April 30, 2007

It was eight years ago today when my life took a drastic turn down a new and very scary path. My mom and dad have talked about that day so long ago when the world seemed to stop.

April 30, 1999 was a Friday. Mom went home for lunch to make some food for the weekend because the Mackie family was going to come visit. She went back to work after lunch, and a police officer was standing at her desk. He said, "Are you Julie Powers?" She answered, "Yes." The policeman said there had been an incident with her child and Mom said, "What hospital?" He said Mineral Area, and she told him to meet her there, she was on her way. She ran out of the bank and drove as fast as she could to the hospital, not knowing which "child" she would find there. She was sure it was Ian - that maybe he fell off the playground equipment at daycare and had broken a bone. She was not prepared for what she found - I was in the ER surrounded by a trauma team, trying to get me stabilized. She called Dad at his work and told him to get to the hospital right away.

The nurses told Mom that I had stopped breathing and that the babysitter wasn't sure if I had been out for 10 or 15 minutes - she administered CPR until the emergency team got to her house. (Thank God she knew infant CPR!)

After some very tense moments, Dad and Mom were told that I would be sent to Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital on the helicopter. The flight team would be arriving shortly and they should go ahead and drive to the hospital to meet me there. Grandpa and Grandma Ross were out of town, but when they heard the news, they drove to St. Louis, too.

Dad and Mom drove as fast as they could with their lights flashing all the way. (Did you know you could make it to downtown St. Louis from Farmington in 45 minutes?) They even beat the helicopter somehow, so they were there when I arrived. They saw me in the hallway being wheeled by on the gurney - Mom said I was gray - very, very gray. Everyone was very scared for me. Finally I was stabilized enough that I was sent to the ICU.

I had a lot of tests done on me to figure out what happened. What caused me to stop breathing? Well, that is a mystery - the first of many in my life. Mom is convinced that it was due to my body not really liking all the immunizations at my two-month check-up. Four shots was just too much for my body to handle. We will never know for sure.

I spent the next five weeks at the hospital, where I underwent surgery and lots and lots of care. When I finally got to go home, Mom and Dad weren't sure what life would be like. The nurses, doctors, therapists and other hospital staff had told them that 95% of marriages break up when there is a sick child in the house like me. They said they would have nothing to do with that and pretty much, they were in it together, for better or worse. They would take care of me and each other, and Ian, too, and we were a family. That's that.

Well, here it is eight years later. Ian is 10 years old and almost as tall as Mom. We've added another family member (Thor), plus we have a whole lot of "other" family members, too. All my nurses and therapists and teachers who have been a part of my life during this journey. I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life - all of them dedicating themselves to helping me get better. AND I HAVE GOTTEN BETTER! I know all the prayers have made a difference. I think I have really surprised some of the doctors, to tell you the truth.

I will never know why this "thing" happened to me eight years ago. In the end, I guess it doesn't matter, does it? It happened. I am who I am, and I love my family - all of them. Thank you to EVERYONE who is part of my life. I am a happy, happy girl. I feel love every day. You are all very special to me!

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