Hyrum continues to amaze us with his recovery. We were given some restrictions when we left the hospital. Mostly things to help prevent him from hitting/injuring his head. Things like no bike or scooter riding, no jumping, running, or climbing, basically don't be a 7 year old boy. :-) We were also told to just watch him and see how his does overall. He may be a little more emotional; we may find that he has a few things that he's slower on; he may get really tired easily. Besides being a little more clingy, he has had no symptoms/signs/issues.
On Monday he went back to school for the first time. Again, I was prepared to watch for signs of tiredness, not being fully up to speed with the other kids, etc. And again, no problems. I went to school halfway through the day to check on him and when he saw me in the hallway he smiled then kept walking toward the cafeteria for lunch. I had to holler at him to come back. He was back at school, feeling good, and going full speed. He teacher said he was acting just like the old Hyrum.
The one area at the hospital that they felt he struggled on his cognitive test was when she asked him to name as many animals as he could in a minute. He was pretty slow about it. So we were told to put a restriction on timed tests and let him build his way back into them slowly. Yesterday in class they did 50 in a minute. (This is a math worksheet with 50 problems and the kids are supposed to answer as many as they can in a minute) This is optional for Hyrum to do, but his teacher told me he insisted he wanted to do it. He only missed 4 problems! When I heard this I again felt a wave of gratitude for the mercy we were given in having Hyrum taken care of so well. He comes home from school happy and excited, which is typical for the Hyrum we know and love so much.
We also continue to hear stories of events that unfolded surrounding Hyrum's accident that we didn't know about. People that were touched by our story or were involved in ways that we were unaware. We continue to feel so blessed by the love of our friends, neighbors, and even strangers. We have no related family in the area, but we definitely feel the love of family. We have been so uplifted by all the love and support. Thank you so much!
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Hyrum's Miracle
Here's a highly condensed version of our story. My "journal" entry is 12 word document pages long. :-)
For those who don't know Wayne is working on his MBA through BYU. This requires him to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah (a drive of just under 3 hours) every other weekend. On the weekend of March 11-12 he had some things going on that I was invited to attend with him--a dinner Friday night, a class of presentations Saturday, followed by a luncheon. I was excited for the chance to have a weekend away and spend some time with Wayne at school.
After striking out on all our "regular" babysitters I had the thought to ask some friends in another ward. I had never had their daughter babysit for us before, but I knew they were a good family and I felt comfortable that she would do a great job. We met and talked through the details and she felt confident she could do it. With the boys taken care of, Wayne and I left Friday morning for Utah.
We had a great weekend and were headed home Saturday afternoon feeling refreshed and uplifted. About halfway home I received a text from my good friend and neighbor. She said she saw an ambulance at my house and wondered if everything was ok. I laughed thinking that was absurd and she must be mistaken. I responded, I hope not, I'm not there! About 2 minutes after I sent that text my phone rang showing Parker's number. Oh no, I thought. I answered and it was a paramedic. He said he was at my house with my son Hyrum who was apparently playing and had somehow gotten the rope swing around his neck. He told me he would be taking Hyrum and all my kids to the hospital. I quickly said I had a friend I could call. I called my friend back and she said she and her husband were already on their way.
I then called Parker's phone back. This time it was Parker who answered. I asked him what happened. He said Hyrum was outside alone and somehow got the rope swing around his neck. The babysitter had seen him and yelled for Parker. She called 911 as Parker ran out to Hyrum. He said he was all blue and was drooling from his mouth. Parker was miraculously able to lift Hyrum with one arm and untied the rope with the other hand. He then laid him down on the ground to check for breathing. Hyrum soon began to gurgle so Parker turned him to his side to help him be able to breath. Hyrum coughed and began to cry, but didn't regain consciousness. Parker was crying as he relayed the story to me and I could hear the babysitter upset in the background. I assured him that he had done a good job as well as the babysitter. He said my friend had gotten there and I asked if the paramedics needed anything more from me. Then we hung up.
Wayne sped toward home, but we were still a good hour plus away. We wanted Hyrum to get a priesthood blessing as soon as possible, so I called my friend back and asked her to have her husband give Hyrum a blessing. She said he and the dad of our babysitter were on their way to the hospital, but the paramedics were not allowing them any access to Hyrum. They wouldn't let them see him or give him a blessing because they were not family. Her husband is a doctor and was taking his badge hoping to be able to get back there, but they weren't sure.
Wayne and I were worried, of course, but I could feel that we were being cared for. At this point we weren't sure the severity of the accident. But we recognized the blessing of my friend noticing and being there to help so quickly. I felt a measure of peace as we sped toward home.
After another 20 minutes a call came through Wayne's phone from our friend who was an ER doctor. Wayne answered and immediately asked, "are you working today?" He said "Yes, I have Hyrum." Although we had felt the hand of the Lord thus far this was too miraculous to be a coincidence. I felt a burst of emotion at this miracle. He explained what he knew of what happened and told us that Hyrum had been intubated as a precaution in case his neck/airway swelled. Because of the intubation he would have to be life-flighted to either Boise or Primary Children's in Salt Lake because our hospital didn't have a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). We requested Primary Children's and told him we were about 35 minutes away and he said they would wait for us. We then said that there were men out in the waiting room that could give Hyrum a blessing and to please let them back. He said he would.
I felt calm, though worried, as we drove the last few miles to the hospital. When we got to the hospital we quickly went to Hyrum's room. He was out getting a CT scan, but was soon brought in. It was hard to see him. His eyelids were purple and the rest of his face was splotchy from all the broken blood vessels. He had a tube in his mouth, hooked to a ventilator so he could breath. There was an IV in each arm. They told us they were keeping him sedated so he wouldn't try to pull the tube or IVs out. But it was a light sedation so when they would move him too much he would start to wake up. This happened while we were there and he began to gag and fight the breathing tube. He had tears in his eyes and it was hard to see him confused and struggling.
We were told that the helicopter would not be able to transport him to Children's hospital so they were flying a plane in from Boise. This, I believe, was another blessing as well because it made it so I would definitely be able to fly with him. Paramedics came to transport us to the airport.
As they prepped Hyrum for transport Wayne and I were given an idea of what to expect moving forward. The breathing tube would likely be in for a couple days, then he might be monitored a couple days after that. He may have brain swelling that could cause him to lose some of his functions and motor skills. He may have to relearn some basic things like eating and walking, or he may have speech or learning impediments. We were encouraged to be patient and take everything one step at a time.
The plane ride seemed long with a lot of time to think through everything. My thoughts mostly lingered on the boys and babysitter at home and I hoped that they were handling things well. My heart ached to be in two places at once; still with Hyrum, but also home to hold and reassure them.
When we got to the hospital there was a huge team ready to evaluate and take over the care of Hyrum. He woke up a couple times and had what they called "purposeful movements" which was a great sign that his brain knew where the pain was and was purposefully trying to stop it. After only about 20 minutes in the emergency department we were moved up to the PICU.
When things came to a lull I took time to call Wayne. He and the stake president had been to the house and had talked with all the boys and heard their side of what had happened. The babysitter had made the reaction to call 911 immediately, Parker had truly saved his life by getting him down and breathing, Aiden had dropped to his knees and prayed when he saw Hyrum, and Brenner had flagged down the ambulance, then held the rope swing out of the way as the paramedics worked. They had all acted beyond their years and had been instruments in the Lord's hands to preserve Hyrum's life. Wayne had taken the time to give each boy a Priesthood blessing and the babysitter received one from her dad. Then Wayne was given a blessing by the stake president. They said there was a great spirit of peace in our home. Our home was also filled with wonderful ward family members who were anxious to help us in any way. Wayne didn't worry about the boys being taken care of as he gathered his things to leave. We love our friends and are so grateful for their love and support of us!
The bishop and first counselor were driving Wayne to the hospital. We all were feeling peace and knew the Lord was with us.
The rest of the story goes pretty quickly with miracle after miracle. Within just a couple hours of being in the PICU Hyrum woke up and was able to respond to small commands, so they felt safe to extubate. He then slept for a few hours until morning when the neuro trauma team could check his neck. They found no injuries and removed the neck collar. We no longer needed to be in the PICU so we were moved to the neuro trauma unit. Hyrum was awake and able to answer our questions. He couldn't remember anything that happened (still can't) and he was confused on what day it was--he basically lost his whole Saturday--but he knew who we were, who his family was, and he basically understood that he was in the hospital because he had gotten hurt. Sunday passed with a lot of movie watching and Xbox playing and filled with wonderful messages from family and friends, and video messages from Primary.
On Monday morning rehab therapists and physical therapists looked him over and determined he was a healthy 7 year old. We were even told we might have to slow him down he was moving so fast after a major accident. His throat--swallowing and breathing correctly--were the last obstacle standing between us and freedom. At 11:00 he passed his swallowing test and began eating food. Then at 3:00 he passed his cognitive test and we were cleared for home!
Our pediatrician is a family friend and he said he felt good hearing that Hyrum's blood PH was normal from the beginning, but even with that Hyrum surprised him with how fast he recovered.
For our part, we don't doubt that we were given a miracle. The reaction of the kids, the placement of people at the right moment, the absence of any side effects--so far as we can tell--is truly miraculous. Even as we were leaving the hospital Monday evening the nurse wheeling us away said, "Wow, he has been incredible. He really had angels with him." then later, "You know this is why I do my job, is for moments like this".
I'm so grateful to everyone who reached out in love and support for us. We felt the strength of your prayers; we felt your love for us. I'm grateful for the scouting program that taught Parker the skills necessary for a situation like this. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing us with direct and immediate answers to our prayers. We know that our Savior suffered not only for our sins, but also for our pains and it is because of Him that we can find peace. It is through the priesthood, which is the power of God on the earth, that we can receive miracles. My testimony is forever strengthened. Thank you to everyone who prayed, reached out, served, and thought of our family. We love you all!
For those who don't know Wayne is working on his MBA through BYU. This requires him to travel to Salt Lake City, Utah (a drive of just under 3 hours) every other weekend. On the weekend of March 11-12 he had some things going on that I was invited to attend with him--a dinner Friday night, a class of presentations Saturday, followed by a luncheon. I was excited for the chance to have a weekend away and spend some time with Wayne at school.
After striking out on all our "regular" babysitters I had the thought to ask some friends in another ward. I had never had their daughter babysit for us before, but I knew they were a good family and I felt comfortable that she would do a great job. We met and talked through the details and she felt confident she could do it. With the boys taken care of, Wayne and I left Friday morning for Utah.
We had a great weekend and were headed home Saturday afternoon feeling refreshed and uplifted. About halfway home I received a text from my good friend and neighbor. She said she saw an ambulance at my house and wondered if everything was ok. I laughed thinking that was absurd and she must be mistaken. I responded, I hope not, I'm not there! About 2 minutes after I sent that text my phone rang showing Parker's number. Oh no, I thought. I answered and it was a paramedic. He said he was at my house with my son Hyrum who was apparently playing and had somehow gotten the rope swing around his neck. He told me he would be taking Hyrum and all my kids to the hospital. I quickly said I had a friend I could call. I called my friend back and she said she and her husband were already on their way.
I then called Parker's phone back. This time it was Parker who answered. I asked him what happened. He said Hyrum was outside alone and somehow got the rope swing around his neck. The babysitter had seen him and yelled for Parker. She called 911 as Parker ran out to Hyrum. He said he was all blue and was drooling from his mouth. Parker was miraculously able to lift Hyrum with one arm and untied the rope with the other hand. He then laid him down on the ground to check for breathing. Hyrum soon began to gurgle so Parker turned him to his side to help him be able to breath. Hyrum coughed and began to cry, but didn't regain consciousness. Parker was crying as he relayed the story to me and I could hear the babysitter upset in the background. I assured him that he had done a good job as well as the babysitter. He said my friend had gotten there and I asked if the paramedics needed anything more from me. Then we hung up.
Wayne sped toward home, but we were still a good hour plus away. We wanted Hyrum to get a priesthood blessing as soon as possible, so I called my friend back and asked her to have her husband give Hyrum a blessing. She said he and the dad of our babysitter were on their way to the hospital, but the paramedics were not allowing them any access to Hyrum. They wouldn't let them see him or give him a blessing because they were not family. Her husband is a doctor and was taking his badge hoping to be able to get back there, but they weren't sure.
Wayne and I were worried, of course, but I could feel that we were being cared for. At this point we weren't sure the severity of the accident. But we recognized the blessing of my friend noticing and being there to help so quickly. I felt a measure of peace as we sped toward home.
After another 20 minutes a call came through Wayne's phone from our friend who was an ER doctor. Wayne answered and immediately asked, "are you working today?" He said "Yes, I have Hyrum." Although we had felt the hand of the Lord thus far this was too miraculous to be a coincidence. I felt a burst of emotion at this miracle. He explained what he knew of what happened and told us that Hyrum had been intubated as a precaution in case his neck/airway swelled. Because of the intubation he would have to be life-flighted to either Boise or Primary Children's in Salt Lake because our hospital didn't have a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). We requested Primary Children's and told him we were about 35 minutes away and he said they would wait for us. We then said that there were men out in the waiting room that could give Hyrum a blessing and to please let them back. He said he would.
I felt calm, though worried, as we drove the last few miles to the hospital. When we got to the hospital we quickly went to Hyrum's room. He was out getting a CT scan, but was soon brought in. It was hard to see him. His eyelids were purple and the rest of his face was splotchy from all the broken blood vessels. He had a tube in his mouth, hooked to a ventilator so he could breath. There was an IV in each arm. They told us they were keeping him sedated so he wouldn't try to pull the tube or IVs out. But it was a light sedation so when they would move him too much he would start to wake up. This happened while we were there and he began to gag and fight the breathing tube. He had tears in his eyes and it was hard to see him confused and struggling.
We were told that the helicopter would not be able to transport him to Children's hospital so they were flying a plane in from Boise. This, I believe, was another blessing as well because it made it so I would definitely be able to fly with him. Paramedics came to transport us to the airport.
As they prepped Hyrum for transport Wayne and I were given an idea of what to expect moving forward. The breathing tube would likely be in for a couple days, then he might be monitored a couple days after that. He may have brain swelling that could cause him to lose some of his functions and motor skills. He may have to relearn some basic things like eating and walking, or he may have speech or learning impediments. We were encouraged to be patient and take everything one step at a time.
The plane ride seemed long with a lot of time to think through everything. My thoughts mostly lingered on the boys and babysitter at home and I hoped that they were handling things well. My heart ached to be in two places at once; still with Hyrum, but also home to hold and reassure them.
When we got to the hospital there was a huge team ready to evaluate and take over the care of Hyrum. He woke up a couple times and had what they called "purposeful movements" which was a great sign that his brain knew where the pain was and was purposefully trying to stop it. After only about 20 minutes in the emergency department we were moved up to the PICU.
When things came to a lull I took time to call Wayne. He and the stake president had been to the house and had talked with all the boys and heard their side of what had happened. The babysitter had made the reaction to call 911 immediately, Parker had truly saved his life by getting him down and breathing, Aiden had dropped to his knees and prayed when he saw Hyrum, and Brenner had flagged down the ambulance, then held the rope swing out of the way as the paramedics worked. They had all acted beyond their years and had been instruments in the Lord's hands to preserve Hyrum's life. Wayne had taken the time to give each boy a Priesthood blessing and the babysitter received one from her dad. Then Wayne was given a blessing by the stake president. They said there was a great spirit of peace in our home. Our home was also filled with wonderful ward family members who were anxious to help us in any way. Wayne didn't worry about the boys being taken care of as he gathered his things to leave. We love our friends and are so grateful for their love and support of us!
The bishop and first counselor were driving Wayne to the hospital. We all were feeling peace and knew the Lord was with us.
The rest of the story goes pretty quickly with miracle after miracle. Within just a couple hours of being in the PICU Hyrum woke up and was able to respond to small commands, so they felt safe to extubate. He then slept for a few hours until morning when the neuro trauma team could check his neck. They found no injuries and removed the neck collar. We no longer needed to be in the PICU so we were moved to the neuro trauma unit. Hyrum was awake and able to answer our questions. He couldn't remember anything that happened (still can't) and he was confused on what day it was--he basically lost his whole Saturday--but he knew who we were, who his family was, and he basically understood that he was in the hospital because he had gotten hurt. Sunday passed with a lot of movie watching and Xbox playing and filled with wonderful messages from family and friends, and video messages from Primary.
On Monday morning rehab therapists and physical therapists looked him over and determined he was a healthy 7 year old. We were even told we might have to slow him down he was moving so fast after a major accident. His throat--swallowing and breathing correctly--were the last obstacle standing between us and freedom. At 11:00 he passed his swallowing test and began eating food. Then at 3:00 he passed his cognitive test and we were cleared for home!
Our pediatrician is a family friend and he said he felt good hearing that Hyrum's blood PH was normal from the beginning, but even with that Hyrum surprised him with how fast he recovered.
For our part, we don't doubt that we were given a miracle. The reaction of the kids, the placement of people at the right moment, the absence of any side effects--so far as we can tell--is truly miraculous. Even as we were leaving the hospital Monday evening the nurse wheeling us away said, "Wow, he has been incredible. He really had angels with him." then later, "You know this is why I do my job, is for moments like this".
I'm so grateful to everyone who reached out in love and support for us. We felt the strength of your prayers; we felt your love for us. I'm grateful for the scouting program that taught Parker the skills necessary for a situation like this. I'm grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing us with direct and immediate answers to our prayers. We know that our Savior suffered not only for our sins, but also for our pains and it is because of Him that we can find peace. It is through the priesthood, which is the power of God on the earth, that we can receive miracles. My testimony is forever strengthened. Thank you to everyone who prayed, reached out, served, and thought of our family. We love you all!
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