My Baby Girl - Part 3

By: J. Suzette Frick

    It's time to go back home to Paducah. I felt so comforted as professionals in the medical field touched base and assessed Allie's condition before releasing her from Vanderbilt. I was comforted that the ambulance would be taking good care of her transporting her from Vandy to Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, for rehabilitation.

    Allie got checked into Lourdes and one of the first things they did was roll a large scale into her room at Lourdes wanting to see how much Allie weighed. She got up on the scales and was so disappointed that even after losing an arm she had not lost any weight! I could not believe the humor coming out of her mouth at such an early stage in her traumatic event. From that day on she has made us laugh!

My Baby Girl - Part 2

    By: J. Suzette Frick

    I arrive in Nashville, turning right onto Medical Center Circle.  Vanderbilt Trauma Center is on the right and I pull into a very large parking garage on the left, East Parking Garage.  Valet service takes over immediately so I can walk across to the Trauma Center.  I walk in and tell the receptionist why I am here and need direction.  She sends me to the 10th floor and I am greeted by an assistant who becomes familiar with the case and relays the status of what is going on with Allie.  There are two general waiting rooms on the 10th floor and I am directed to a private room with windows all around and a very large thick door.  When I arrive, Allie's dad and wife are there also.  The assistant comes in and explains that she has good vitals and that an intern to the emergency doctor will be in soon to discuss what is going to take place and Allie's overall condition.  I am scared to death!  She brings juice and water.   The young intern appears, shuts the door and tell us that they are not going to be able to save Allie's left arm and probably have to take most of her shoulder.  I scream!  I move to the trash can and really want to throw up!  I fall to the floor and scream and cry as I am curled up in ball.  I cannot fathom what is about to take place. It' unbelievable....a nightmare!  How could this happen to sweet Allie?  I was so alone....I traveled to Nashville on occasion for the weekends for fun; but never thought I would be coming to Nashville to experience this.  Later, the doctor comes in and says that there is so much nerve damage that he will not be able to save her arm and again verifies he may have to take her shoulder. He further explains that he normally does not go to the emergency room he stays in surgery.  In this case he felt compelled to go see Allie before he received her in surgery.  Miraculously the artery in her left shoulder had sealed itself off and wanted to insure that it stayed sealed.

My Baby Girl - Part 1

 By: J. Suzette Frick

 "What I want from you is your true thanks; I want your promises fulfilled. I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you, and you can give me glory." Psalms 50:15

     It’s around 8:30, November 15, 2012, and I am sitting at my desk in front of a wonderful couple who have been clients for several years.  Sara, my assistant, comes down the hall to my doorway and says, “Suzette, Allie has been in a very bad wreck.”  I froze with a fear that completely numbed my entire body.  I looked down at my cell and saw that I had a missed call and voice mail  from Allie; my baby girl. I thought, thank goodness, she can at least call me. I listened to the message and it wasn’t Allie. It was a young man who was passing by the accident telling me who he was and that my daughter had been in a very bad wreck. I called Allie’s father and he said he had also arrived at the scene and it looked as if her arm and elbow was really messed up and she was being airlifted to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, TN. 

    Sara took over my client meeting and I started gathering my things. It dawned on me to open my computer before I left the office and request prayer from my Face Book friends. I felt this would be a great way to have many people praying immediately.  It was amazing how the word spread.  All the sudden, I did not feel alone. 

     I left the office and went home to pack a few clothes. Hurriedly, I packed; not knowing exactly what I might need. I drove myself to Nashville with friends calling me along the way to check on me and offer help. I drove in a daze with tears streaming.  As I drove, I kept thinking, I bet they had to take her to Nashville to see an orthopedic surgeon if her elbow is in really bad condition.  Possibly, no doctor was available in the Paducah area at that time.  I tried to stay very positive, even though I knew I was driving to the Vanderbilt Trauma Center.  

                                           To be continued... 

From my Mothers Eyes

    Hey everyone I was talking with my mom Sunday after church about ideas for my blog. If you all would bare with me I have been trying to figure out ways to organize this blog. I would like to introduce my mother onto my site and have a parents point of view of the struggles they faced and what they went through when a child is hurting. I am not a parent therefore I do not know a mother and fathers love. Parents always wish they could take their child's place when their child is hurt in order to take their pain away. After my accident my parents did as well, although I made a joke with mom I am glad it was me that got hurt and not you. She has never done well with pain and we always joke about it. :)