Every week I try to get Kevin to write the blog for me, 213 blog posts in and he still hasn't taken me up on it. Even this week when basically the blog is all about him, he won't do it. And so you get me again, and hopefully an accurate second hand account of what went down last Monday morning.
We drove down to Utah last Sunday for a little family vacay. Ailee said, "It's a happy day!" When we were leaving the house. We didn't have too much planned, we were going to visit some friends, spend time with family. Kevin was planning on going skiing one day with his friends. Him and his friends talked a bit about going Midnight riding like they did back in the good old days. When there was a full moon they would go up to Powder Mountain ski resort. The resort was closed but the full moon on the snow would be bright enough for them to see. Someone would drive them to the top, they would ski down and get picked up at the bottom. Not the most legal thing, or safe thing but there are worse things they could do.
So we got to Kevin's parents in the early evening and visited for a while. 11pm rolled around and Kevin informed us that it was happening; they were going for a Midnight Ride. He got all his gear ready and as he's leaving I tell him to "Be safe. Don't die. But if you gotta go go quick!" (Yes I really said this).
So I went to bed. I woke up around 2 and they weren't back but I didn't think much of it and assumed they'd be back soon so I went back to bed. I woke up a little after 5 and was a little worried that they weren't home. I called Kevin, no answer. I texted Kevin, no reply. I tossed and turned and fretted a bit but knew he was with his friends, and they probably all four wouldn't be hurt/dead, and if they were, I would've heard by now. They probably went to get some food, watch a movie at someones house, or play Gnip Gnop [backwards ping pong], because lets be honest, Kevin and his friends are overgrown boys and always stay up ridiculously late reminiscing about Dave's punk rock band, Abazabas, and bonfires. And so I said a little prayer and fell back asleep.
I got woken up to my phone ringing a little after 6. Jordan was on the phone.
J-"So just thought I'd call, we kind of broke your husband?"
Me-"What?"(still half asleep)
J- "Yeah we kind of broke your husband, he's in the ambulance, and were following him to the hospital."
Me-"Are you teasing me?" I thought maybe Kevin had told them about my smart comment right before he left and they were punking me.
J-"Nope not teasing. He hurt his hip. And ski patrol had to come get him off the mountain."
Me-"Are you kidding me?" Now I'm a bit flustered, worried, stressed.
J-"Nope. He's ok though, we were hanging out and talking to him while we waited."
Me-"When did this happen?
J-"The first run of the night?"
Me-"Are you kidding me? So you've been on the mountain all night??"
So basically this is all I know as I head to the hospital. I'm worrying that maybe he's bleeding internally, that he has frostbite or hypothermia. You name it, I'm thinking it.
They told me what happened...
Kevin, Greg and Jordan took off down the hill. Greg had a headlamp and was skiing a ways in front of Kevin. Kevin hit a big dip with his left leg. The sudden drop made his hip pop, his ski fell off, but he skied out of it and stopped to go back and get his ski. He went to put weight on the leg that popped and quickly realized he wasn't able to stand on it. Luckily Jordan and Greg saw that he was stopped so they yelled up to Kevin if he was ok. "No," Kevin said, "I hurt my hip." His friends hiked up to him.
Dave was driving the car, and saw that they were all stopped on the mountain. They had radios, Dave radioed to see what was up. When he saw they needed help he drove around to see if he could find a snow cat, or someone on the mountain to come help them. Dave ended up parking at the top and skied down with extra supplies, some boots, coats, snacks and waters.
They were feeling a bit nervous at one point and they decided to say a prayer. Jordan said it, and they all said that they felt comforted after and knew it would all be ok.
They tried a few methods to get him off the mountain. Greg had skins for his skis, so Greg attempted to piggy back Kevin out, but it was too painful. They tried to make a sled out of Dave's snowboard, and drag him down the mountain, but it was hard for Kevin to stay on the board. They tried to make a stretcher with a couple coats stretched over the skis, which actually worked ok, but the snow was too deep for his friends to hike him out.
They quickly realized they were going to need help. Luckily they had cell service and they were able to call 911.
The ambulance showed up 30-40 minutes after they called. Greg had hiked up to meet them at the car and give them the low down.
The paramedics didn't have anyway to get down to them so they contacted the powder mountain ski patrol. The paramedics kept tabs on Kevin via radio.
They waited a while for ski patrol to get there. They had to round them up, then they had to drive up from Ogden and get all their gear together to go get him.
The boys kept Kevin warm. They piled up bags and coats on him, would move around a bit and then come and huddle back (spoon) by Kevin. They even rubbed his foot on his hurt leg and helped him get situated so he could go to the bathroom. (They laughed and teased each other about these things later at the hospital. But really I'm so grateful they kept him warm) Kevin said he wasn't ever really cold. Right at first his hands felt cold and he felt a little light headed. He said he wasn't in much pain either. They thought that maybe he'd dislocated his leg or something.
The ski patrol finally got down to him close to 5. They checked Kevin out, put him in a toboggan and skied him down the hill. There were maybe four or five ski patrol guys and Kevin said they were surprisingly pretty cool, considering they got drug out of bed to come rescue him off the mountain. Kevin was also impressed with how smooth the ride down was, they slowed down in a few places to navigate. He was cinched down in the sled and completely covered up so he couldn't really see anything. He said he was a little claustrophobic and had to chill himself out a bit. But he survived.
The ambulance had gotten stuck at the top of the hill and a sheriff truck came and pulled it out. The ambulance met Kevin at the bottom of the hill, loaded him up and took him to the hospital where he met up with me. His friends gave him a blessing while we waited.
They told him he'd need surgery, and got him up to the OR and all prepped pretty quick. We met up with the doctor. Kevin actually went to high school with his younger brother. He told us there is a pretty vital vein right in that area that usually gets broken with that kind of break. He said that there would be three possible outcomes.
1. The bone would heal and the little blood vessels in that area would step up and supply enough blood to the bone and he would go on living a normal life.
2. The bone would heal but 6 months down the road or so the bone wouldn't be getting enough blood and the bone will start to deteriorate and Kevin will have to get a hip replacement.
3. The bone won't heal and he will have to get a hip replacement.
So that was a little scary.
But Kevin went in to surgery. I waited forever 2.5 hours tip he was done with surgery. Luckily the first things I saw when I pulled up my phone was some reminders that the Lord is aware of us and our needs and struggles.
Alma 26:27- "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us... and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success."
The doctor was really pleased with how it went back together. He said he couldn't have lined it up any better and that it kind of just sucked right back down into place. Kevin now has four 4 inch pins in his leg! Yikes!
Alma 26:27- "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us... and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success."
The doctor was really pleased with how it went back together. He said he couldn't have lined it up any better and that it kind of just sucked right back down into place. Kevin now has four 4 inch pins in his leg! Yikes!
Kevin stayed two nights in the hospital. Kevin's parents watched the kids a lot so I was able to go be with him. Calum was pretty concerned about Kevin. When I came home that night after his surgery, Calum asked me, "Is dad tru (through)? Is he ok?" They were really excited to go visit him.
We loved all the visitors. We definitely felt very loved and blessed.
We loved all the visitors. We definitely felt very loved and blessed.
We were glad when Kevin could finally scoot out of the hospital and back to the real world. Glad Kevin is 33 and not 80, because he's able to get around pretty easy with his ripped upper body and all :) His pain hasn't been too bad, he's just been taking Tylenol, but he does have to give himself blood thinning shots in the stomach twice a day. Which is terrible, for me, he doesn't mind to much. Haha. But that doesn't gross me out as bad as his two giant, five inch incisions that make me squirm every time I see them. He did get his staples out yesterday, so he is no longer Frankenstein.
Calum says, "Hi Miles Bud." And he also would not quit saying, "Dude," when he was playing with his cousins. Haha.
We sure miss our Foulger friends.
Future homies
These two are two weeks apart.
Grandpa was fixing New Years Day brisket. Ailee came in and watched him for a bit then said, "You're making mess!"
Calum had fun sledding, Ailee went down a couple times with me but liked just hanging out better.
These two buddies have been playing better together which is so fun. Calum was so excited because Ailee said "Calum" and not "Tal-o." Ailee's also been really into saying "Actually." She also really likes to wave her magic wand Calum got her at the dollar store, say, "Ba Ba Doo (Bippity bop pity boo)" and "fix" dads leg. "It's all better," she says.
My parents were down at my sisters near Provo so they helped us drive home. My mom rode with me and helped with the kids and Kevin was able to stretch out in my parent back seat. Probably not the most comfortable ride, but again we were so blessed with the help.
We're glad to be home and back on a schedule. Luckily work for Kevin is fairly slow right now so he should be able to do a lot from home the next little bit and then from his office. Blessed. Also Brundage is going to let Kevin have his ski pass for next season (since his season pass was really his only Christmas present. Darn it).
So thats life. Sometimes you break your hip. Now we will keep an eye on it and hope and pray that everything heals so he won't have to have any further surgeries. Don't go skiing at night! And if you do wear one of these.
Not how we pictured starting out the year, but we really are so blessed and i'm sure this year will be as good as the last!
Not how we pictured starting out the year, but we really are so blessed and i'm sure this year will be as good as the last!
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