What Happened to my Randy

Tuesday June 20th - shortly after I arrived home, I called Randy's cell phone to see where he was at. We were going on week 2 of his new commute from Everett. He was so excited about his new job but neither of us were liking the commute. It had seemed that almost every night so far, when we talked while he was driving home, I could hear sirens in the background and I knew that meant it would be a couple of hours before he would get home.

This night, when Randy's phone was answered, I could hear the normal sirens. I had a fleeting thought of teasing him of how he couldn't stay away from those sirens. But it wasn't Randy's voice on the other end that answered. It was a strange "Hello". I responded with "Who is this?". The voice on the other end paused, and repeated the question back to me, "Who is this?". I asked the question again, but got the same response. I pulled the phone away from me to ensure I had dialed the right number ~ sure enough, it said "Randy" on the caller id. I explained to the man that I was calling my husband and this was his phone. Then I heard the words that no one wants to hear ~ my husband had been in a car accident. I asked if he was okay. Again, there was a pause. Then a "Well, he is breathing. We are taking him to Harborview Medical Center. You better get down there". They tried to ask me some questions about him, I am not sure if I answered. I just remember seeing my daughter's face ~ the panic, the fear. I remember trying to reassure her that he was going to be fine, and then I left her at the neighbors house as one of the neighbors took me to the hospital.

What I have learned of what happened (I don't have the witness statements yet, just second hand information): Randy was sitting at a complete stop in the far right-hand lane of I-5. The lane to him was also stopped and in that lane, there wasn't a car right next to him, but a little bit back from from where he was at. Someone driving a Ford Taurus came up in that lane doing approximately 60 mph. The Taurus couldn't stop in time to not hit the car in the lane next to Randy so the Taurus went into the HOV lane. In the HOV lane was a boxed truck (a service truck). The Taurus clipped the backend of the car in the lane next to Randy, then hit the boxed truck in the HOV lane. The boxed truck hit the median, lost control, and hit Randy right in the driver's side door right where Randy was sitting. Randy was unresponsive whenthe paramedics got there. They had to cut the top of the car off to get him out.

Randy's injuries and what has happened after: He had a decompressed skull and a collapsed lung. The night of the accident they did surgery to mend the decompressed skull (they put a plate in to fix it). He seemed to come through the surgery quite well. He has had some swelling, but that is typical of the injury. Right after the surgery, he had a breathing tube and some tubes coming out of his side for his collapsed lung. Over the last few days, he has been able to get rid of both of those. His lungs seems to be doing well and he is breathing on his own with just a bit of oxygen being provided.

He does have what is called brain shears. It is caused by the brain being shaken up, essentially. What is entails is basically, the brain is sending messages to the body and the body is getting mixed signals ~ it isn't getting the right signals. He moves his arm and leg around (currently just his right side ~ he isn't really moving his left and we don't know why yet), his heart rate goes way up, he sweats more than I have seen anyone sweat before, and sometimes he moans. These episodes take up so much of his energy that his body isn't able to get the rest it needs to heal so they are currently trying to control these episodes with medications. When I left the hospital tonight, he was resting very well, so it seems the meds are starting to do their thing.

Everyone at the hospital has really tried to stress to me that these type of injuries take time to heal. They have said it over and over again. In my mind, though, I see him waking up next week. They told me tonight that it might be days, weeks or months before Randy wakes up. We won't know the full effects of the head inury until Randy wakes up. Some have tried to prepare me, telling me he might have amnesia and not remember anyone or anything, he might not be able to talk, his personality might be different. The fact is, they don't know and won't know until he wakes up to show up what is going on in his brain.

So many people from Randy's work have come by to visit and have said such wonderful things about him. I can't even begin to express how much this means to me. I know Randy is a brilliant and a great man, but it feels so good to hear others talk about him and what he means to them.

Right now I am taking things one minute at a time. He is the person that balances me out. Being without him, I feel lost. I want to trade places with him.

I want to thank all of those who have included Randy in their prayers. My pastor told me that there is going to be a miracle. That is what is currently keeping me going ~ the belief that God is going to show his power and his love and his grace through the healing of Randy.