In July of 2004 my husband wanted a motorcycle. I have always been around them and even though it scared me to ride them (I don't think I could control one on my own) I thought it might be fun, and besides, he never asked for anything extravagant before. We went shopping on Saturday and came home that evening with a brand new Black Victory Vegas, similar to the one in the link. Over the next few weeks he fixed it up and put a few thousand more dollars into it. It was really nice (nice and loud). Every afternoon he would come home and go ride for an hour or so. It was a way for him to escape and gain his thoughts after a long night at work. I could tell it made him a happier man. All in all, the bike was a good investment and we were enjoying it.
A couple of months passed and before we knew it the whether was cooling off and the bike rides were getting brisk. I was working full time but with my daughter's daycare schedule I had to work on Saturdays to make up hours I missed during the week. Brad and I had made arrangements to go out on a date one of those Saturday's after I finished working. We spoke on the phone and I casually mentioned that maybe he should bring his bike. It was a nice day and I rarely rode with him, so I figured it would make him happy and it did. BIG MISTAKE. I wish like everything I had kept my mouth shut and let him pick me up in his truck that day.
After a wonderful evening of riding around, going to the movies, getting ice cream, eating dinner and just acting like love-struck teenagers again Brad dropped me off at my car and we headed out to go pick up the baby from his Mom's house. Brad was in front and I was following along behind. Traffic was thick...normal for a Saturday night. He was a little ahead of me and I lost sight of him after we got onto the Highway.
There is a dip in the road where two traffic lights are positioned with a gas station in between them. As I got to the first light, traffic was stopped. I was wondering how in the world I was going to get around this. After all, Brad had my cell phone in his pocket and I wouldn't want him to worry if it took me a while to get to his Mom's. I contemplated turning around and finding another route when suddenly it hit me. Maybe, just maybe I should make sure it's not him that had the accident.
I was able to get across the lanes and I parked at the gas station. I got out of my car and as I was walking up the hill I passed a lady coming down. I looked at her and knowing that everything was fine said "This accident doesn't involve a motorcycle. Does it?" She just stared at me. Then I asked her "Is it a black one?" and she just said "Come with me."
Just a few feet away I saw my beautiful husband lying in the road in a pool of blood. I didn't know what had happened, all I knew was that he was hurt really bad. He still had his helmet on and I didn't go to him because they were putting him on the stretcher to load him into the ambulance and I was scared to get in the way. Someone handed me his shoe and his wallet and helped me into the ambulance.
I was scared.
Never before had I ever felt so helpless. I felt like I was in a movie. I could hear chaos coming from the back and the driver kept "kindly" pressuring me to call someone. It also felt like we were driving in slow motion. I wanted to step on the gas for him. After we reached the hospital Brad was rushed in and I "keeping it together" sat down in the emergency waiting room and waited...Waited.... WAITED...
I am sure I was only there a few minutes when I began to look around at all the people that were there and were having friendly conversations amongst one another. And then when the reality of loneliness set in ~ I fell apart and began to cry uncontrollably. The guard at the door came and got me and took me back to a more private room. There were a few people in the room already and a nurse asked them to leave. Soon a doctor came in and gave me the news.
He said, "Your husband is a very sick man. Sometimes the body begins to shut down and it is a process that after going so far we cannot turn it back. Do you have someone coming to be with you?"
February 14, 2008
Life In the Balance ~ Part 1
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7 comments:
Thats horrible!! I never knew what happened.....to scared to ask I guess.
Wow. You are gonna make me cry all over again. I remember Teale and I had gone to an Alabama game that day and were eating at O'Charley's and when we got back out to the car, we had a missed call from my mom. She had just called like 2 minutes before, so I called her back and she said Brad had been in an accident and was at the hospital. So off Teale and I go down the interstate flying with hazards on and running red lights downtown to get there. Teale and I were the first to get there and you were holding up remarkably well, but I wasn't prepared for how serious you were going to tell us it was. Wow what a rush of emotions and memories.
there were so many prayers that went up that night and the many to follow. i am so thankful that he is still here today. we love you guys.
Funny how things like this you don't really want to remember, but when you think of them they come back like it was yesterday... I am so glad Brad is still with us and can be counted as one of the "lucky" ones. I remember sitting up in that waiting room at UAB and answering the phone there while you were up visiting with Brad. People were calling who had witnessed the accident to check on him, breaking down and absolutely not believing me at all when I told them he was still alive... I remember walking up and down, and up and down, the halls with Hailey, feeding her gummy lifesavers, and her pointing to the plaques with pics of hospital dignitaries and asking 'who dat?', to which I would read their name "oh that's Clara" and she'd say 'hi clara!'... I'm so thankful she still has her daddy now and all turned out ok!
Oh my goodness. I can't hardly stand to read that. I remember you talking to me that night and all you said was don't tell your mom about his leg, she will freak out. I love you so much and I love him so much. I am so proud of how strong you have been. You are very dear to me and I couldn't imagine life without either of you!
Ok, so I think I know how this story ends, but it's like I'm getting the black screen saying "TO BE CONTINUED" and I have to wait until next week to see the ending. I love you! I agree with LB, you are totally the one of the strongest women I have ever known. I mean, you were a powerhouse BEFORE the accident, but now....whoa. Don't mess with that mama!
(((Kim)))
I am so sorry you had to go through all that. So glad you have a happy ending though.
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