Saturday, February 12, 2011

One Day at a Time, Sweet Jesus

For two and a half weeks we were in
and out of this hospital...
the absolute longest, most grueling
days my family has ever seen.
Thank God for the amazing trauma
center at our new hospital.
The doctors and staff were incredible.
Those days were very tough for the obvious
reasons why, but for me, it was also difficult
balancing my three babies' lives while I felt like
mine had completely shattered.
While my kids love Travis so very much,
they were still only 7 and 4 (and 6 months old).
I don't see how they could have even begun
to comprehend the gravity of the situation...
but yet, I feel like they kind of did.
They handled everything beautifully!!!
T-dawg was my ROCK...my ever faithful
and strong rock!!! My sister's, too!
We pretty much moved into the waiting rooms
and Trav's shrine just grew and grew and grew!
For as long as I live, I don't think I'll
ever forget these doors and that hallway
down to the room where Travis was.
There was NEVER a
shortage of cuzin' luvin'!Meet Garrett. He's a miracle.
Garrett is a young man whom I knew
growing up through a friend and then through
teaching at Midway High School.
Garrett was in a horrible car accident that
left him with a Tramatic Brain Injury
six years ago. He was in a coma for 21 days
and had very serious injuries.
His parents were told many
of the horrific things that we were told.
I remember, as a teacher, going up to the
waiting room of our former hospital
to check on Garrett. Crazy, uh?
By another crazy act of God,
a friend of Lynna's let Garrett's mom
know about Travis. That very day they
came directly to the hospital.
Garrett and his parents have since
been with us EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
Garrett is like a member of our family now.
He is such an inspiration to so many,
the best ray of hope we've had along the way,
and a true man of God.
God knew my family and I needed Garrett.

Our favorite trauma doctor (he was cute;)!)......and really an awesome doctor. He was one of the few that sometimes gave us tiny, itty bitty glimmers of hope. We became friends with all of the awesome nurses. Some of them, including Dr. Owen above, wore superman shirts we brought for them! Hadlee began her reign as UNO Queen at Hillcrest Hospital!
There was always family, friends and food! ;0On the day the boys had to register
for tenth grade, we went out to eat.
It was one of the first times
we were kinda back 'out' in the real world.
It kills you when you go through a tragedy
because time doesn't stop for the rest of the world.
On a very side note, we always laugh how
you never, ever know what my kids are going
to do in pictures. We laughed and laughed over
one certain group picture we took at the hospital...
Walker and Hadlee looked hilarious.
Macy spotted Hudson in this one...ha ha! :(
While it was very difficult balancing these
precious little lives with what all was going
on, I was also SO incredibly LUCKY
because I had them to make SURE that I
did keep going! They are my sweetest blessings...
One day when Lynna just didn't know how much
more she could take, she came out of
Travis' room to find this note from Garrett.
We have drawn such strength from his words ~
"don't rush God's timing......
in His perfect timing"!
My sisters and I ... closer and stronger than ever before.And loving our bling bling superman
shirts from Kelli G!!!
For our boy! One of his signature poses!
I'm the only one making a true Trav face though!
AWESOME shirt for Lynna from Robin! :)
After seventeen long days, it was time for
Travis to leave Hillcrest ICU.
He actually stayed longer there then
most TBI patients do since he
was not waking up, BUT it was time
according to the hospital and insurance
for him to move somewhere where he
would receive therapy. The entire
hospital was so wonderful to us.

I stood outside the door of Trav's room
as they prepared to move him.
It was surreal watching the TEAM of
people it took to move my handsome,
sweet nephew who was once so full
of life and now was fighting for his life.
The tears couldn't stop rolling down my
face. At one point, they told Lynna
and Hunter to head down to
where the ambulance would be.
I told Lynna I would stay with Travis
for as long as they would let me.
I was so devastated that he was leaving.
As the team began to roll his bed out
of his room, they told me I needed
to say good-bye. It was AWFUL!
But as they moved him out of his room,
the head nurse looked back at me
and said, "Do you want to come with us?"
Well, of course!!! They let me go with
them through the back elevators and hallways
of the hospital. Travis was never without
one of us. It was unbelievable to watch
a doctor hold a bag above Travis
and literally be breathing for him
as they moved him. It was all such a
dream...a bad, bad dream.

Dr. Cesar (the incredible neurosurgeon
from Brazil) giving "little mama" as
he called her one last hug...
We love this doctor. He was so incredible...
he was always very honest about how
terrible Trav's injuries were and that
there just wasn't much hope for him medically
speaking. YET, he would always say
"ONLY GOD KNOWS. ONLY GOD KNOWS."
With Lori...head trauma nurse. She was such
an incredible and amazing support to us. After a thirty minute trip down I-35,
Travis reached Scott & White LTAC
(Long Term Acute Care) Hospital.........
Travis ended up only staying here for about
a week. We were NOT happy with the situation
there...it was more like a nursing home
for people who are about to die.
LTAC did serve one purpose and that was
getting Travis off of the ventilator.
We were initially told that Travis would
NEVER breathe on his own.
God had other plans!!!
Upon our first visit, the lady at the front desk
told us that we could go in the chapel where
we would have more room and wouldn't have
to be as quiet. We still didn't let the kids
see Travis so we had to do a lot of
"occupying"!!! Hunter & Logan are good at that! ;)
One afternoon a person came into the chapel
and told us we were being way too noise and
that there were patients on the other side of the chapel.
When she left, I just happened to look out the
window...there were no patients...it was
a blank field! ha ha! We did get quiet, though!Except when Walker had to act like
Superman!!!Unfortunately Travis had MRSA (staff infection)
again while in Temple.
We had to wear gowns, gloves and masks. We still laugh over this one...
Troy put his gown on as if it were an apron!
Like he was about to throw something on the grill! :)Garrett came many, many times and ALWAYS
had the most AMAZING prayer to say
over Travis. Playing quietly in the chapel..... ;)))Travis never woke up from the coma during his
days at Hillcrest or LTAC. My family
quickly learned how to be thankful for
little things...like the little bitty steps that
Travis had to take during those first
few weeks. On August 7th,
Travis opened one of his eyes during
the night. Of course when we heard that
we thought he would wake up and
start talking at any moment.
We had no clue. NO clue.
As his eyes began to open here and there,
we learned that was just his eye lids working.
We also began to see some movement ~
probably just reflexes we were told.
Being in a coma is NOT how they portray
it in the movies. I wish it were.
We begged, pleaded and asked God
to allow Travis to be okay.
We had to cling to Jesus to get us
through these days. God revealed
Himself in so many ways...
especially through the absolute
goodness of others. It brings us
to our knees to think how amazing our
friends, family and strangers have been to us.


"One day at a time, Sweet Jesus.
That's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone Sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord, help me today, show me the way
One day at at time."

3 comments:

Mrs. Davison said...

You all have been through so much and come so far!

Beth E. said...

While I'm sure it's difficult to relive those early days after Travis' accident, it's also such an encouragement to see how far he's come since then! What a merciful God!

Love you lots...praying always!

Kimberly said...

I am so glad those first few horrible weeks are long over. I know the road is long but WOW how far has Travis come! Can't wait to see him again next time!
xoxo