It has been a year since Nate's accident. In some ways it seems like just yesterday and in other ways, like a lifetime ago. As I read my post from last year at this time, I can still feel the nausea and anxiety in my belly that I felt that night. It isn't as strong and I know that it will continue to lessen as each year passes. I have an overwhelming gratefulness for the life of Nate. His name means "Gift of God" and what a living example of that he is. He is so full of energy and so loving. The effects of that night have all faded away. He suffered with reflux for a few months but has been able to stop taking medicine for it.
We had a fun dinner on July 29th to celebrate his life. He can't stop talking about the hospital food he had so we indulged in pudding, Kix, chocolate milk, chicken nuggets and fries (and of course, what would a celebration be without cupcakes!). Tonight, we had the opportunity to go and visit the paramedics that transported Nate to Childrens'. We brought sweet treats and enjoyed thanking them for their hard work. Nate and Bella even got to climb up in the fire engine and get in the back of the ambulance that he rode in. 1154 will always hold a special place in our hearts. I think the paramedics were excited and touched to get to see Nate. They played such a crucial role and I'm beyond thankful for their quick response.
Since Nate's accident, I had mentioned in a previous post that I had chosen to start working at Childrens in the ER. It is challenging and stretching but I love it. I have also started prayerfully pursuing developing a presentation that I can give concerning water safety and the absolute importance of learning CPR. I am thoroughly convinced that had Jerad, the physician that was there at the pool party, not started CPR as quickly as he had, that Nate would not be alive today. EMS arrived very quickly but precious minutes would have been lost had CPR not been started prior to their arrival. I met with the 911 director a few weeks ago and she took me on a tour of the facility that received our 911 calls. It was very informative and helpful. I also got a copy of our friend, Rachel's, 911 tape. She was the one that immediately called 911 as soon as Nate was pulled from the pool. You might wonder why I would ever want to listen to it and I can't fully explain it. Every time I listen, I cry. But it is also healing, in a way. I am so thankful for Rachel's calmness as she explains to the operator what is happening. We will never know how long Nate was actually in the pool but when listening to the tape, after almost exactly 2 minutes of CPR, you can hear Nate crying in the background. I talked about the terrible, high-pitched noise that was coming from him when he first started breathing on his own. It is gut-wrenching to hear him but also so amazing! I have a burning desire to help others avoid this situation or if faced with it, to know how to do CPR to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. I don't know what this will look like in the future but am willing to do what I can, to make a difference. I would strongly encourage you to take a class. If you live or work in Olathe, there are lots of free opportunities! Don't miss out, you CAN make a difference. Just copy and paste the following in your web browser to learn more:)
www.olatheks.org/fire/cpr
It has been a year since Nate's accident. In some ways it seems like just yesterday and in other ways, like a lifetime ago. As I read my post from last year at this time, I can still feel the nausea and anxiety in my belly that I felt that night. It isn't as strong and I know that it will continue to lessen as each year passes. I have an overwhelming gratefulness for the life of Nate. His name means "Gift of God" and what a living example of that he is. He is so full of energy and so loving. The effects of that night have all faded away. He suffered with reflux for a few months but has been able to stop taking medicine for it.
We had a fun dinner on July 29th to celebrate his life. He can't stop talking about the hospital food he had so we indulged in pudding, Kix, chocolate milk, chicken nuggets and fries (and of course, what would a celebration be without cupcakes!). Tonight, we had the opportunity to go and visit the paramedics that transported Nate to Childrens'. We brought sweet treats and enjoyed thanking them for their hard work. Nate and Bella even got to climb up in the fire engine and get in the back of the ambulance that he rode in. 1154 will always hold a special place in our hearts. I think the paramedics were excited and touched to get to see Nate. They played such a crucial role and I'm beyond thankful for their quick response.
Since Nate's accident, I had mentioned in a previous post that I had chosen to start working at Childrens in the ER. It is challenging and stretching but I love it. I have also started prayerfully pursuing developing a presentation that I can give concerning water safety and the absolute importance of learning CPR. I am thoroughly convinced that had Jerad, the physician that was there at the pool party, not started CPR as quickly as he had, that Nate would not be alive today. EMS arrived very quickly but precious minutes would have been lost had CPR not been started prior to their arrival. I met with the 911 director a few weeks ago and she took me on a tour of the facility that received our 911 calls. It was very informative and helpful. I also got a copy of our friend, Rachel's, 911 tape. She was the one that immediately called 911 as soon as Nate was pulled from the pool. You might wonder why I would ever want to listen to it and I can't fully explain it. Every time I listen, I cry. But it is also healing, in a way. I am so thankful for Rachel's calmness as she explains to the operator what is happening. We will never know how long Nate was actually in the pool but when listening to the tape, after almost exactly 2 minutes of CPR, you can hear Nate crying in the background. I talked about the terrible, high-pitched noise that was coming from him when he first started breathing on his own. It is gut-wrenching to hear him but also so amazing! I have a burning desire to help others avoid this situation or if faced with it, to know how to do CPR to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome. I don't know what this will look like in the future but am willing to do what I can, to make a difference. I would strongly encourage you to take a class. If you live or work in Olathe, there are lots of free opportunities! Don't miss out, you CAN make a difference. Just copy and paste the following in your web browser to learn more:)
www.olatheks.org/fire/cpr
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