Friday Fragments x2

I shopped and packed and filled my car to the brim and headed to the Jersey Shore for 7 days of beach fun and family time. It is very difficult to get all of our children and grand children together in one place for dinner let alone a week at the beach. We did it and it was chaotic; a lot of work and also the best family vacation ever! We celebrated 5 birthday's and a huge thank you to Mrs.4444's mother for the beautiful birthday song!:)
I will say I had computer withdrawal all week and have so much to catch up on.
On the way home last Saturday I drove the car with my 7 yr. old grand son Jimmy. My husband was in front of us on his Harley. We stopped to pay a bridge toll and the front tire of the Harley went flat. How lucky were we that it happened going 5 miles an hour and not 55? Very lucky indeed.
Sunday we were exhausted so we unpacked and chilled for the day watching the Phillie's game. We went to bed very early and on Monday it was back to work :(
We were still pretty wiped out Monday night so again we went to bed early.
Our phone rang at 1:00 am. When you have 5 kids and 11 grand kids a phone call at 1:00 am is never good news. Our first thought was something was wrong with brand new baby Peyton; she had been having some apnea and trouble with her breathing.
It was not the baby. It was the hospital and my 29 year old stepson, Michael had been in a motorcycle accident. They told us he was in surgery. The trauma center is 8 minutes from our house and for 8 minutes I prayed dear Lord please let him have had his helmet on. He did; Thank God. He had a deep gash on the back of his head that required staples to close. He was in surgery because he had internal bleeding from his spleen; a very damaged kidney, torn liver, bowel and just about every other organ. The surgery did not go well they could not even close him up, so they just packed him full of gauze to try to stop some of the bleeding until they could stabilize him. He also had an open fracture on his fore arm and broken ribs. He was critical and unstable. His mother was on a plane and on her way from Ohio.
This blog is about the book I wrote on the murder of my younger brother David. He died of massive head trauma.Today is his birthday, he would have been 38. Once I new Michael had no head trauma I was calm. I new he had terrible injuries but I also knew he is strong (a title holding kick boxer) and very healthy. He does not smoke or drink.
I found it very strange the faith I had that he would be okay. Head trauma kills people, everything else can be fixed, right? We, his father, mother, stepfather and I have not left him. 5 days and 5 surgeries he is still critical and has not opened his eyes. They will try surgery again on Sunday if he is stable. I must do a complete post at one point on the drama of the trauma center in Chester, Pa. In the mean time I will continue to fragment. Baby Adriana who is 13 month's was hospitalized yesterday with 105 temp. and dehydration. Hand, foot and mouth disease. What a stupid name for sores in your mouth and a fever. This was most likely caused by the scrumptious Atlantic Ocean water she swallowed and possibly a mouthful or two of sand. She will be fine but of course my daughter is very upset. I found myself so torn between driving an hour to be with my daughter or staying in the ICU with Michael. My son-in-law answered for me and said I was to stay put. This was their 3rd child and they would all be fine.
I went to work today for a short 3 hour shift to take care of someone else's old person. Her cat threw up the entire time I was there and the washer overflowed. Not quite the diversion I was looking for. I need another vacation. I need Michael to be okay.
Thank you for letting me empty my brain and thank you Mrs. 4444 for hosting Friday Fragments, scroll down for the link. Thank you also to all of my new friends at blogger's over 40. I am going to sleep now for a little bit and when I get up I am going to visit some of my favorite blogs hoping for a smile. Then I will go back to the hospital. If you are the praying type please send a few Michael's way and please all of you drive safely and have a nice 4th of July.