Life Changing Moment

Our lives are defined by moments.  A series of moments that define who we are and what means the most to us.

A phone call can change our lives in an instant.

Last weekend I worked 12 hr nights and it was busy and stressful.  Like the kind of stress where you literally have someones life in your hands.  So, Sunday morning I finished up work and was exhausted.  I drove my frozen SUV to my moms house (because her house is quiet) and crawled into bed.

I always talk to my husband before I go to sleep.  We chatted on the phone for a while and then off to church for him and the boys and to sleep for me.

Then it happened again...ring...ring...ring...

Who is calling me?  Do people not understand that I need to sleep?

I ignored the first couple of rings.  But this unknown number kept calling.  Then the life changing moment unfolded..."Amanda, Aaron has been in an accident.  You better come to the hospital."

I rolled out of bed, and rushed to the hospital (still in by pajamas.)  My mind and my heart were racing because I have gotten a phone call like this several years before.  "Amanda, your dad was in an accident, you better get to the hospital right away..."  He never came back.

I arrived at the hospital before the ambulance (surprise surprise) and was greeted at the ER doors by my friends, family, and coworkers.  Aaron's aunt and a good friend of mine were his nurses, what a relief to see their faces.  Those of us who work ER live by an unwritten rule, Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

He was wheeled in and the never ending nightmare began... he burst his L1 vertebrae.  This is very bad.  Completely shattered it.  (The neurosurgeon said it looked like sharp pieces of sand and rock...but I will talk about that later.)  Then, off to a higher level of care via helicopter.

When I arrived at the other hospitals ER, I was already in shock and the little security guard treated me like a felon.  (I have to talk about this because I would like to get him fired but I think I will blog about it instead.)  This little prick literally came up to my  shoulders and I could squish him with my pinky finger.  He asked to see my purse and for me to empty my pockets onto the table.  My hands and my brain were not working.  I handed him my jam packed purse and he said, "Are you kidding me?" and laughed at me.  Then I put the stuff from my pockets onto the table and he said, "Really ma'am.  Put them in the basket.  Come on. You are just making this harder on yourself."  I was in tears.  So, finally, the little jackass let me walk through the metal detector and go to see my husband.

My cousin, my life saver, Maria was already there with him.  He was in so much pain. The trauma neurosurgeon walked in.  Now, we have had to deal with several different neurologists in the past and they all seemed the same.  But, this guy was different.  He had bedside manner.  He talked about Aaron like he was a human and not a science study.  He went over the plan of action, surgery all day tomorrow.

A problem that compounds Aaron's broken back was that he also has Ehlers Donlos Syndrome (like our youngest son.)  So, all of his tendons and ligaments are extra stretchy.  And, in this case, that is very bad.  Dr. Cherr had to formulate a plan on how to deal with this disorder and fix Aaron's back by the morning.

Several hours later we were off, up to his first in a series of rooms.  He had to lay flat and not move his back at all until surgery.  His spine was too unstable.  Then, Aaron spoke the dreaded words, "I think I am going to throw up."  I grabbed an emesis bag and held it while the nurse attempted to tilt his head.  Well, it did not go so well.  Let's just say that I ended up washing my hair in the sink and wearing some hospital scrubs.

During the night, Aaron and I shed tears together, prayed together, grieved together, and hoped for the best together.  We tried to emotionally prepare for the journey ahead, but I do not think that is possible.  Life is hard but we will make this journey together.