Friday
Jul172009
The Cement Roof
Friday, July 17, 2009 at 2:30PM The sound of rotor blades humming in a thunderous roar…
A standard length stretcher is carefully, yet swiftly, pulled from the helicopter with flight nurses ducking their heads and holding the hair out of their faces from the fierce winds forced downward and swirling around.
Ten stories high on the rooftop - the cement landing pad is blood red.
On top of that stretcher, guarded by Him, kept safe by people I'll never thank or get the honor to meet, is a small plastic box.
In that clear container, lay my day old son - hooked to an incubator, fighting for his life.
I am still 2 hours away and fighting to get to him.
On that building, ten stories high, on that red cement, with chopper blades slicing the frigid December winds sat my son....
Until last night, I'd never been able to picture this part of Chase's story, but while getting driving directions using a satellite map for a trip to Birmingham, a bright red square with a bold white cross caught my eye.
Overwhelmed with emotion, that now small tear in my heart burned for a minute and I cried. The cross sparked a memory of the same cross I wear around my neck. I clasp my hands tightly, pulled them close to my wet, salty face and prayed. I thanked Him for the boys - for Chase's treatments, doctors, nurses and loving support and for the reminder of how much I have to be thankful for.
I remembered that cold December morning on the roof top, 10 stories high, that I never got to see.
Reader Comments (5)
Wow. Thanks for sharing that. It inspires me to go read your archives... :)
Have a great weekend!
stop it! pregnant hormones, cry baby, mother of premie here!!!! geeze... gotta go re-wash my face now... ;-)
I can't imagine going throught that. I read Chase's story and was moved. I was unable to find part 2 in your achrives. I would love to read part 2 can you please link to it? Thanks.
I love you even more for this post Amanda!! Such a surreal feeling. and you describe it so well. Thanks for sharing. I dont know if I could EVER put those feelings into words.
Siera - Sadly there is no Part 2. Those 8 days were full of craziness and multiple procedures and ups and downs. The months following his discharged, we dealt with a newborn that screamed from chronic, massive headaches due to the pressure in his brain.
I do need to write it all on here... I've just never done it.
There is one update blog called "an update you deserve" - I think it's sometime around April, May, June ish of 2008.