Wesley's Accident

At the Rexburg ER

His eye was about twice this size (it looks good here because we kept ice on it for quite a while).

On Wednesday evening April 6^th at around 5 I had just finished nursing the Baby when our neighbor Bryce Dobbins (with whom Wesley had been playing basketball outside) came into our house and said: “Your boy is really hurt, I think he’s paralyzed”.  I laid baby Adelaide on the floor and ran outside to our back patio to see Wesley lying there.  I have never been so afraid as I was at that moment when I first looked at him.  .  He was screaming out, but unable to speak words.  I thought for sure he was a vegetable or had permanent brain damage.  One of his eyes was sealed shut and as large as a golf ball.  The neighbor reported that Wesley had climbed on a step-latter and jumped up to grab the basketball rim but got snagged and fell on his head.  He said that his head made a really loud sound when it hit the cement.   Some amazing neighbors the Hansons came over, took the baby, calmed me down and got a blanket on Wesley.  A few minutes later Derek arrived.  The neighbors offered to stay with the kids while we took Wesley to the emergency room.  I asked  Derek and Lane Hanson to give Wesley a blessing.  Thankfully Wesley had begun to talk and asked over and over where we were going and what had happened.  The ER doctor called for an immediate cat scan and we learned that Wesley had fractures in his skull.  The doctor explained that the fractures were in a most dangerous location near a major artery in the head and that a famous actress had recently suffered a similar injury and had died from it.  Wesley's eye was swollen shut from the impact of the fall and we were also worried that he may lose his sight in that eye.  Our small hospital did not have the expertise needed to deal with this sort of injury and the hospital in Idaho Falls did not feel comfortable admitting such a young patient with a fractured skull.

Getting off the first ambulance onto the life-flight

They put us in an ambulance which took us to Idaho Falls and from there on a life flight to Primary Children’s hospital in Salt Lake City.  The plane ride was particularly terrifying as I sat behind Wesley in a small space unable to see him.  They informed me that they needed him to keep him conscious to ensure that he was ok.  I tried to talk to him but struggled to find words or strength to speak. In our rush to decide who should accompany Wesley we determined that I should go and that Derek would follow us to Utah with all the kids but because of the blizzard I called Derek from the ambulance and told him he should probably not drive in the snow so late at night.  To make matters worse the blizzard outside, coupled with strong Idaho winds hit against the small plane and caused great turbulence (having issues with both claustrophobia and vertigo I tried so hard to hold it together) .   Over and over I prayed for Wesley and that we would not go down in the plane.  While the nurse monitored Wesley the medic (who could tell I was crying) was kind enough to talk to me and help me to calm down.   Although the plane ride was only 50 minutes long it seemed like an eternity.  After arriving at the Salt Lake airport we went from there in another ambulance to Primary Children’s Hospital.  The doctors and nurses there were amazing; so competent and so kind.  He was checked by several ER doctors who determined that he needed to be seen by the brain trauma specialists and the ophthalmologist. While still in the ER at Primary Children's, one of the trauma Doctors forced Wesley's eye open and asked him if he could see her fingers.  I remember the joy that I felt as he said "yes", I was so relieved that he could at least see something with his bad eye.  By this time it was past midnight and I asked for a breast pump as I would normally have been at home nursing Adelaide (still recovering from RSV). 

This sign was posted all over in the Neuro-trauma unit.

 We were admitted into the Nuero-Trama Unit.  That night I could hardly sleep.  I kept wondering what I could have done differently that day to have avoided the accident.  In my mind I saw Wesley lying there and couldn’t get the image of his face out of my mind. I also thought of the irony that I was with Wesley and Derek was at home with the other 4 kids unable to nurse Adelaide.  Still I couldn't stop thanking Heavenly Father that Wesley was not worse (still alive, not paralyzed and that he hadn't lost sight in his eye).

The next morning the ophthalmologist dilated and numbed Wesley's eyes so that he could perform vision tests.  He said that Wesley had popped a blood vessel behind his eye, and there were 3 fractures in the bones surrounding his eye.  After performing the tests he determined that below the bruising and despite the fractures and the punctured blood vessel, he had perfect vision in the bad eye!  The major artery that was such a danger did not bleed and there was no permanent brain damage, no other broken bones or even scratches on his body-miraculous!  We stayed 2 nights in the hospital until the nurses felt like he was strong enough to leave.  Being without a car, Grandpa Jack was kind enough to take us back to Idaho.  At home, Derek had held up beautifully, Adelaide still remembered how to nurse and looked great-double miraculous!

We know there are serious risks that Wesley faces.  He can't play sports, run, climb, jump, or even blow his nose for several weeks to avoid further bleeding to his eye (which could result in blindness) or a fall (which could cause permanent brain damage on a recovering brain injury. This is torture for Wesley as he is almost never seen without a ball in his hand and was planning to pitch for his little league team this season.  But for Mom and Dad we feel it a very small price to pay for all the blessings that have been showered on us. We are so thankful for all the faith and prayers of family and friends and the continued support we feel as Wesley goes through this healing process.

At Easter time I can't help but recognize the scope of the atonement; how it heals both our spiritual and our  physical imperfections.  Every year on April 6th, we will have a day of remembering, thankfulness, and celebration.