The Day Our Lives Came Crashing Down

Standing at the scene not knowing what to do I snapped a photo with my phone, this was proof that I was indeed awake. The Helicopter that took my son away.

I'll never forget this day. I stood there a limp noodle waiting for my dad to come and get me, I was in no condition to drive. The oddest things really do go through your mind during terrible situations.. all I could think about was the cost of the helicopter and how adorable the Firemen were! Another terrible thought how much is this going to cost and I forgot to renew Cal-Star!!  Word of advise pay for Cal-Star insurance $45.00 a year for your family is well worth it..the bill for Cal-Star, $37,500. I could have bought a a new car or put a down payment on a condo or something! I just laughed out loud when I got the bill!!

This is my Everett one year ago on his 16th Birthday, this is the image forever imbedded in my head six months later on June 5th when I got to the hospital. I couldn't believe I was standing there in the PICU (pediatric Intensive care unit) at Santa Clara Valley Medical looking down on my son in a coma. There were several IV's going into his body including a breathing tube and a CT collar to keep his neck from moving incase it were broken.
Although Ev was in a coma his body began to move in a stressful violent way, it was as if he were fighting something in a dream. The problem was there was pressure building in his brain and his body was involuntarily moving due to blood and fluid building in his skull and putting pressure on his brain. Ev is big & strong boy standing at the time 5'11 and 225 lbs, the Dr's & nurses were having a difficult time holding him down. It was difficult to watch, I began talking to him to try and calm him down not knowing if he could hear me.

Nothing in the world can ever prepare you for an emergency. On the way to the Hospital I was praying and making peace with God, I knew there would be decisions to make as soon as I got the hospital. I was prepared to let him go if he needed to go home to heaven. I was prepared to stay by his side if he was to live in a difficult life situation.

The prognosis was live, and it was decision time. The first 24 hrs are the most difficult. I was shuffled into the "family room," while my family arrived, and the Dr's and nurses could do what they needed to do. My daughter mother and some friends came. My dad was there to keep me comfort while the rest of  my family and extended family came. I still felt so alone and scarred. I am not the emotional type so falling down and crying was not my thing, my mother was doing enough crying for all of us. My daughter was very emotional she didn't know what to think or what to do. I knew that things were being handled there was a team 10 dr's and nurses I knew he was in good hands.