has helped Joe and us through this difficult period. Everyone in the Blue Devils organization has been wonderful and amazing.
Words cannot express how overwhelmed we were by the hundreds of e-mails and notes we received wishing Joe well on his recovery. They came from all over the world and with ties to all different corps. The drum corps community is truly a special and tight-knit family. We know your thoughts and prayers helped in his recovery.
As many of you said, Joe’s biggest heart break is not being in Indianapolis this week with the Blue Devils. However he is well on his way to a full recovery and is looking forward to the 2009 season.
Thank you again for your support, love and well-wishes.
Sincerely,
Mona and Ron Ricard
Thursday July 31, 2008
Blue Devil Euphonium player Joseph Ricard had a deformation of an artery in his brain since birth that suddenly burst while the Blue Devils 'A' Corps was in Landisville, Pennsylvania Wednesday night July 30. The pressure from the resulting clot pushing against the bottom of his brain was relieved by surgery. It may be 3 days or more before we know if he will have any lasting effects.
Joe is in his first year with The Blue Devil 'A' Corps and marched the 'B' Corps in 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007. He graduated from De La Salle High School this summer and will be going to the Berklee College of Music.
The Blue Devil organization prayers and thoughts are with Joe and his family. The Corps is determined to perform their collective hearts out the final week so Joe can feel their energy as he recovers in the hospital. We will pass on thoughts and well wishes to Joe. You can email at
[email protected]
UPDATE Friday August 1, 2008
On Friday Joe sat up in a chair and was breathing on his own. He was able to have conversations with the doctors and family. He can use his arms and legs and was eating Jello and drinking water on his own. This is miraculous news and we are all thrilled.
THANK YOU so much for the outpouring of thoughts, prayers and emails. We truly believe it is with the grace of God and the prayers that have helped Joe recover at this amazing rate. The Blue Devils, Joe and his family are so blessed to have the drum corps family behind all of us at this critical time.
There is still a 48 to 72 hour critical time that Joe will have to be watched very carefully. Joe will be in the hospital for a extended period. Please continue sending thoughts and prayers. The Blue Devils delivered to Joe over 200 emails that came in during a 12 hour period that made for a very uplifting and emotional reading experience.
Thank You!!!!
Update Saturday August 2Joe is looking much better. He is able to get up and walk. His vision is clearing and dexterity is returning. He is eating better and even ordered pizza for dinner. We still have another 24 hours of close watching. He is obviously sad not to be with his fellow BD members. Please continue with the thoughts and prayers ... they are working!! Thank you for all of your concern. It has been awesome!!!
The corps is doing better and they are are excited about the good news about Joe. They have been through a lot this summer and are a amazing group of young people They are extremely excited about the upcoming week and are determined to make the final week of shows the most spectacular yet. As with Joe, they are all fighters and determined.
Update Monday August 4
Joe's doctor has stated that he is "out of immediate danger". Today they will be doing more tests to determine long term diagnostics and when he can travel back to California. Joe continues to make progress moving and walking.
Thank you for your support!!
Update Tuesday August 5
Joe is looking very good. He is talking much more and his coordination gets better each day. There will possibly be another surgery for preventative and corrective measures towards the end of this week. It looks like he will be in the hospital in Pennsylvania possibly through the end of next week.
Below is the address of the hospital for cards or flowers
Hospital address is:
Lancaster General
555 N Duke Street
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17604
USA
(717) 544-5511
Thank you for all of your continued support!!!