Today is the second anniversary of Taylor's accident. It will pass without too much fanfare, but the past two years will certainly be on our minds all day.
There is an awful lot we've all learned in the past 2 year.s We learned that miracles DO happen. There were several instances where if things had gone the other way, the outcome would likely be very different - in a really bad way. If Connell Waldron hadn't caught a glimpse of the reflector on Taylor's car, he'd have no reason to stop and find Taylor on the side of the road. Other cars had passed without seeing Taylor's wrecked car. Initially, the helicopter pilot reported the fog was too bad for him to fly. Had he not decided 10 minutes later to make a run for it, the delay in getting Taylor to the hospital by ambulance may have changed the outcome. There are two examples that happened just in the first 30 minutes.
There are several other potential "life or death" situations that came up and each time it went in Taylor's favor. We have no doubt that these events weren't a series of odd coincidences, but that God had responded to the many prayers said for Taylor by friends and family all around the country. He was on prayer lists at churches in places we had never heard of.
Also tying for one of the top spots on the "Things We Learned" list are those in the medical profession who cared for Taylor. They not only kept him alive and helped him get better, but they comforted us and gave us hope at times when we were really scared of what the next hour may bring. They took care of Taylor like he was their own. They are people that you hope you never have to deal with professionally, but once you spend as much time with them as we did you recognize what amazing people they all are.
We learned what a huge difference friends can make at a time like that. We had friends that put parts of their lives on hold to help guide us through the nightmare we were living. Just having friends with us was a huge comfort. And, we REALLY needed comforting. During the critical times, everything would have been so much harder for us had our friends not been there to do all they did. Both our friends and Taylor's friends taught us a valuable lesson about friendship, and how important it is to be there at a time like that. So many did so much for us. We hope nothing ever happens to any of our friends families like what we experienced, but if it does we've learned just what to do to help make their lives a little more comfortable.
One of the more depressing things we learned is what happens to some patients who are in the situation Taylor was in. We heard stories from Nurses about patients - including children - who are hospitalized with life threatening injuries but the parents were not bedside. They'd check in after work sometimes, but there were days when they didn't do that. There was one man at the brain injury rehabilitation center where Taylor lived for 3 months who suffered a brain injury after being the victim of a crime. It wasn't long before I noticed this man never had any visitors. The Nurse told me he was from Miami, had a wife and kids, but no one had been to see him in the 10 months he had been there. It was apparent that this man would not likely be able to live on his own again, and will probably spend the rest of his life in a facility of some sort. How sad that all it took was an injury for his family to abandon him.
Taylor's mother and I have been in professions for the past 30+ years that caused us to meet other parents who lost a child or had one critically injured. We talked on occasion about those families, how how incredibly difficult it must have been for them. We had no idea until March 1, 2007 just how difficult it really is. It was much worse than I ever imagined. But, at least we got to bring Taylor home and many were not as fortunate.
It has, of course, been the most difficult for Taylor. I know he'd like his hearing and vision back to the way it was, to be able to throw a ball or run around the block. Although he doesn't say so, the facial paralysis certainly bothers him. But through it all he has shown determination and strength beyond anything I've ever seen before. He has accepted that the upcoming surgeries may not work, and there may not be any more improvements. He's ok with that. He said he doesn't worry about those things because "There is nothing I can do to change it".
The past 2 years have changed all of us in a lot of ways. Taylor has recognized he was given a second chance and he's taking advantage of it. School is now his top priority and his GPA proves it. He got about as close to death as one can get and still make it back in good shape.
While we realize that today could be the last day on earth for any member of our family, it's much more of a reality to us than it was before. So it's particularly painful for us to hear of families that have troubles, where kids are "kicked out" of their homes or tensions develop to the point that some family members don't speak to one another. Had they been along with us for the past 2 years, they'd quickly realize that there is nothing - or should be nothing - so important that it should ever interfere with family. And, they'd probably realize just how petty the issues that caused the problem really are. This event has certainly created even a stronger bond in our family.
There are several other potential "life or death" situations that came up and each time it went in Taylor's favor. We have no doubt that these events weren't a series of odd coincidences, but that God had responded to the many prayers said for Taylor by friends and family all around the country. He was on prayer lists at churches in places we had never heard of.
Also tying for one of the top spots on the "Things We Learned" list are those in the medical profession who cared for Taylor. They not only kept him alive and helped him get better, but they comforted us and gave us hope at times when we were really scared of what the next hour may bring. They took care of Taylor like he was their own. They are people that you hope you never have to deal with professionally, but once you spend as much time with them as we did you recognize what amazing people they all are.
We learned what a huge difference friends can make at a time like that. We had friends that put parts of their lives on hold to help guide us through the nightmare we were living. Just having friends with us was a huge comfort. And, we REALLY needed comforting. During the critical times, everything would have been so much harder for us had our friends not been there to do all they did. Both our friends and Taylor's friends taught us a valuable lesson about friendship, and how important it is to be there at a time like that. So many did so much for us. We hope nothing ever happens to any of our friends families like what we experienced, but if it does we've learned just what to do to help make their lives a little more comfortable.
One of the more depressing things we learned is what happens to some patients who are in the situation Taylor was in. We heard stories from Nurses about patients - including children - who are hospitalized with life threatening injuries but the parents were not bedside. They'd check in after work sometimes, but there were days when they didn't do that. There was one man at the brain injury rehabilitation center where Taylor lived for 3 months who suffered a brain injury after being the victim of a crime. It wasn't long before I noticed this man never had any visitors. The Nurse told me he was from Miami, had a wife and kids, but no one had been to see him in the 10 months he had been there. It was apparent that this man would not likely be able to live on his own again, and will probably spend the rest of his life in a facility of some sort. How sad that all it took was an injury for his family to abandon him.
Taylor's mother and I have been in professions for the past 30+ years that caused us to meet other parents who lost a child or had one critically injured. We talked on occasion about those families, how how incredibly difficult it must have been for them. We had no idea until March 1, 2007 just how difficult it really is. It was much worse than I ever imagined. But, at least we got to bring Taylor home and many were not as fortunate.
It has, of course, been the most difficult for Taylor. I know he'd like his hearing and vision back to the way it was, to be able to throw a ball or run around the block. Although he doesn't say so, the facial paralysis certainly bothers him. But through it all he has shown determination and strength beyond anything I've ever seen before. He has accepted that the upcoming surgeries may not work, and there may not be any more improvements. He's ok with that. He said he doesn't worry about those things because "There is nothing I can do to change it".
The past 2 years have changed all of us in a lot of ways. Taylor has recognized he was given a second chance and he's taking advantage of it. School is now his top priority and his GPA proves it. He got about as close to death as one can get and still make it back in good shape.
While we realize that today could be the last day on earth for any member of our family, it's much more of a reality to us than it was before. So it's particularly painful for us to hear of families that have troubles, where kids are "kicked out" of their homes or tensions develop to the point that some family members don't speak to one another. Had they been along with us for the past 2 years, they'd quickly realize that there is nothing - or should be nothing - so important that it should ever interfere with family. And, they'd probably realize just how petty the issues that caused the problem really are. This event has certainly created even a stronger bond in our family.
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