The Day I will Never Forget

It was May 22 1999. The first Saturday after school got out. I was giving a home interior party for my best friend. She lived about 2 miles away from us. So my husband decided to go with me and help me unload the pictures and stuff. So after we got done I asked him to go to our house and get a punch bowl because my friend had forgotten to pick one up. He was watching my 3 year old son Austin that day for me but he wanted to leave him there with me while he ran home but I asked him if he could take him with him while we got everything ready. So he said he would but he would take my car since it had the car seat in it. I said that was fine. So I got busy trying to get everything set up before all the guest arrived. Well they started arriving but he still hadnt returned so I tryed calling home no answer. So I thought well he must had forgot I know he had some things he was going to do that day. I looked at the window and noticed he hadnt taken my car he took his truck my car had been blocked in so I guess he just decided to take his truck since he was just going 2 miles down the road. Well the party had just gotten started when my parents pulled up I remeber thinking what are they doing here it had never dawned on me there had been an accident. They said Gail you need to come with us there has been an accident and they lifelighted Austin to the hospital. All I can remeber was my screams like it wasnt coming from me but someone else and I rember those screams everyday I cant seem to get them out of my head. Its like an old record over and over again. "NOt my baby God please not my baby". On the way to the hospital I prayed so hard just let him be alive. I asked my father about my husband he said he seemed fine but he couldnt moive his legs his been was sticking out of his leg but he thought he would be fine. He said he just tried to hurry and find me. We finally made it to the hospital and they said he was alive but in very critical condition that I could go see him after a few questions were answered. They said they had heard there was a fatality and I said where is my husband they dint know. I thought he was dead but they were wrong there was no fatality there was suppose to have been flown to but they decided to take him to the nearest hospital. When I finally got to see my son they had tried to prepare me for what I would see but nothing can prepare you for that. He had tubes running everywhere even in his mouth was a ventilater. His head was almost as big as a basketball and he was lifeless. Which I had never seen he was always full of energy. They told me the next 48 hours would be critical we had to just wait and see. They had him in a self induced coma because of the pain. Any bit of pain would make his brain swell worse. They had needles in his head monitoring his brain pressure in case they had to drill to relieve it. His eye socket was crushed but they had to wait and do surgery when he was not so critical. He was on life support for 9 days. When he finally did come to I was still not prepared for it he was still lifeless and we didnt know if he could see or hear. He had a feeding tube in his nose. It was worse than a new born because he never made a sound or a movement. After 11 days in the hospital they said they were transfering him to a rehab hospital across the street. My husband was also released on the same day. He had to have hip surgery and knee surgery. I felt so bad because he had to go home by himself with only my 7 year old son taking care of him. He was not able to walk. THe people in the rehab hospital were very nice and much more encouraging then the hospital. All the drs. kept saying was be thankful for what you have. I prayed for Gods will and that as long as he was alive that was all that mattered. One day my husband came to visit and was making funny faces at Austin and he laughed I was so relieved because I knew he could see. I knew from that moment on no matter what we faces we would pull throught it. We stayed in the rehab hospital for 2 months. We finally got to go home with in home therapy. I taught him how to walk again. I will never forget those first steps and how proud I was. I was so thankful because not many people get to see there children take their first steps twice in one lifetime. He slowly started talking again. He is now 5 years old. He is a very happy child and very outgoing. He is my ray of sunshine. He can make a room bright up with just his presence. He is about 2 years behind his age but thats ok we will survive. He has right side neglect and only uses his right arm for assistance. He walks with a slight limp and wears an afo on his ankle to help keep it straight. He wasnt able to start kindergarten this year but goes half a day preschool and half a day kindergarten. I know that God has special plans for him and I am encouraged by that. All I want for him is to have as close to a normal life as possible. The only thing that scares me is him being accepted by his peers as he gets older.

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