Ryan Switzer is updating fans about his 9-month-old son's condition after he experienced unexplained bleeding and tested positive for COVID-19.
The Cleveland Browns wide receiver, 26, shared on Twitter Saturday that his infant son Christian — whom he shares with wife Gabie, 25 — "woke up in his blood" and was taken to the hospital. The baby boy then underwent three blood transfusions, he said, and Christian was moved to intensive care. When surgeons identified the source of the bleeding, they scheduled surgery for Sunday morning.
After asking for prayers from his social media followers, Switzer thanked everyone for their support ahead of surgery: "We're heartbroken this has happened to our baby boy, but we're also overwhelmed by the amount of people who have reached out in support of Christian. This has been the toughest day of Gabie and I's life. Please continue to pray Christian stabilizes and makes it through surgery."
Sunday afternoon, Switzer tweeted that Christian was "still in surgery," adding that what "the doctors original thought on the source of his bleeding didn't turn out to be the case. They're bringing in another doctor for more exploratory measures to try and find it."
Nearly three hours later, Switzer posted a photo of Christian, confirming that he is out of surgery and in stable condition.
"The GI specialist found several sites of bleeding. He took samples that were sent off to biopsy to see what could be causing it, I guess. He's stable right now and resting," the dad wrote.
Later Sunday night, the NFL player said his son was "still having episodes of bleeding."
"It's going to be a long day or so until the results of the tissue come back. Please pray for our baby," he said. "And please add my wife to the prayer list as she has to be strong for the both of us at the hospital."
Switzer and his wife welcomed Christian on May 25. In a Feb. 1 Instagram post, Gabie shared a photo of herself holding Christian, who wore a small white helmet. She wrote that her son "only has to wear his helmet while he's sleeping."
"I've been real emotional about the helmet— I just feel a sense of shame and guilt, like I did something wrong and it's my fault he has to wear it," wrote Gabie. "Like I failed him. And (let's be honest), I fail all the time as a new mom. But to me, the helmet felt like the scarlet letter of motherhood— like this constant (& public) reminder that I did something wrong."
"If there's one thing you take away from this post, let it be this— TRUST YOUR GUT," she continued at the time. "For months, I thought something was off with Christian. But I kept waiting, hopeful that it would resolve itself. The best thing I did was to finally DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! (Granted, I wish I had done it much sooner). So if you're worried or concerned that something isn't right, trust your instincts. We know best, ain't that right mamas??"
On her Instagram Story Sunday, Gabie said her husband isn't allowed to be in the hospital with her and their son, and she wrote that it's "just a waiting game I guess."
"Feeling thankful he's safe and stable right now, but also anxious for answers," she added.
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