It's been a year.....

One year ago tonight, our lives changed. I almost lost my husband but God had bigger plans for us. I won't ever forget hearing his voice on the phone, or cutting him out of that piece of equipment. I won't forget his voice saying, "I can't breathe." Or the paramedic saying "Can you hold his arm together?" I won't ever forget thinking that this couldn't possibly be happening again so soon. And that his sister just couldn't go through this. His grandparents wouldn't be able to handle it if he didn't make it. All the thoughts running through my head in a matter of minutes. I wasn't sure what would happen or how badly he was injured. After we got the news that he had a subdural hematoma, 6 broken ribs, a pneumothorax, and broken humerus, radius and ulna, I wasn't sure what to think. They put a chest tube in when he was in the trauma bay and took him into surgery immediately. What in the world would I do?! I had two tiny kids at home. I needed him to be okay! In the end, he was. It wasn't easy. He got infections. He had 6 surgeries total. He spent a grand total of 17 (I think) nights in the hospital. He missed a ton of work. He had a PICC line IV for 6 weeks that he had to give himself (or I had to give him) antibiotics through 3 times a day. I bathed him, and fed him and dressed him. For 2 months I set my alarm clock for every 2 hours to give him meds around the clock. It was like having a newborn baby again. My beautiful and precious little sister moved in and spent every night and day with us for 3 months assisting in care of George and the kids. I wouldn't have made it without her. I think the number one question I've been asked was "how did you do it?" Or a statement, "I couldn't have done that if I were in your shoes." Referring to me cutting George out of the auger. And the truth is I did it because I HAD to. There wasn't another option. And it's really hard to say how one would react until they are actually in a certain situation. All I know is that I ran out in cold, barefoot and saw his arm open and dangling and he said, "I'm getting ready to pass out because I can't breathe, call 911 and cut me out of here. My hunting knife is in the truck." And I did what I had to do, even if Todd at 911 told me not to! (Sorry Todd- LOL) I love my husband more than anything, he's been my bestfriend and partner for 10 years, my friend for 27. I assure you that you would likely get the adrenaline rush to do the same. It has been the hardest year of my life. Ups and downs. There was such an outpouring of love that it made it hard to be sad. I don't think I was ever sad. I was scared sometimes, but I remember the firemen who came in and out giving me hugs and telling me it was going to be okay, and they were right, they made it okay. We owe so much to them. We're still not back to 100% normal. We, or I, still struggle emotionally with it all. I still don't have a job. I don't think our black cloud has left us yet, the medical bills keep rolling in. But I think the most important thing is that we made it. He made it. It's been a year and we're all alive and we're making it.