Tebow

I watched a special on E! recently about Tebow's "rise to fame". In the show one of the commentators stated that everyone is waiting for Tebow to slip up. Basically insinuated waited for him to be caught drinking or getting a girl pregnant.But here is the thing. That won't hat happen. He was raised Southern Baptist. They don't fall of the tracks. They follow what they see ass the word of God and do not stray. They see the things but in front of them , setting them up to fail as the devil trying to get them. They see it as a challenge from the Lord. They do no see it as everyday life as things people that are not from the south or the church do , see as normal everyday life. I think Tebow has shown over and over again the strength of his character, of his life choices, of who he is. He won't falter. He will always be the kind, giving , strong young man he is. Get off his back, he will not change. You know what? Don't get off his back , he will drag you and everyone else on his back to Calvary.

        He sees life in a much bigger picture than most. Every action you do or do not so is watched by the Lord. He knows that for every autograph he doesn't sign that breaks a child's heart the Lord is watching him. He knows that when he gets angry that he choses the right way to express himself not using ugly nasty words that hurt Gods heart but words that help to change what is going on. I love him not only because he is a Gator down to his core but because he loves God and will never turn from Him and never be afraid to show anyone and everyone what the true path is.

Accident Pictures

Day 1 ~ Children's PICU

Day 2 ~ Children's PICU

Day 3

Day 5 ~ all smiles

Day 4

Day 6 home and out to eat!

Night Before suregery ` Day 9

Day 20 ~ No more tubes

Day 10 ~ Right after suregery

Say 28 ~ Stiches are gone too

Day 30 ~ God is so good!




 Now some more random pics frrom this time~

Brayden's Accident Part 4 , Surgery

               On Monday afternoon we got a phone call that they had changed his surgery to first case which meant we had to be at the Hospital at 5:45.  We decided to drive down and get a room. There was no way we would get there in time other wise. We checked out of our room and got to the hospital about 5:30. We checked in and filled out all the paper work. We had been sent to same day surgery and had been told it would be out patient well that was wrong. They told us he would be admitted and I am so , so glad he was.
               About 6:15 they took us back to the room to prep him. We had doctors come in and talk to us and nurses and nurse practitioners. We spoke to anesthesia. They asked if we thought he would take a drink to help calm his nerves. I told her no before she could finish her sentence. Brayden gags on Tylenol.She said okay. She asked him what flavor gas he would like , she gave a 4 year old about 50 choices. The same 4 year old who can never decide anything. He chose bananas . What? He doesn't even like bananas all that much but what ever made him happy. I think he picked it because bananas are yellow. About 6:55 transportation came and took him back to surgery and I cried for the first time. Don't get me wrong I had gotten chocked up plenty. I had tears fill my eyes , but I cried. It only last about 20 seconds but hey I cried. I sat back down with his blanket wrapped around me and read my book. About 100 minutes later they came and got us and brought us up to his room. WE stopped in the waiting room and got Brother Scott. Our wonderful pastor sat in the waiting room since 7 o'clock. They brought us up to the 6th floor where his room was . When I saw him I almost collapsed. He looked the worst he had looked. He kept crying it hurts .It hurts. They gave him some meds and he went back to sleep. I took this pic then.

Do you see why I was so upset? My poor kid. He slept for the next 12 hours. the tv was broken in the room. Brayden would wake up if it was too bright. So we napped and read and played on our phones. ALL.DAY. LONG. and . ALL. NIGHT. LONG.HE slept okay. He was cleared to go home in the morning. Before we left they gave him a dose of Tylenol with codeine and he slept all the way home.After 10 days they took out the tubes .

                                After another week they took out the stitches and splints.

He doesn't have to go back to plastics for SIX MONTHS!!! Praise GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My handsome cheese ball is on the road to recovery!

Brayden's Accident , Part 3

On Wednesday afternoon he could finally open his right eye a little, enough that he would hopefully be cleared to go home. That night Greg, Aunt Cindy, Kimmie and mom and dad went back to the hotel to spend time together and unwind.I stayed with mini man again. It was a good night he slept most of it, so did I. About 6 doctors started coming in on their rounds. Plastic said he would get a 3D MRI today. Nuero cleared him to go home. So did trauma and internal medicine. All that was left was plastics. They took him down for the 3D MRI about 8 and I got to go with him.  I put on one of those heavy vest things and stood with him while they did the test. The tech said the test looked clear and she would send it to his doctors for results.
           We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon just being in the room with him, Greg was hung over like you wouldn't believe so he went to go back to the hotel dad was coming to Oxford to get Kaitlyn. Dad called to say he was stuck in traffic could we look up an alternate route. As we were googling , the nurse came in and said he was being discharged, now. We called dad back, he had already turned around and he came and got us.We went back to the hotel in traffic that looked as if it would kill us but once we got on I 65 we were golden. WE got back to the hotel rather quick and got Brayden and all the stuff he had collected from people and the hospital up to the room. We needed a cart and still carried stuff. We knew he had to go back the following Tuesday for surgery but our baby was home. We spent that night in Birmingham . We came back to Oxford the next day. Mom and dad dropped us off. We cleaned up a little put some stuff away and went to go get baby girl. She had been staying with Miss Melody from church. She had a blast . A pool and 8 kids and a yorkie. Yup I think she had fun. We took her back to the hotel where mamaw and paps were and so she could see bubba. We went out to Olive Garden that night with mom and dad, Britni and Mike, Toni, Channing and the boys and our family to celebrate little man being on the road to recovery.  We had 2 servers split our party both were former coworkers.We had a great time.

              The next morning Kaitlyn and mamaw took dad back to the airport so he could fly home. They came back to Oxford and we met up and went to Caleb's All-Star tournament. There would be a lot of people who wanted to see him. We thought it might be too much on him so we took two cars. He had a blast. I don't think his feet hit the floor . He was toted and hugged and loved on. He was bought soda, candy, ice cream , pizza , chips you name it. He was loved on by some folks who had been praying for my sweet baby. We had a good time and from there went to Toni and Channing's and I made dinner. We had a good time together and hung out and Brayden played. Mom and Kaitlyn were leaving in the am so he went to the hotel with her and Kaitlyn came back to the house with us. She slept in our bed for the first time EVER. OUCH!!! She kicks , she punches and pushes all while snoring louder than daddy.;)
                 The next morning we got up got her dressed met mom for breakfast. We ate we chatted they left and we headed for church. We were a little late for Sunday school but we knew no one would care. Everyone wanted to see my sweet boy. We got up to our class he got hugged on and loved on. He said okay enough can I go to my class now? LOL. That's my sassy boy. We went to lunch at Logan's. They have peanuts which I am allergic too but have never bothered me there. Guess what it did that day. I cma home took some Bendryal and fell out. I woke up and Brayden wasn't here. He went to a church party with Toni and Channing. He had a blast and was loved on and babied even more ;) .

   

Gratitude

Gratitude is something that i know i do not show enough of.

Brayden's Accident , Part 2

          
             After he ate some of his waffle mom and I left the hospital and went to the hotel leaving Greg with Brayden. Even though he was in a diaper, you would have to help him pee in his magic bucket because he wouldn't use the diaper flat out refused. He told the nurses then us he was a big boy and big boys don't use diapers or magic pants as they tried to convince him they were. My boy didn't buy that. Mom and I went back to the hotel tried to get some sleep, hoping Greg was doing the same. I slept some but the rest didn't feel restful. I was sleeping 7 or 8 hours at least a night a feeling like I got a 20 minute nap in.
            After we got up and got a good shower and breakfast we headed back to the hospital. When we got there Greg had already seen most of the doctors on rounds and there was no real change in his condition. His eyes were swollen shut so he couldn't see. The swelling was so bad that the doctors couldn't make a decision on the surgery yet, waiting on that till the swelling goes down.At this point 36 hours after the accident he had been awake and aware for maybe a total of an hour, maybe. He was asleep , so he was healing which was a good thing. At lunch Greg and his mom went to the store picked up McDonald's and came back. Brayden who we thought was asleep said something we couldn't hear. We asked what he said    , so he repeated himself very loudly " I said french fry". He smelt the french fries, he couldn't see them but he knew they were there and wanted them , now! We feed him the french fried. He ate all of mine , most of mom's. My baby was coming back just kinda sneaky;). HA!
          He still couldn't see so all we could do was read to him. The staff at Children's was amazing they brought him tons of books. They brought him a Mater remote controlled car. They brought him a book that had a cd of the story  and a cd player so he could listen to it at all times. He was awake a lot now excerpt we didn't know when he was. He was quiet and his eyes were shut. You would know he was awake when you would hear random " french fry , please!" or " muffin" or "waffle". It would come out of no where. You would be in mid sentence and he would interrupt with it. It was funny but it meant a lot more. It meant my baby boy was getting back to himself.
        I was getting calls constantly. Emails too. We started updating facebook as much as we could because it was just easier, it could get the message out faster. One of our phones ( Greg, mom or me) was almost always on the charger. Mom said she would stay with him that night, which made her boy happy, he sure does love his sweetie. Greg and I went left for the night about 8. WE stopped at Outback for dinner because I NEEDED a drink . I needed to be out where people were . I needed a break. We had a nice dinner and we relaxed, if only a little . We got sleep that night and were back at it again in the morning. Dad had finally been able to book his flight and work out the details of coming up. At that point it had been decided that Kaitlyn would go back to Florida with mom when she went home. Tuesday want much change, random food requests and I got go potty a billion times ( he was still on IV meds ) and some read to me that Woody story or Lightning BaQueen ( as he says it) story. I felt that I could stay with him that night. I had been having a hard time being around him for long periods of time. Seeing my baby so broken was killing me. But I knew in my heart he was going to be okay now and that he would love to have mommy.
          Mom and Greg went back to the hotel about 830 or so and  did whatever they did ( I wasn't with them I don't know ! LOL) I went to the snack machine and got some chips and when I got back I was in trouble with a handsome little boy because I didn't bring him any. Guess who ate my chips and drank my sweet tea? You guessed it not me.HA! I would have given him anything at that point and he knew it! I got some sleep that night but like I've said I would sleep 7 hours , 8 hours and felt like I took a nap. It wasn't restful sleep. It was worried sleep. I would here nurses and CNAs come in doing there thing . I would here nosies in the hall or a light would get brighter in the hall. Plus sleeping on a small recliner type/size chair that pulls out to a bed isn't exactly the most comfortable sleep , either. And the whole yelling  for french fries in the middle of the night things, not  as cute now. When Greg and mom returned in the morning they brought me breakfast and had picked up Dad from the airport. I could see it in his face, when he saw Brayden. He hurt for my baby. I saw it in mom's face too. Other than that first moment they saw him, they didn't show it they were here and very supportive and for that I am grateful.
          They forced us to go to lunch that day, practically kicked us out of Brayden's room. I was mad. I didn't want to leave him. They were right though. We needed a break. We walked to get lunch 5 or 6 blocks away ( no easy task in Alabama in June , might I add). We had lunch sat and talked. On they way back it was time for another happy meal, Greg walked over to McDonald's I walked back to the room. When I walked in to the room , there was stuff all over his bed . He was sitting up and he said " Hi , mommy." I said " hi , baby " He replied with " I can open my eye now" After almost 5 days I could see his beautiful blue eye. It was only one then the left one but it could open. I hugged him was about to sit down next to him and ask where all the new stuff had come from, what department when I heard a noise I looked up and there was Kimmie ( Greg's cousin) and Aunt Cindy ( dad's sister). I was in shock gave them hugs and thanked them for coming. Greg got back about 5 or 10 minutes later at most. Same thing happened with him all excited about the one eye opening and then shock about Kimmie and Aunt Cindy ;). I volunteered to stay again that night. I know Greg when he and any of his cousins get together and when he's with Aunt Cindy. I was gonna get more sleep at the hospital than anyone at the hotel, anyway!HA!

Brayden's Accident , Part 1

One month ago yesterday my life and that of my family changed for ever. It started off great. We were having fun at Kaitlyn's team swim party for softball. We ate pizza and cookie cake and the girls got their trophies. We were all having a blast , swimming , shooting water guns and going off the diving board. Everyone was having a great time , all of my family included and then it happened and the world changed. Greg was going off the diving board . Brayden was waiting till daddy got finished on the ground beside the diving board. I tuned away so not to get splashed by big boy. When I turned back saw the diving board falling in the pool on top of my husband. I felt sheer panic for him but he popped up said he was okay and was wanting to find the coach whose house we were at to apologize. Then I heard panic behind me. I looked up from in the pool to see one of the coach's holding my son who looked dead. He was limp and covered in blood. When daddy was going off the diving board he heard it creak he bent down to investigate and when the board broke it hit my baby. My sweet kind small for a 3 year but almost 5 year ole baby. By the time I swam to the stairs and got out they had already called 911. It still didn't hit me how bad it was. One of the other mom's is a nurse and kept telling the coach on the phone they needed to hurry. They asked me what hospital, I said RMC, still not realizing how bad things were. In what was only 5 minutes or so but seemed like 3 hours the ambulance arrived. The EMT took one look at my handsome boy and said " No,mommy this baby isn't going anywhere near RMC we are airlifting him to Children's" .
         I sent Greg with the ambulance to take him to meet the helicopter. I understood we couldn't ride the helicopter with him but someone needed to go with him now, daddy was to upset to drive and I thought maybe I could. The ambulance took him to Word Alive's parking lot and waited for the helicopter , while we were waiting for the ambulance one of the moms called Greg's mom and dad, then Toni. Toni raced to me to get me to Word Alive. We spoke with the ambulance driver and EMTs. All of Oxford FD and police seemed to be there to help. The helicopter arrived and we knew he was in good hands, so we took Greg home to put on clothes and change. WE grabbed Brayden's Elmo ( his blankey) and his Blue's clues stuffed animal and raced to Birmingham. It was the longest hour in the car on the way down there. I spoke to Greg's mom who had been told it was Greg that was Hurst not Brayden. All I could get out when she asked if she needed to come was a squeaky " it's bad " .As we were getting off I 20 we got a call from the hospital that he was being brought up to PICU after his MRI and CAT scan. She told us where to park and where to go once we got in the building. We still got lost. We finally got up to the PICU and waited what seemed like an eternity.Mike and Britni got there thanks to Mike doing 100 on the way down. After about a half an hour the counseling staff came and spoke with us and then the pastoral services came. They finally brought him up from his tests and let us see him. It was a SHOCK.
           He was covered in dry blood. He had a breathing tube in. He had a neck brace on. He looked so little and so fragile, and so broken. It was another 20 minutes or so before we could go back and see him. We went back saw him and my heart broke. He looked so tiny. He was in pain and they gave him meds to help but just seeing him like that , no one should ever have too see their child like that.We spoke to countless doctors, nurses staff. The plastic surgeon said when the swelling goes down he would have to do surgery, that would require cutting him from ear to ear across the top of his head and pull his face down to fix it. The optometrist said his one pupil was blown , and thought it was the trauma and he would recover but want sure. Internal medicine, neuro, and trauma were all brought in on his case.They all told us conflicting information. We were going in and out of the PICU. He could only have 2 visitors at a time. All of Kaitlyn's team who had been there parents came to see him and support us. Toni and Channing were there as our rocks. His mom was on her way. It must have been so scary for mom, driving 8 hours by herself to get to us to her boy. Visiting hours stopped at 10:30 we knew we would need sleep , we knew we had a long road ahead. We got a hotel room a few miles from the hospital. Greg and Channing went to get us some sleep clothes, some food and clothes for the next day. They got us some diner and Chris from Sunday school came and visited and prayed with us. Mom got in about 1 o'clock in the morning. I showed her the pic. She was upset. Sher called dad so he would know she got here safe. WE got what sleep we could . We ate some breakfast and went back up to the hospital. Over night they had stitched his nose ( it had been split like a lizard tongue) . They also called him mini Houdini because he yanked out his catheter twice, got out his restraints several times. We were in and out again because of only 2 visitors. At lunch mom went and changed our hotels to a closer and safer one. Brother Scoot and Mrs. Sheila came and prayed over Brayden. He had some more visitors from ball and from church.
                         About 3 they said they were moving him to the BURN unit ( also infectious cuts) and that he would be in a private room and we could stay with him . They also were finally able to explain his injuries. His face had been fractured all over the place, where there had been impact from the board . The fractures were like cracks in the cement and not displaced so they weren't worried about those as much as his nose . Across his nose, above his eyebrows, his bones under the tear duct, his orbital socket . His nose was broken badly in the bridge and the cartilage was displaced. He was going to need surgery at that point there was no idea when or how invasive. Before they could move him to another unit he needed to be cleared by all departments involved in his case. Plastics, internal, Trauma, respiratory  and Neuro . The removed the breathing tube about 5 and  and checked his lung functions. He was breathing great. Then Neuro came in. He removed the brace . He asked does this hurt does that hurt. Brayden's answer was always " No, my toe hurts". He had a pulse ox monitor on and didn't like it. He kept asking for them to take it off.
                     He was all cleared and moved to his room about6. They got him a tray of dinner in case he got hungry. Greg ran to the hotel to get  some sleep clothes for him, he was staying the night. A nurse came in and he said he was hungry, we tried to offer him what we had in the room. The stores were closed. The cafeteria was closed. But no my boy wanted a waffle. Incidentally that's when I knew he would be okay. Baby boy loves waffles. We didn't have any. We were getting ready to have Greg run to the store to get some, when the unit clerk came in and said " I have some great news for you. I bought myself in a box of waffles today, if it is okay with y'all I would like to give him some" Most wonderful words I heard all day.The nurse brought back in a waffle and baby boy ate three quarters of it. I got chocked up. I knew we had a long road ahead but things were looking up.



This has been harder to wrtite than I thought going to break it up into several sections, but will try to do it all this week before I start to forget. I want to document this, get it all writen down. I dont think I will ever forget but I am not taking any chances.