Mason Martin, the former Karns City Area Jr./Sr. High School quarterback who collapsed at a game last September, has been making positive strides in his recovery from his physical rehabilitation, his father, Denny Martin, said in a Wednesday, May 15, update on Facebook.

Although Marin said he is not going to try to predict when Mason will get to leave UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, he explained that his son is getting faster and more efficient with his movements.

“Since the latest BiPAP adjustments, he has been more awake and alert throughout the last few days,” Martin said. “I have been really impressed with his ability to think and strategize while playing board games. He did receive acupuncture on his left leg over the weekend, and it has had a very positive result on his range of motion.”

Martin said the results of his son’s sleep study have offered some “good news” as the study was able to conclude that Mason does not have central sleep apnea, which causes the brain to not regulate proper breathing.

“It turns out the he has obstructive apnea, which is what most people at home on a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure machine) have,” Martin said. “We’re still trying to get the settings perfected, and he hasn’t had any episodes of desaturation the last two nights.”

Martin said the goal is to have Mason leave Children’s Hospital full of confidence and expectation, rather than leaving with their fingers crossed.

“I want him to be in a position where he can thrive and be set up for success,” Martin said. “We are both anxious to get home, but only when he is stable enough that we’re not coming back to the hospital every other week.”

In his update, Martin also explained how thankful he is for the nurses and doctors who have been working with Mason at both Children’s Hospital and UPMC Presbyterian.