October 29, 2013
It's funny...ok, not funny...strange how you can remember exactly what you were doing when a call like that comes in! It was about 10:00 pm on this Tuesday and I was putting foil on a chocolate/pecan pie to take to the office the next morning for my bosses birthday. Terry doesn't usually answer my cell phone. He usually brings it to me to answer. On this night, he answered it...and I'm glad he did. It was my ex-inlaws....the only person in Travis's phone with his same last name. They said they had received a call from a police officer who said Travis had been in an accident and have his parents call Travis' cell phone.
Terry called, per my request, and was told Travis was being taken to the ER in Amarillo. What I didn't know, at the time, the officer told Terry to get there quickly...not knowing how long/if Travis would make it.
Shakes! Thoughts! Tears! Gasps! So much unknown! So many questions!
We immediately grabbed a few necessities, threw them in the car, made a couple of phone calls, and just before waking up Kate to get in the car and make the VERY LONG 2 hour drive to Amarillo, my phone rang. It was Travis' friend who was at the hospital with him. Zach told me of the visible/known injuries...messed up knee, broken arm, multiple facial breaks. Because of the facial fractures, the doctors knew Travis would be in better hands at a trauma 1 facility...he would be flown to Lubbock UMC.
I must insert praise number 1 and 2 here!
Praise #1: Travis is alive!
Praise #2: Travis will be brought to us!
Due to weather, he would be transported by plane, not chopper! It's about 10:45 pm and we get updates every hour or so from Zach so we would know when Travis is on his way to the airport for the transport. At about 1:00 am, Zach calls to say they are putting him in an ambulance.
We head to the ER in Lubbock to wait. THAT was one of the longest 3 hours I have experienced! I have plenty of time to pray! ...and plenty of time to think the worst thoughts!
About 4:30, a nurse tells us they are getting him stable and will take us back ASAP. 15 minutes later, we are walking into a "cell". A room that is about 20x25, all white, filled with machines, has one door and no windows and has a raised platform at the back of the room with lots of monitors and such for the "controller/monitor" sitting above the rest.
I am shocked at what I see. It looks like Travis! I knew he had his helmet on but they said multiple facial fractures...I expect him to be unrecognizable! He has a huge purple eye that's the size of a golf ball. He has a badly swollen forearm due the broken radius and ulna. He has a knee that is exposed at the joint. That is what I know at the time.
At 5:30 am, Travis' dad arrives. Travis is moved to SICU, room 18.
Peace sets in! It is God! His hand is on this situation and has been all along...He knew this would happen! He knew that girl would change lanes and Travis would be going too fast to avoid hitting the back end of her car at 9:15 pm on Tuesday night. He knew Travis' body would then fly over 160 feet to where it came to rest on Bell St. He knew he would survive! He knew it all...when I did not! I was so unprepared! But God, once again, held me and showed His mercy and grace loud and clear!
Although a sleepless night had passed, a day of wanting answers and plans had just begun. First action: ortho would do surgery to put the left radius & ulna back together with plates & screws and clean out & stitch up the left knee joint. This took about 5 hours. We were told it would all heal well.
It was on this day we were told he would not need any kind of brain surgery. Although I did not grasp it at the time, Travis had a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. The frontal lobe of his brain had "some bruising."
Day 2 revealed just how well his helmet worked...and IT DID WORK!! Skull was fractured. Chin was fractured. Cheek bone was fractured. Bone around his left eye was fractured in 3 different places. Plates needed to be put in for the chin and cheek and the rest would heal with time.
At this point, Travis is non-responsive to everyone! He is on a vent that is breathing for him.
On day 3, Travis is taken to surgery to put the plates in his face. This procedure is rather non-invasive and is done from the inside of his mouth...amazing...and it only took about 45 minutes! It is later in the day that Travis indicates his awareness by lifting his thumb slightly. All this time, he has been being fed through a tube.
Day 4: Travis starts breathing on his own and later in the day he is taken off the ventilator.
Travis spent a total of 12 days in the hospital!
Over the course of those 12 days, a few things became clear...
~ this would be a long healing process
~ the extent of his brain injury had not been fully revealed yet
~ the level to which his brain would be restored could not be determined
~ the bones would heal
~ age & good health were on Travis' side
~ because of no insurance, Travis would need to live with us until ????
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