Tuesday, May 29, 2012

It Happens :(

Emergency crews rush to help a when a child's wheel chair overturns into a creek.
Crews are treating the case as a near drowning
It happened in Sugar Hollow Park in Bristol, Virginia this evening.
Crews were called to the scene just after 8:00 PM.
We've learned a young boy in a wheelchair ended up in the creek.
Bystanders pulled the boy out of the water; then crews rushed him to the hospital.
We’ve learned the boy is expected to be ok.


As you can see one of my good FB SN Mom's had a pretty rough weekend so I thought I would share with you/her OUR story in hopes to show ACCIDENTS happen even to the "BEST" of us.  First I would like share that I am so upset with the NEWS for printing this without all the facts.  The most important of all is that the brakes failed on the wheelchair!  This mom is a WONDERFUL mother and her son is SO BLESSED to have parents to care for him.  This was an accident due to failed equipment and all of us with wheelchairs now how the brakes can be.  Don't beat your self up, You are an AMAZING mom and an inspiration to us all.  Love You Guys!!!

Ironically tomorrow is the anniversary date of Danny's fall back in '07.  I don't think I've ever publicly admitted this one as I felt just AWFUL, but to show that our "Special" kids can and do indeed have accidents.....well here it goes.

The kids and I were out at my girlfriends house for the afternoon and when I came home I saw my husband trying to back up the enclosed car trailer with the extended cab long box pick up in our driveway.  So I drove the van (we had the full size green machine at the time) in the garage, turned it off, and left the kids in the vehicle to watch TV while I helped Dan back the trailer in.  I "thought" that was the safest spot for them to be.  Mind you at this time Avrianna was 4.5yrs old and Danny was 3.  I was unaware how attentive a 4.5yr old Lil Girl could be, AS she thought she would help Mommy by getting Danny out of the van while I helped Daddy.

I had NEVER shown her how to get Danny out of the van, but she was obviously watching ME.

I could not see the van in the garage as I was in the back of the trailer directing Dan.  When all of a sudden I heard this UNGODLY SCREAM!!!! One that I have never heard before nor wish to every hear again.  I ran as fast as I could back around the trailer towards the garage.....I was in flip flops so I went ass over tea kettle trying to get there and my shoes went flying.  Dan threw his truck in park as he was flying out the door and when we got to the van this is was we found............

Danny flipped over face first on the ramp n concrete floor with his wheelchair on top of him and Avrianna laying along side of him.

I couldn't breathe ~

Danny was knocked out cold and very banged up.  I know you are not suppose to move someone with a possible head trauma but I COULDN'T leave him there like that.  So I held his head tight to his head rest and Dan n I flipped his chair over, placing it back on it's wheels.  Avrianna was still screaming.....I'm sure in shock, and she also got hurt.  I told her to RUN to our neighbors house, tell Lynn what happened, have Lynn look her over, and STAY THERE.

I wasn't sure if this was the it for Danny and didn't need Avrianna to see that .........

I was screaming at Dan to call 911 (yes I didn't have my cool calm demeanor, like I normally do in a crisis situation).  I didn't handle this crisis well  AT ALL ~ I was a MESS!!  Danny was still KNOCKED OUT and I really had thought this possibly killed him.  Once the first responders arrived Danny was starting to open his eyes alil, but he still didn't cry or make a peep (he NEVER did cry for this fall).  I guess he thought I was making enough fuss for all of us :(  It was very difficult for the paramedics n EMT's to figure out too what extent injuries Danny had when.......he already has severe brain damage.  All of the "normal" signs are already abnormal for Danny's normal.  He can't talk, his eye don't dilate right, there is no body tone, seizures,  etc.

*SIGH*

When the ambulance got there the took him out of his chair very carefully and put him on a stretcher and C collar.  And as I was telling the paramedics and police officer what happened ..... I felt as if I should just hold my arms out and have them cuff me right there.  Yes officer,  I left my 2 very young kids unattended in a vehicle.  Thankfully he didn't cuff me, he tried to console me, and once they had Danny stabilized for the ride I flew in the back of the ambulance to head to the ER ~ where I got to retell the story over to all of them.

 I FELT LIKE THE WORST MOTHER EVER!!

So this is what happened ~ well the best I can put together as AGAIN I wasn't there.  UGH!!
Lil Miss "A" got Danny out of the van ...... took off his seat belt and chest belt, Unlocked the easy lock system (which locks his chair to the floor of the van), opened both the big side doors on the full size van, and lowered the lift.  She then proceeded to roll him out on the ramp.  Which would have been just fine BUT...... instead of lowering the ramp to the van floor level, she lower the ramp all the way to the ground level and then pushed him out the van doors.  Once she realized what was happening, she held onto the chair as it was falling out of the van, and she went along for the ride.  I truly believe if she wouldn't have done that, to help tip the chair alil on the side, and have her body take some the impact .... it WOULD have killed him.  He fell face first from about a 3ft drop onto the ramp grate and concrete floor with his 75 lbs wheelchair ontop off him.

That's when I heard Avrianna's SCREAM!

Once at the ER all they could really do is CT scan his whole body (to find out what kind of injuries and where they were) and to monitor him.  So that's what they did ~ Danny sustained a concussion, sprained arm, wrist, leg, ankle, some nasty cuts n bruises on his face and he spent a day in the hospital.  We got very lucky things didn't turn out worse.  I was pretty banged up from falling while I tried to run with flip flops.  Avrianna had some bangs n bruises BUT the most damaging for her was the emotional side.  I couldn't get her into that van for weeks after that :(  And she refused to push Danny in his chair for a very long time.

She felt awful and was emotionally scarred :(

Well that's our story ~  the medical team afterwards joked that Danny had his first "regular" kid fall.  I'm glad he was ok and that was the only "regular" kid accident thus far.


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Camera Craze

Well you ALL know me and my OCD with Pics ~ So I though I'd share some of the last weeks moments.  I just love pics ~ you can look back at the memories.  I know all too well how fast things can change and I don't wont to forget or miss out on any memories. 
 We never know what the next moment will bring.  The reality is ~  live life in the now it goes by so quickly.

"A" having a blast in the pool with her friends

 She is also my poser.  So one night we had some fun with my phone ~ wow is she growing up and becoming a beautiful young girl.  I Love Her!!









 So I HAD to have a day with Danny :)  I'm so glad I was able to get some pics with him out of his wheelchair and off the vent.  What a Handsome young boy ~ Love you Lil Man








Please Don't take a breathe for granted ~ It comes so hard for him. There are too many vivid reminders that Danny also is just a heartbeat, breathe, or a seizure away from death.

SEIZURES GO AWAY!!

Well the title pretty much sums it all up around here.  I'm physically n emotionally drained!  It's ALWAYS something new around here.  I miss being bored n stable.  I'm  trying my best to not let it stress me out, BUT.... it's a work in progress.  When you have to be "On Guard" all the time, it starts to wear on you.  When you watch your son struggle day n and day out with whatever it is on that particular day, it wears on you.  When you worry about what the next hour may bring, I'm worn.  I am blogging out in the backyard ~ sitting in the sun, sipping my coffee, smelling the fragrant flowers, listening to water trickle in the pool hoping to find some tranquility in all this madness.  It's hard to enjoy or relax when your mind is constantly wrapped up in "What's going on with Danny?". It's frightening to think about all the possibilities and the what if's.  I try not to go there but when day after day there is some sort of chaos that Danny goes through, my heart just breaks and I can't find the help to some relief for him. Day after Day he suffers....whether it's to breathe, being in pain, or he's consumed with seizures.  Flip a coin it IS going to be at least one of those things if not ALL of them EVERY BLESSED DAY!  It's so frustrating that we can't find him relief.  Really hasn't he been through enough!!  He has already been robbed of the life that I so longed for him to have ~ can he please at least have the quality of life !?!  Why is the brain so damn complicated and destructive?  Why couldn't my sons "life" be spared  that day?  Why did things play out the way they did?  Why didn't the DR do his JOB!?!  WHY WHY WHY!!!!
Sorry I'm just ......................... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
We are going to head over to Dr Kasper's later this morning and have a talk with what's next.  What can we do, is there anything?  He always seems to pull my head out of my @$$ and pick me up when it comes to these moments.  I know he has our families best interest at heart and he WILL help to make things get back on the right track.  As Dr K always says...."Danny didn't fall off the wagon .... the wheels fell off, we just have to put them back on".  Well get your tools out, Dr K,  I want Danny to be up and running!!  We might have to bring out the BIG guns and get Dr K a super size Dark Chocolate bar as he will have his work cut out for us, lol.
Thanks for being there and reading me vent :)

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Dive Meet

Avrianna had her first dive meet this Saturday in Milwaukee.  Dan and I were able to drive down and see her first set of 6 dives.  AMAZING!!  This girl is a GREAT diver.  Here are her 6 dives we were able watch.  She is the lil one on the high dives in the back.  Keep in mind she only had 5 (yes 5) DAYS of diving off the high dive before this meet.  Avrianna is the youngest diver that Fox Valley Dive had to ever compete :)
Forward Dive Tuck
Back Dive Pike

Back Somersault Tuck

Reverse Dive Pick

Reverse Somersault Tuck

Inward Somersault Tuck

Her best scores were on the high dive ~  she has no fear.  What amazing Girl I have :)  Way to Go Avrianna!!
In the high dive events she placed 5 in her division.  She was the youngest and had the less practice, to the rest of them.  She still managed to get 5th!!  In the 1 meter she placed 7 in her division.  Ribbons all around for her.  Plus standing on this place podium was a highlight :)
One of her dive buddies ~  Hazel placed 1st in her division :)  Way to Go Girls!!
It was a LONG day for her.  Avrianna got up at 4:30am so we could get her to the car pool that was leaving at 5:15am.  Dan n I left once the nurse came to watch Danny.  Once we got there I realized how LONG it was going to be and that Dan and I were not going to be able to stay for the whole competition, I was bummed!  After we saw her first set of dives we took her out for lunch and then we had to head back.  We are so lucky she has an amazing coach and wonderful dive families that helped us out to coordinate this so she could experience her first dive meet.  Avrianna's last dive was at 7:30pm, WOW!  Needless to say she was EXHAUSTED.  She had already fallen asleep in the car pool on the way home and she didn't remember me picking her up or coming home.
I'm so proud of you "A" !!!!!!!!

Mother's Day

Slacker award on blogging......goes to ...... ME :)  We've been busy little bees around here, so if I'm not out doing something I've been just drained tired.
The weather around here continues to be AWESOME!!  We've got the yard work done around here early and what a great feeling it is to know we just need to maintain it now.  The lawn is looking fabulous and is growing like mad.....you will find me on the John Deer more then not lately.  I actually enjoy mowing it as it's 3 hrs of me, the sun, and my music :)  The pots are planted with flowers and everything is looking great.....yesterday I finally saw my first rose bloom, YAY!



If you can't find anyone.....just look in the back.  You'll find them chillaxing :)
It's a ruff life :)
Love these 2 !!

My Mothers Day was WONDERFUL!  It's started off with me sleeping in.  Boy was that fantastic!  Then I worked at getting ready for my family to come over for a cookout :)  Dan prepared twice baked potatoes, bacon wrapped tenderloin, and corn on the cob..... YUM ~ We were spoiled!!  Not only did we celebrate Mother's Day, but also my nephews Birthday.  Happy 10th Birthday Tyler!!
  I made him a lego cake :)
My sister brought her new puppy that they rescued from a puppy mill while they were in Florida.  She is a DOLL and she has a great disposition.  Danny Loves her ~ look she's a perfect fit for his lap :)
Yesterday I got to extend my Mother's Day celebration and I pampered myself at the spa.  3 relaxing hours!  First I went to get my back n neck adjusted, and then it was a massage, facial, hair cut, n a foot soak.  I feel like a million bucks!!  If you can believe it,  I went even shorter with the hair.  I LOVE IT!!
Danny's been soso ~ He's now off all antibiotics and he's been teetering respiratory wise.  He definitely needs a BREAK!! I hope he can stay off the antibiotics for while.  For the most part he is holding his own and not requiring as much "help", so I do think he's heading the in the right direction, BUT we also realize how fast things can certainly turn with him.  Especially with him not totally recovered yet.....he little system has been through the runner the last month and half which makes him just tired and wiped out.   When he gets tired, just like all of us do, he just doesn't try as hard as he should at times.  I can't wait till he is ALL better so we can stop the pin n needles game.  We're still 3 steps forward 1 step back with him.  

Friday, May 4, 2012

Capital Chaos

This Tuesday I was a chaperone for the 4th grade class to go to the Capital and the zoo.

 The rooms were just stunning.  How would you like to have a meeting in here?  AMAZING
 The decor is so beautiful ... full of granites, and marbles
 WOW!
 Look at these rooms ~
 And another ~
 The weather held out so we were able to go to the zoo in Madison too.  Unfortunately Avrianna started to have a pain in her side while we were in the Capital so we didn't get to see all of the zoo.  I managed to get her to walk through alil of the front and that's all she could handle.  :( Poor bug ~
 After some rest and some Tylenol she was feeling well enough to participate in the American Idol show on the way home.  I was one of the Lucky judges, lol
 My Lil Singer :)
Today I am chillin out on the couch ...... he consumes me already......what's going to happen when he gets bigger.
Danny still requires some vent time (more then normal) and he is needing a pretty strict respiratory therapy regimen.  There is no getting bored around here.  Tuesday we went down to CHOW for trache/vent clinic.  I have to say I was pretty worried going down.  Sunday he started to trend back to yellow secretions, low sats, and high heart rate.  Danny's sats weren't the best heading down there and I wasn't sure what they were going to say. Both the ENT and the Pulm. believes there is something more going on then just Tracheitis.  If the new abx doesn't help us see an improvement we'll be going down to CHOW inpatient for 1-2 days and get him set up on IV meds.  I'm hoping this new abx med kicks the funks butt so we don't have to go.  The Pulm. feels Danny's respiratory issues are 'more' then pulm.  Her theory is due to the severe brain damage and location this just another stage of his brain injury 'progression'.  This was hard to hear to say the least, but he's shown Dr's to be wrong before.   We are waiting to hear back about getting Danny in for Allergy testing and start some allergy shots.  I hope n pray that this will give him some relief and allow him to get better.  Please keep him in your thoughts n prayers that he starts to turn around and get back to the sassy Lil Boy we all know n love.