{Our little Angel}

What a week! What started out as an amazing Sunday, Seth & I both teaching lessons, Mason being so good in church turned into a not so good day for Aiden. My sweet baby boy had an accident and frankly scared all of us to death. I can say one thing... my Aiden is a trooper and when you think you love your kids as much as you could love them something happens to show you just how much you love them. Although I wish we wouldn't have had this experience I am beyond grateful for the love, support and strength we have felt from our families and especially our Savior. While I was teaching RS the last hour of church my husband was changing Aiden's diaper in the men's restroom. It was a blow-out so he was juggling trying to keep Aiden from laying in it even more and get the explosion diaper off the counter before aiden could grab it, as he turned to throw it away our quick little man fell off the changing table... Seth turned just in time to see him hit the tile. I got done teaching less then 5 mins later and I walk out to see my husband as pale as can be. I didn't know what happened, Seth had calmed him down before I walked out and Aiden was now it was just very slow, tired and Seth was sweating.

Seth pulled me to the side and  told me what happened. We kept Aiden awake and rushed him home. We called the doctor immediately. As we were on the phone with the doctor Aiden slowly came back to smiling, giggling and eating. We went through a series of questions with the doctor and did exactly what they instructed: felt his head, pupil test, following fingers, etc. Since he was seeming completely normal they just told us to watch him very careful for any signs and to wake him up every half hour to hour during nap and at night to make sure he was aware and could make contact. We did. The next morning he seemed to be as normal as could be. He ate great, laughed, crawled and was attacking his brother. A very good family friend stopped by to see the boys and as we were playing in the boys room I noticed Aiden's head looked lopsided. I thought it was his hair being puffy so I went to smooth it down and my hand ran across a texture that made my heart stop. Swelling, Mush! I freaked out. My heart dropped, I knew something was wrong. My poor friend tried to calm me down and explained it was probably just swelling (I’m so glad she didn't panic cause I was doing enough for us both) however I knew it wasn't swelling, i could feel it in my bones.

We quickly loaded the boys and I called seth on my way to tell him I was dropping Mason off at his shop so I could take Aiden in immediately. The pediatrician said that it was a very good sign that he was acting so good but that his head was not so good. He set up an emergency ct scan at the hospital, he explained what would happen and the best case and worst case scenarios to prepare for. I went back down the street to Seth's shop and updated him. We couldn't get a hold of Seth's sister who lives right there to see if she could take Mason while we went to get the scan done, so seth just wanted to take him with us but something told me that wasn't a good idea and to get him taken care of. An amazing family friend Lisa who lives right there in Provo took him last minute without hesitation and said he'd be fine for however long it took.

I knew what was happening around me but because he was acting so good it was hard to really have it sink in, especially to the point of what was really happening. So although I was not totally panicking just yet something inside of me must have known because I felt myself preparing. I got in robot mode, went numb and just started to act quickly on what needed to be done... I dropped Mason off, picked Seth back up and we went the hospital for our scheduled time of the CT scan. This is where the endless hours started. For a child to be sedated they need to not have eaten for 6 hours because of the risk of them throwing up while their under, but said they are exceptions where they take this risk when it's an emergency. She then said this was a case where we would need to risk it. My heart sunk a little deeper. She gave us a load of information. I tried to digest all I could. Aiden started to act a little different, sleepy and very hungry (it had be 6 hours since feeding but of course we couldn't feed him right before his scan) they started to put him under and he fought it and fought it. The doctor tried to help the sedation by coaxing him to sleep and just when he looked 'out' he would spring back crying. She watched the timer and said "5 mins in, 7 mins is the golden minute.. i never lose." More minutes passed, to where I knew we were past the 7 mins and he was still fighting it. I see her nod to the assistant to give him more... the next few minutes got scary. I saw a ting of panic in her eyes as they quickly got he oxygen out and elevated him. "I then heard the doctor say do you need some juice? "Are you okay?" I turn to see Seth completely pale and fall his way into a chair trying to stay aware. It dawned on me... Aiden had stopped breathing. Then would start again. Then would stop. Not my favorite game.

They got him stabilized and completely under. I gave him a kiss and they took him into the scan. I saw the guilt and worry on my sweet husbands face as he whispered "i'm so sorry" My numbness went away and I felt where we were and what was happening. I just sat on Seth lap and we cried together. They were out pretty quick and wheeled him back into the room. The nurse stayed with us but the doctor started making calls and wouldn't really talk to us. I became nervous and asked the nurse when the results would come and she said "they have the results." The wind whirl begun. She came in and explained he had two fractures in his skull and there were bleeding in two different place. Even though my heart couldn't possibly sink lower, it did. She said they were sending it to Primary's for a neuro surgeon to look at and they would make a plan from there.

The next two hours we tried to coax him out of his sedation, which was so very sad to watch. He was not happy. Phone calls were made, people came in and out, things were being signed and then I heard the nurse ask, "... going home?" and the doctor shook her head "No. He's going to Primary's" She then came in with her happy presence replaced with a serious yet calm demeanor. She explained that the bleeding inside, under the large fracture was something that needed to be watched and needed to have a nuero surgeon close by for, so they need him to get to Primary's right away.

All I could hear was the pediatrician's "...worst case scenario" playing out right before me. She gave us loads of information and told us to take a deep breath. I saw the worry on my husbands face and felt my heart break at the reality of what was going on. I went out to the hallway and broke down. I have never been so scared. ever. I thought of my sweet little boy and his broken head and I lost it. I prayed and prayed hard, right there in the hallway. I called my mom because even at 25 next to my husband she is who I need. I called Cookie and my mother-in-law and updated them as best I could. I began to arrange for Mason to be taken care of and without hesitation my family filled in all the gaps with him: him being picked up, fed, clothes (because I had come so unprepared), etc. I went back in and waited with Seth. They came in with the plan and because Aiden's blood pressure wasn't something they were comfortable with they had a life flight team come from SLC to pick him up via ambulance. Aiden was now awake and very hungry. The sweet doctor brought in stuffed animals, any musical toy she could find and bubbles, between all of us we danced around and blew bubbles to make him happy until the team got there to transport him. Even through hunger, sedation and I'm sure headache he still would smile through his tears and be the sweet aiden we know.

We got to primary’s and the trauma team was waiting. Aiden saw all the pretty doctor's and broke out in the biggest sleepy grin and started charming them. I heard the life flight team laugh and say don't let him fool you, he's got a broken head! I laughed and then thought.. he fooled me. I stayed home on Sunday because he fooled me! An immense amount of 'bad mother' feelings swept over me. I know they told me it manifested late and that they might have not seen anything on Sunday had I brought him in, I still felt like I should have known!!!! They were all so so so good to him. The life flight team stayed around just to make sure he was in good hands. The doctors from the other hospital sent him with stuff animals, bubbles and everything they had. The trauma doc's were a little more intimidating as they asked us how and why he fell. I guess that's good because for some unfathomable reason this scene isn't always an accident!

We were admitted and taken upstairs to Aiden's room. He was all sorts of hooked up but he didn't seem to mind, just something else for him to chew on. Everyone around him couldn't believe how good he was being. I don't know how many times I heard "his behavior does not match his injury!" That's my boy! He's so amazing and sweet. I thanked the Lord over and over that although a serious injury that he didn't seem to be in pain. What a blessing. I don't know what I would have done if he felt the injury he had. We were blessed with AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING nurse's that calmed us down when bad news would come in from a test and did anything to make Aiden smile. His first night's nurse even came back the next night when she wasn't over him just to help with his bath.

Utah Valley Regional Hospital and Primary's are incredible places and staffed in a way that made our experience what it was. Aiden was checked on nearly every two hours during the night and monitored during the day. They did 25 x rays Tuesday and then another CT Scan Wednesday morning which showed his bleeding had stopped!!!!!! It was long, long nights in the hospital sleeping in a chair.  However hearing his bleeding had stopped made that and everything just lift off my shoulders!!! I cannot tell you how good that news was. For three days all we got was bad news. It seemed to get worse with every test we took however family rallied, friends came together, even my in-laws family's showed up in a huge way and prayed and fasted to where we felt the strength every moment we were in there. When I would pray I felt the strength of prayers going in that same direction. And it worked, good news came at last!!!

I was and am so emotional when I think of the many people who stood behind us during this time for Aiden. I don't think Seth and I have ever felt so loved. My sweet mom drove up in the middle of the night that first night and stayed with us for hours on end. She was so needed and such a comfort to Aiden. My sisters & Cookie all showed up with toys for Aiden and treats for us. They held him, kissed him and entertained him. Seth's aunt drove down for Ogden just to check on him... texts from my sweet sister-in-law in Texas and from family, friends and our ward came just about every hour. The support was unreal!!! Those few days were one of the most scary and hard things we have ever been through. However the Lord was with us every moment, we felt his love encircle us. My husband was a rock and never left Aidens side. I held my sweet baby boy all through the night just watching him. Seth and I pulled together and the love within our little family swelled ten fold!

Discharge was an amazing feeling because that meant he was doing okay enough to go home but also so scary for me to think of him not being watched by doctors all the time. Mixed emotions leaving to say the least! He will have a 4-6 weeks recovery. He is sleeping a TON now because he was so wired in the hospital and slept as little as we did so I think he's just making up for it. His bleeding has stopped and already started to go away which is awsome, awsome, awsome!

We go back in a week to do another CT Scan just to make sure the swelling is going in the direction, which it's already gone way down.  So I think we're headed in the right direction! He's a champ! To say we love him is not nearly enough description on how we feel about our little Aiden. He is the center of our hearts and are so grateful he's okay. The people who stepped up, called us every hour, already brought us dinners, taken care of Mason, prayed on Aiden's behalf you will NEVER know how much we thank you! We firmly believe prayers brought him home! We love you endlessly for your love for our family!

We know how blessed we are to be home and for Aiden to be okay. We saw so many other families and children there that were much worse off than our sweet Aiden. I found myself sharing Aiden's get well prayers with them. I could not imagine some of the things those families are facing. We are so blessed and my heart and prayers continue to go out to Aiden's little nieghbor that didn't seem to be doing so well and all the other children we saw there.
We wish you the same strength we felt and prayers are still coming your way! 

"what's all the fuss about?"

 (yes, i look like death in all these pictures but hey what can ya do?)

 My sweet boy and his swollen head. It was hard to get a picture of what it really looked like

 no, not mad, just running on 1 hour of sleep in 48 hours

GOING HOME!