On Saturday, May 29, 2010 Nate left our house around 9:15 a.m. to meet a friend at Timpanogos Harley Davidson to go on a ride around Utah Lake. I was having a lazy Saturday morning and was on the computer still in my pajamas when I got a call at 10:03 a.m. from a social worker saying my husband was at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in the emergency room and had been in an accident. My heart dropped! She said he was talking and gave them my name and number so that was a good sign. She asked if I could come on down and of course I said yes. She said she would also call Nate's dad since he also gave her his name and number. We hung up and I called my parents.... I was panicking, I won't lie. My dad said he'd be right there and we hung up. I got dressed and nursed the baby while I waited for my dad. At first I was just going to have my dad watch the kids, but decided I needed someone to take me to the hospital and be with me. So I called Nate's brother, Scott (first person who popped in my head... I know there were countless others to call too), and he came over to watch the kids until my mom could get there. I got a hold of Nate's parents who had already talked to the social worker and were on their way down as well. We drove quick and safe (of course) to the hospital and got there around 10:50 a.m.. I broke down as we approached the hospital not knowing what to expect. I was scared. Was he mangled? Could he walk? How many bones were broken? Etc.... I was given such vague information.
Nate was awake and talking. He was being rather silly... it was Nate on drugs! Funny, a little embarrassing at times, but GREAT! His face was a mess. From the base of his nose up into his forehead was split wide open. His right cheek was "powder" (as they told me) and his left cheek fractured. His skull had a small fracture in the forehead and his upper jaw smashed in. His teeth somehow all stayed in, but are chipped up. There were a few other gashes in his chin and a little road rash on one shin. AMAZING it was only his face and CRAZY how his brain is fine. What a blessing!! I can't get over it. More amazingly he's alive! I thank Heavenly Father constantly for the blessing to keep him here on earth with us.
Nate was given a blessing by my dad and my sister's husband, Ryan (who he works with), since they were the first priesthood holders there. It was very comforting to me to hear what Heavenly Father had in store for him. Nate's parents arrived shortly after we got there. It seems like we waited forever for all the doctors to get in gear and get him into surgery. The morphine peak was gone and he was getting agitated and wanted his catheter out of there (makes me laugh now) and the neck brace off. He kept trying to get me to "just loosen it half a notch". He also wanted a pillow of all things! At about 1:20 p.m. they took him in for surgery. I waited with his mom and we had some nice visitors now and then. That was nice to keep my mind from wandering to a place I didn't want to go. About 4 1/2 hours later the doctor came out to tell me the surgery was done and he did well. They wheeled him out about 10 or 15 minutes later (I could be wrong about that... time wasn't on the radar too much. I've had to ask people and guess a lot.) He looked sooooo good. I was amazed at how well they put him back together. What a miracle!
Nate was sleepy for a few more hours, but woke up later that evening and was able to write on a pad of paper. He had lots of questions. He threw up a LOT of blood that night. He was confused and I can't imagine having a trach in and his mouth wired shut would help calm his worries. After he fell asleep again for the night I went to my parent's house to sleep and see my kids. I didn't get out the door the next morning as early as I had planned and missed his awakening. I thought I should stick around and be with the kids for breakfast. He didn't remember the day of the accident much at all. Once I got talking to him and telling him the story he wrote that he remembered seeing the guy pull out right in front of him and thinking "Oh crap! I'm in trouble." Then he woke up a day later in the hospital. It's probably a good thing he doesn't remember much.
WARNING: Emergency room pictures below. The first one is graphic.... sorry, but it is what it is. :(
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Nate was awake and talking. He was being rather silly... it was Nate on drugs! Funny, a little embarrassing at times, but GREAT! His face was a mess. From the base of his nose up into his forehead was split wide open. His right cheek was "powder" (as they told me) and his left cheek fractured. His skull had a small fracture in the forehead and his upper jaw smashed in. His teeth somehow all stayed in, but are chipped up. There were a few other gashes in his chin and a little road rash on one shin. AMAZING it was only his face and CRAZY how his brain is fine. What a blessing!! I can't get over it. More amazingly he's alive! I thank Heavenly Father constantly for the blessing to keep him here on earth with us.
Nate was given a blessing by my dad and my sister's husband, Ryan (who he works with), since they were the first priesthood holders there. It was very comforting to me to hear what Heavenly Father had in store for him. Nate's parents arrived shortly after we got there. It seems like we waited forever for all the doctors to get in gear and get him into surgery. The morphine peak was gone and he was getting agitated and wanted his catheter out of there (makes me laugh now) and the neck brace off. He kept trying to get me to "just loosen it half a notch". He also wanted a pillow of all things! At about 1:20 p.m. they took him in for surgery. I waited with his mom and we had some nice visitors now and then. That was nice to keep my mind from wandering to a place I didn't want to go. About 4 1/2 hours later the doctor came out to tell me the surgery was done and he did well. They wheeled him out about 10 or 15 minutes later (I could be wrong about that... time wasn't on the radar too much. I've had to ask people and guess a lot.) He looked sooooo good. I was amazed at how well they put him back together. What a miracle!
Nate was sleepy for a few more hours, but woke up later that evening and was able to write on a pad of paper. He had lots of questions. He threw up a LOT of blood that night. He was confused and I can't imagine having a trach in and his mouth wired shut would help calm his worries. After he fell asleep again for the night I went to my parent's house to sleep and see my kids. I didn't get out the door the next morning as early as I had planned and missed his awakening. I thought I should stick around and be with the kids for breakfast. He didn't remember the day of the accident much at all. Once I got talking to him and telling him the story he wrote that he remembered seeing the guy pull out right in front of him and thinking "Oh crap! I'm in trouble." Then he woke up a day later in the hospital. It's probably a good thing he doesn't remember much.
WARNING: Emergency room pictures below. The first one is graphic.... sorry, but it is what it is. :(
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