The Sledding Accident

We were all going down the small hills for about 45 minutes. Then we all drifted over to the larger hills, one of the sledding trails had a ramp about a foot high. It  had been there for weeks and lots of people had been sledding off of it. The only thing about the ramp, it was set diagonal, so when you hit the ramp you would just catch the side of it and not go very high.

I went down the hill, hit the ramp and just laughed! It was SO much fun! I came back up and J.D. tried to hand me Monty. I said, "Just let me go 1 more time please!!" He agreed. I sat down in my little plastic saucer sled.... My friend Kathy said, "You are crazy!"

My reply, "This will determine how many more babies I have..." and I was off!

My self started to turn and go straight for the middle of the ramp. I got cold chills right as I hit the ramp. I FLEW! I came down and POP! I crumbled over and couldn't breathe. I was in excruciating pain! I can't even begin to explain the severe pain and not being able to breathe. I sat there trying to yell for help, but it came out a whimper because I couldn't breathe.

Back at the top of the hill, J.D. and everyone was "ooh' ing because it looked like it hurt. Finally, Kathy noticed I wasn't moving. She mentioned it to JD. As they watched, J.D. soon started running down the hill. As he got closer he could hear me.

J.D. "What happened! Jenny! What happened! What's wrong!?"

I explained the pop and how I couldn't move or breathe. I tried to roll over and I just screamed. Kathy just started dialing 911. What seemed like forever, the police came and kept asking me questions..

Police: "whats the date today?"

Me with complete and utter disbelief attitude: "Seriously! It's Saturday! Who the heck knows the date on Saturdays! It's something in the teens.....17...16...18...I don't know!"

Police: "We have to ask questions mam. Who is the president of the United States?"

Me: "UUUHHHGGG! Obama! "

Finally the ambulance arrived.

EMT: "Do you want your husband to ride with us?"

Me: "Does it cost more!?"

EMT: "Ummm no we don't charge per passenger."

Me: "Okay fine, whatever. Just get me some meds."

I'm in excruciating pain and I finally get into the ambulance. Okay, for any of those who have ever ridden in an ambulance you can totally agree. SO NOT WORTH how much it costs! So bumpy and for someone with a broken back, I am screaming in pain every time we go over a bump. Luckily enough, it's Glendive...winter...ice chipped roads....therefore there were plenty of bumps. Had I known the the EMT's were actually volunteers and couldn't administer ANY drugs, I would have said "Throw me in the back of the truck."

We finally get to the hospital. I'm rushed in, and they keep asking tons of questions. I repeatedly said, "I need medicine. Please take away the pain. please get me something!"

Ya.... that didn't work for an hour! During that hour they asked me tons of questions, people were in and out, I was rushed to do cat scans and x rays, and they cut all my clothes! For the record, that very day I decided to wear my new garments, my new sweater, my new pants and jacket, and my new bra. All of which were Christmas presents and this was my first time wearing it all. When they got to my bra, with every breath I had, I screamed, "NOOOOO!!" All hands went up. I cried, "Don't cut my bra. It's brand new and my very first Victoria Secret bra that cost so much and makes me feel so confident." lol! not joking at all about that. So needless to say, they did not cut off my bra. :-)

I found out later that my good friend Bethany took the boys to her house. She lives 2 blocks from the hospital. I was told Dawson was bawling and so scared for me. He was so worried, which just broke my heart.

They gave me morphine after morphine after morphine dose. It didn't work. They kept worrying because I was still in so much pain! Finally they gave me Velotted...sp? It worked like a charm, but made me so nauseas. So they came me some zofran (which is was I take for my pregnancy sickness). 

They came in with results explaining I had totally broken my L1 vertebrae and shattered my discs above and below it.

I was to be life flighted to Billings because a piece of the vertebrae chipped towards my spinal cord and was touching it. So we waited for Billings life flight crew for 2 hours. They explained I could be gone for up to 2 weeks. That was it, I finally broke down. I called my mom and told her what had happened. I asked to see my kids, and I got a priesthood blessing. Monty need me and would not let go. This was so sad because I couldn't really hold him. This was so sweet to have him just hug me and be okay. He kept getting fussy, and Kathy took him and found him some food. Of course! He was starving! It was 4 o clock and he hadn't even eaten since 11! Poor kid!

I had my close friend Kathy there the whole time with J.D. She had just walked to the hospital after taking her kids home from sledding. It was an answer to my prayer. I told J.D. I needed Kathy there because I needed to tell her what to do. I immediately knew my kids would be staying with her and no one else. I trusted no one else at the time and knew I could get through my time at the hospital knowing she was watching and caring for the kids. When I told J.D. that I needed Kathy, he walked out to call her and she was right there already. She went with J.D. to go pack the kids' bags, my bag, and a bag for J.D. They came up with a plan to bring J.D. the truck on Tuesday so he could go to his interview on Wednesday. 

By the time the life flight crew got there, our other close friends, The Lighters had shown up. Charles and J.D. gave me a blessing and just sat with me waiting. It was unreal how I got transferred. They put me in a vacuum bag basically. I felt so cozy drugged up and warm. 

They drove me to the airport, and got me in the nicest and most quiet jet ever! However, $21,000 was not worth it. I would have driven to Billings or ridden in a van had I known that cost. J.D. said it was pretty awesome because he got to sit in shotgun. lol! 

I was not allowed to move at all once we got to the Billings hospital. They ordered MRI's and explained I would have surgery in the morning. My nurse in the ER was Austrailian! She was awesome. I was starving and was giving until midnight to eat. They wouldn't let me eat before the MRI's though, so the nausea got worse. I threw up so many times while they tried to get 8 MRI's! I had throw up everywhere and was beyond sick. Finally we finish...at 12:15am. Which meant I couldn't eat. Are you kidding me??? If I don't eat I will get more nauseaus because they kept drugging me up with more pain killer medicine. 

I was wheeled to ICU where J.D. was waiting. I was about to cry because I was so miserable. The nurse in the ICU was amazing. He switched my neck brace and cleaned my hair and neck and face so I could be more comfortable. He got me whatever I needed to not feel nauseous. After everyone left, he said, "I'm a member too" with a smile. It was such a blessing. He helped give me a blessing for surgery. By 9 am, he came in and said, there will be no surgery. The bone had moved! I would only need a brace, which would be fitted that afternoon. I cried again, because it was so strengthening to my testimony. Priesthood power. 

My brace came and I was given another remarkable nurse who stayed with us the entire time and ordered us whatever we needed. He even ordered food for J.D. for free! That afternoon they brought my brace in. I sat up for the first time and they strapped that sucker on....

Oh my word, the most uncomfortable thing, but it felt good to get in a new position. All of the sudden I was puking again! All over and I couldn't bare to sit up any longer. I fell to my bed and laid there all night.

I was finally feeling better and they got my medicine under control. They changed it to a lower dose of Fentenal...sp? With a combo of zofran. I started to feel much better, and I was able to get out of ICU. When they went to switch me into a new bed, I said, "I want to stand up please! I'm dying laying down." The doctor explained I was not to stand up for 5 days, BUT my nurse let me when I got to my new room out of the ICU. 

I was on top of the world! New goal: I had to stand, walk the halls 3 times, shower myself, dress myself, go up and down stairs, and not throw up in order to leave the hospital.

Things were looking up! You couldn't keep me down. I was going to do everything so J.D. could go to his interview and I could head back to Glendive. But by Monday night I was feeling down. I couldn't go anymore. I couldn't finish everything they needed me to. I was so tired and hurting so bad. I had done everything, but I didn't know if they would let me go because they could see I wasn't doing good that night. 

I walked and walked, and was in so much pain, but I did it! The doctor was in disbelief. People asked, "Are you sure you broke your back?" That evening J.D. walked out of the room and said he'd be right back... Guess who came back!!??

Yep! My brother Matt! It gave me so much confidence and totally turned my attitude around! Heavenly Father sent me another angel and that's what I needed. The next day I did everything I had to again! The doctor said, "There is nothing else we can do for you... so we are discharging you today." WHOOOHOOO! I did it! 

Kathy and Marge came to get me, drove 2 vehicles, our truck and their car. J.D. hopped in the truck drove to Utah for his interview the next day and I went back to Glendive. The priesthood is amazing and I'm so grateful for all the prayers and worthy priesthood holders who helped give me a blessing. I'm so grateful for family and friends who helped me the next 6 weeks. Me being able to walk and be doing so well is truly and absolutely 100% a miracle.