(From Mom's perspective)
Tonight I got a call from Jeff at roughly 7:15 to rush to the Springdale High School gym. I knew someone had fallen, but no other details. That was a long and scary drive-- it was a constant prayer to God begging for mercy. When I was almost there, I called Jeff back to find out where I was supposed to go and he said a coach would be meeting me out front and I finally asked who it was that fell... Taylor... from 15 or 16ft, head first onto concrete! Jeff said the paramedics were with him and that his face was pretty messed up. I began to cry. When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw the abulance in front, with it's lights flashing... it was there for my son! I began sobbing-- those deep, terrified sobs.
A coach (don't remember who, but thank you very much!) met me and ushered me into the building as Taylor was being rolled down the hall to the ambulance. He was screaming about his pain and begging them to take off the head stabilizer. There was a lot of blood.
Jeff asked if I wanted to go in the ambulance or follow in the van. I chose the ambulance, but was told by the paramedics I had to first calm down-- for Taylor's sake. God was merciful in his provision of paramedics -- my sister's nephew, Nicholas, was in the ambulance! Taylor screamed the entire way to the hospital. I tried to say soothing things, in-between praying and crying-- it was so hard to hear him screaming and not be able to help make it better.
The ER Dr. began assessing the damage and told me that after a fall like that, Taylor was screaming because he was broken and they had to find where he was broken. That was the hardest things I have ever heard.
As they began to run tests, we were covered in prayer from so many friends/family/church family etc-- Jeff and I called every single person that we had in our phone address books that would pray for us and asked them to call anyone they knew that would also pray -- the prayer chain began-- from NWA to California-- so many people praying for Taylor! We are SO grateful to you all and some day will be able to tell you so in Eternity!
The ER and waiting room began to fill with concerned family and friends. Beau and Amanda Patrick were the first to arrive in the ER and we all prayed together. We began getting positive reports back from tests that were being done on Tay. The MRI took what seemed like a very long time, but we spent that time praying and calling folks and asking for prayer. One by one we got miraculous answers to the tests... no brain bleeding or swelling, no spinal damage, no internal organ damage! He had a broken jaw, was in need of some sutures on his face and it was too soon to assess damage to teeth, but didn't think any were broken.
Taylor was surrounded by family and friends while the Dr sutured up his facial wounds. Cathy, Papa, Lori, Clint, the ER nurse and Dr., me, Jeff... and many more were in and out of the room, taking turns holding Taylor's hands etc while he was being stitched.
In the meantime, Rachel, Kevin, Steve, Jamie, Ron, Ross, Lisa and many more, took turns watching Matthew and Noah in the waiting room.
Once Taylor was stitched up and all the testing came back with good news, Taylor and I were ushered to the ICU for the night. Cath and Kev took Matthew and Noah home to spend the night with them. Jeff went home to gather supplies for my night with Tay in the ICU. I was very happy to find out they had "wireless access" and allowed me to have my laptop in our room!
It was a tough night for Taylor --- the night staff had to wake him up every hour to check his eyes and his stats-- typical follow up for a head wound. So, he got very little sleep, but I tried to make him as comfortable as possible-- massaging, tickling, re-positioning. He wasn't too happy when they had to draw blood again at 3:30. But, he was alive and doing well, so I was elated.
Below are some pics of him resting Saturday morning, once his 6 hours of hourly wake-ups were over. He had an IV and several electrodes hooked up to him measuring many different stats.
Thank you Lord for saving Taylor from serious injury or worse. We are so grateful to you and all your Saints that were so faithful to pray for us! Amen
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