So, I wasn't sure if I wanted to blog about this, or relive it, for that matter. But I decided I wanted to have it, to look back on when I need a wake up call. So here goes.....
I'll just start out by saying, Spring Break 2012 was NOT one for the books. On Friday, March 9th, Jax got out of school at 12:00. I decided to start off the break with something fun, like a movie date to see The Lorax. The boys were so excited! As we are walking out the door, Maddox says, "my tummy hurts," then vomits EVERYWHERE. He was crying and saying, I'm ready to go see The "Worax"....my heart is broken because he was so excited. Luckily, Jason was home early so we talked Madd into laying in his bed and watching a movie. Jax and I snuck out and went to the movie (which is so cute!) Not only did he have to miss the movie, but we all missed a night of bowling with friends. Saturday comes around, he feels much better, but we decide to stay in and relax so that we'll be ready for a "fun" week ahead. Sunday morning, we get ready and go to church. As we are standing and singing, what happened to be some of my FAV songs, I get light headed, sweaty, and very nauseous. I run out and hit the bathroom.....so yep, the good ol' bug has hit me too. I send Jason a text saying, "I NEED TO GO" Pretty much the only time I think a cell phone is useful during church!! Anyways, Monday comes around, I'm still very weak and yuck. Tuesday: I'm feeling much better and ready to tackle some spring break fun....have I mentioned that the weather is absolutely gorgeous this entire time?? I'm thinking, we'll have some friends over, cookout, enjoy the patio......eehh, not so much. Jason comes home from work around 2:00, WITH THE BUG. Ugghhhh!! So here comes Wednesday.....a day I'll never forget. Jason wakes up feeling much better. The weather is beautiful and the boys are at his parents house. So, he takes off about 4 and we head up to Gators for some patio fun. Some friends of ours meet us up there, and it is wonderful. Exactly what I had been craving. Listening to music, having drinks, eating cajun food, and soaking in the sun....perfection. Yes, perfection, until I get a phone call that is only a person's worst nightmare. About 5:30, my mom calls and asks if I had talked to Dad. I told her I had talked to him that morning at about 10:30, but not since then. But I remembered he didn't sound good that morning. Sounded VERY tired. She said, he went down to the ranch and said he would be home early, by 5:00. He wasn't home by 5:00, and his cell phone was going straight to voice mail....which was a sign that something wasn't right. He always carries his phone when he goes down there by himself. So, she tells me she's going to give him 20 min. and if she hasn't heard from him, she's driving down there. At first, I didn't think much of it because he's done this before. Sometimes if he's fishing, or cleaning fish, he won't answer his phone. But the fact that it wasn't even ringing was what concerned us. My stomach starting getting knots in it, and the longer time went on, the more my gut instinct kept telling me something was wrong. As we're sitting there, trying to enjoy our evening, I'm panicking, dialing his phone over and over. Voice mail, every time. My mom calls back saying she is on her way to the ranch. I tell her to call when she gets there. A part of me wanted to get up and head down there myself, but then a part of me was saying, "quit over reacting, everything is fine." So we sit, anxiously awaiting. The longer time went on, which seemed like eternity, the more I knew something wasn't right. Then Jason's phone rings, it's my mom, he tries handing the phone to me but I couldn't answer it. I knew. I remember him saying, "hello" then jumping up saying, "WE HAVE TO GO"....I'm screaming at him, what is wrong, what is wrong. He finally says, "your mom found him laying by the camper, unconscious. Ugh, just typing this out gives me that horrible feeling in my stomach.
So, the rest of this is a little blurry, but I remember jumping up, sobbing, in the middle of a crowd gathered patio. Our gracious friends tell us to go and they will cover our bill. We stop to get gas, and I make the dreaded phone call to my sister. Michael answers the phone and I can't contain myself. I'm screaming, panicking, and he has no idea what I'm trying to tell him. I finally manage to get it out, and they somehow manage to calm me down. Jason, is of course panicking as well, I mean, this is his dad too, his best friend for 15 years. We call 911 and the Lubbock dispatchers tell us we need to call Crosby county.....Jason says, he's in Garza Co. not Crosby. They give him about 15 different #'s to try.....REALLY?? I mean, can't you just transfer us?? This is a true emergency, a difference between life or death. So he finally gets a hold of the Garza Co. police department and luckily they know exactly the ranch that he was talking about. We obviously didn't have an address to give them because he's out in the middle of nowhere. So, trying to get the help we needed was difficult. In the meantime, Jason is talking to my mom back and forth. She tells him that she finally got my dad to speak to her and he says he's ok and doesn't need a helicopter. Not knowing the condition he was in, that made me feel a little more at ease. That he was talking and "seemed" ok. So, we're still driving and this trip seems like it's lasting for hours. We finally make it to Post, and my mom calls and says, "hurry up and get here, the helicopter is here." My heart then sank, and again, I began to sob. Those who know me well, know that this is not only my dad. He has been my rock since the day I was born. I spent everyday of my childhood with him and my Pop, farming and hunting. Those 2 men are my life. All I could think about was, I've already lost my Pop, I CAN'T lose my daddy. So, after what seemed like days, we finally pull up to a scene that is forever embedded in my head. 2 ambulances, several vehicles, a helicopter, and my dad, laying almost lifeless on the ground. Jason immediately jumps out and starts helping the medics. I sit there, in shock. One of the medics comes to me and starts calming me down, assuring me that everything is going to be ok. I kneel down beside my dad and start running my hands through his hair, talking to him, telling him I am there. The medic has to shake him to get him to come to. She says, in a very loud voice, "DAVE, HOLLY IS HERE, DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?" He very quietly says, "that's my baby girl." I knew at that moment, he was going to be ok. As they get him stabilized, I stand back, and watch so helplessly. Never in my wildest nightmares, had I ever imagined that I would watch my husband load my daddy into a helicopter. I've never experience anything so surreal. After another forever long trip back to Lubbock, we made it to the ER. Our friends who were at the restaurant with us were there, waiting for us. I am forever grateful for them. So, after 6 very long nights and days in the cardiac ICU, my daddy is home and recovering. During the time he spent in the hospital, we learned that his lungs were filled with blood clots, which is called, Pulmonary Embolism. We also learned that 99% of people who have this, do not live through it. 5 different doctors told my dad that he was very lucky to be alive and they don't know how he made it through that traumatic oordeal. They also said that he should have had severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen for so long. After learning how severe his situation was, we have all been dealing with lots of emotional stress. After he got home, reality set in and it hit him, how lucky he is to be alive. It is only by the grace of God that he is here. God was hovering over him, protecting him the entire 3.5 hours he layed out there. The doctors said that he shouldn't have made it through the helicopter ride, but God was riding with him.
On behalf of me & my family, we are so thankful and humbled by the amount of people who reached out to us. My amazing daddy is getting stronger each day and we have never been more thankful to still have him with us. Today is the first day that my mom has gone back to work and left my dad home by himself. She has had lots of anxiety about leaving him. I ask that you all continue to keep them both in your prayers. This has been a life changing experience for all of us, and was definitely a spring break that I never want to have again.
So long, March 2012.....let's bring on April!
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