The story - Abby's story

dFirst of all, thank you everone for thinking about us and praying for us. It has been a very long and hard couple of days. I want to try to share what happened yesterday, I think Abby will want to read this when she's feeling better, I think it will help me feel better and be more clear about things, and it's such a miraculous story, it needs to be told. I'm not thinking real clearly right now, it's been a long time since I've slept or eaten anything, so it might not be completely accurate, but it's what I know now and can remember.

I dropped Abby off at school at 7:30 so I could get Britt to her knee surgery by 8:00. Everything seemed fine with Abby when I left her, she was pretty excited for school. I got Britt to her surgery and got her signed in and just sat down to wait with her when I got a phone got from my principal, Sandy Ferrell. I almost didn't answer, I couldn't imagine that she really needed me. When I answered she something about Abby collapsing on the playground and that she was in an ambulance. I truly didn't believe her, and I hung up and called my sister Meri, who is a nurse in the er and told her to get to the emergency room as fast as she could. Then I had to hang up because Sandy was calling me again. She told me they were shocking Abby and that they needed some info from me. I think I answered their questions, the fell to the floor. I knew I had to get to the ER, but the nurses came out and didn't think I could drive. I told them I was fine and not to cancel Britt's surgery just in case, then went to the car. I was hyperventilating a little and couldn't even remember how to get to the hospital even though it was just across the street! Luckily, Britt was very calm and helped me figure it out. On the way there, I called my mom and dad and just said that Abby was on her way to the hospital and to get there as fast as possible. When I walked into the ER I went straight to the nurse and asked them where Abby was and if she was there yet. They took me back, but Britt stayed in the waiting room. I told her to call our bishop and get him there As fast as possible. Luckily, my friend Ali Thacker, our school counselor was there in just a few minutes. She told me what had happened: Abby was running in PE, and ran right past her teacher, Cammeron Murdock, and then fell down. He said that he immediately turned and ran to her and knew that something was really bad because her arms were all askew. He said she wasn't breathing at all when he got to her, so he had some kids run and get some help. He then started doing chest compressions. Luckily, he had just been trained in CPR. Because of his quick thinking, he saved Abby's life. He did exactly what needed to be done for her to make it through and recover from her heart stopping. I'm not sure what exactly happened next there, but Abby wasn't breathing for 7 minutes, she was dead for 7 minutes. I think that Ali and a librarian at our school helped with the CPR, but I don't really know. Once the ambulance got there, they had to shock Abby's heart twice to get it going again. They loaded her in the ambulance and headed to the hospital. In the meantime, Ali was trying to talk me out of forcing my way through the security and getting to Abby. There was nothing that was going to hold me back. Thankfully, I didn't have to beat anybody up and they let me back to see her. The next couple of hours are kind of a blur to me. There were a lot of doctors, a lot people talking to me, a lot of crying and breakdowns, and a lot of confusion.

This is what I do remember:

Receiving a priesthood blessing from my bishop(but I can't remember what was said)

Talking to Ali and Sandy and my good friend Cheryl Cozzens about getting things taken care of at school-report cards, substitutes, and I especially wanted my CRT test results! (Crazy, I know)

Seeing my bro-in-law Rich come in with Brock-he had picked him up from school

Apologizing over and over again because I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be saying or doing

Abby receiving a blessing ( I can't remember was said here either)

Seeing Abby with her eyes open and talking and everyone telling me that it really was a miracle that she was coherent after being out for that long

Apologizing to Cozzens for not talking to her husband at all when he was there (oops! rude!)

Cammeron coming and talking to Abby and telling her how amazing he always thought she was, and that he always felt connected to her. He was amazing and wouldn't leave the hospital until we did. The things he said to Abby were so touching, we were all crying.

Seeing one of the paramedics-Jason Whipple, bring her in. He's a friend of the family too. It was just so reassuring to see anyone I knew.

Lots of hugs

Lots of tears

My sister Meri bringing me a hamburger to eat and almost throwing up. I don't think I ever ate it though.

Falling to the floor in the ER waiting room while waiting for the ambulance, good thing Ali was there and knew what to say to me

Seeing my nephew, Luke, sitting there and feeing so bad he had to see it.

Abby reciting the alphabet

Everyone just being there and trying to help us.

Worrying about Brock missing end of level testing

Desirae Roden, vice principal, and Cozzens coming back to see me. I really needed that!

I know I forgot a lot, and if it involved you, I'm sorry, but Abby and I do thank you. It was just a little confusing. Next thing I remember we were trying to decide if I was going to be able to go on life flight with them or if I would have to drive. I had to promise the life flight nurses that I would be good and wouldn't get out of my seat no matter what happened. I promised.....but I had my fingers crossed! They were all ready to send her up on life flight, then decided that she had some air in her lungs and they were a little worried about that and decided to send a pediatric team down from Primary Children's to fly back with her. So we had to wait about an hour, which turned out to be good because we were watching her numbers, I have no idea what these numbers were, but they had to stay under 95, and the longer we waited, the better the numbers got. Abby kept asking over and over again what happened. I would explain a little, I'd tell her she fell in pe, and she would give a little laugh, then about 1 minute later she would ask again. I spent about an hour doing this, then it was finally time to load the ambulance. One last hug and goodbye from Cammeron and my sister, and then I was sitting in the front of the amublance on the way to the airport. I don't remember anything about that drive, but the mini life flight airplane was pretty sweet. I was so worried that Abby's heart would stop on the flight, but they kept telling me it would be okay. I got to sit right by her, she was pretty drowsy though. They even had a little dvd player and some movies, but she didn't want to watch one. I was pretty exhausted by this point, so I put my ipod on and tried to just listen to some relaxing music, but I couldn't sleep. The flight only took about an hour, it was pretty bumpy on take off and landing because of the wind. I didn't dare say a whole lot on the flight because of my promise, I was really pretty quiet, but didn't like being alone. I don't remember ever feeling quite so by myself ever in my life! We then loaded another ambulance to make the drive to Primary Childrens. One funny thing that happened was that the driver looked over to me and said, "Hi, I can't believe I'm transporting you again!" He thought he transported me a few weeks ago in Moab. I think I told him he was crazy, but that happens to me all the time. I then asked him a million questions all the way to the hospital, I had to be quiet for so long before that! The nurse stopped and got Abby a stuffed dog too. Next thing I remember we were in a room in the cardiac intensive unit and there were about 10 doctors in her room talking about her condition. They were all taking notes just like on Gray's Anatomy. I think I even corrected them at one point...I'm sure they loved that!

As I'm sitting here trying to remember things, I can't remember now if it was night or day and the correct order of anything that happened next. Everything just blends together. All I know is now Abby is doing okay, and that I really,really need some rest. I think I will post this now and try to clear my head a little before I try this again. So much more has happened, but I want to get it right. Hopefully later things will be more clear.