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."