Life As We Know It.......

You are probably all aware of the phrases: Life turns on a dime. Things can change in a heart beat. Life as we know it, ended today, is a line out of a song. Well, on Tuesday life started out pretty normal.

Frank went back to his neurosurgeon for a check up. It's been eight weeks since his back surgery and he got a great report. Everything is healing up as expected and some of the restrictions he had can now be gradually removed. He can even start brush hogging the pastures again in a month. When Frank asked the doctor if he could go on any long trips, the doctor said no, it was too early for that. Just short trips for now. Our doctor's office is 60 miles from where we live, and for now, those trips are plenty long for Frank's comfort. So by the time we headed home, at about 6:00 pm, Frank was ready to be home and lay down to relax his back for a while.

But.......we got a phone call, and life changed quickly. My sister-in-law was calling to tell us that my brother had been in a serious motorcycle accident and was being flown by medivac to Tulsa. Needless to say, that is one of those heart stopping phone calls, none of us ever wants to receive. So, instead of going home to rest, we rushed home and flew through the chores, picked up my mom and headed to Tulsa. At this point we didn't have any idea how my brother was doing. About midway there we received word that he was awake and alert and joking with the hospital staff. This was unbelievably good news.

By the time we arrived at the hospital, at about 11:00 pm, my brother was in surgery and they had amputated his left leg just above the knee. He had lost a lot of blood and they were still working on getting him stable. The loss of the leg was initially a jolt for us, but there were still other concerns about his brain and internal organs. Miraculously, the only other injuries he sustained were some road rash and a pretty big cut on his head. No, he was not wearing a helmet.

After everything there was stable, and another brother arrived, around 3:00 am we decided to head home to care for Frank's back and the animals. Frank was definitely in need of some good rest, and we still had another three hour drive to get back home. When we finally arrived around 6:00 am, I sat down at my computer to try and unwind. I couldn't read or do much since I was so tired, so I thought I would glance down the blogroll and see what was new. It was then when I noticed a post from Patrice Lewis at Rural Revolution. It seems that SciFiChick at Bacon and Eggs, passed away last week. I have enjoyed her humor and determination to grow and preserve food, despite the challenges she and her husband faced. I will miss her. That was enough reading for me. That day ended for us at about 7:00 am Wednesday, when we were finally able to lay down to get some sleep. 

Our rest didn't last long though, because around 10:30 am my mother calls and puts my injured brother on the phone. He sounded totally normal, "Hi, Sis. What are you doing?" I hear, much to my shock. Life as we know it did end on Tuesday and a new one has taken it's place. My brother has now had a second surgery to close up the amputation site, and will begin physical therapy. He hopes to be transferred to a rehab center closer to home next week, and before long, he will be fitted with a prosthesis. Then we will see. 

We have received many phone calls and emails from family and friends expressing love and concern for our family. This is one of those experiences that reminds us how fragile and fleeting life can be. My brother has a long road in front of him, but he is starting out on a good foot, the right one. He has a good attitude about what has happened. He even told the hospital staff upon his arrival that he was allergic to Jeeps. That's what hit him. Your thoughts and prayers on his behalf would be greatly appreciated. Hold your family close. 

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Fern