Ritzwatch
Life's a party and I am the guest of honor.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2023
- Messages
- 4,884
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- 15,059
My dudes (and dudettes), I apologize for the length of this post, but I am not sorry about the content.
Last June, my middle son, my wife and I went on a motorcycle ride in the mountains. My son and I had ridden a couple thousand miles last spring as I built up endurance after my radiation and other treatment for the cooties. (#FCancer). We were outside of Robbinsville, NC, on the way to the Cherohala Skyway when a truck turned in front of us. My son was thrown from his bike, hit in the head by an SUV, and spun under the SUV, severing his leg.
He bled out on the pavement. He died in my arms.
Through circumstances that have only confirmed my faith, hardened it into knowledge, and has me on my knees in thanks, literally or metaphorically every single day, my son is alive.
His journey has been really, really hard. But that young man is so very strong. His will is staggering. His persistence is inspiring. His spirit, indomitable.
This last week, my son laughed at his mother. Three days later, he laughed at me. It hurt him to laugh, but I was so happy. I was so happy because this child, this precious gift of mine, he is not without joy, even though I haven't seen much emotion in 9 months. He is still there. He feels happiness. He feels love. He feels everything a parent wants his child to feel.
Some of my happiest moments have been spent in Knoxville, TN at UT baseball games. I have loved UT baseball for years. I went to Mark Conner's camps in the 80's, Delmonico's games in the early 90's, and I have tried to take my boys to games as they have grown up here in NC.
These last few years, tickets have been tough. Through the gracious generosity of some of the folks on this board, my wife and I have made a couple games.
Sometime these last few months, I can't remember when, I stood in a parking lot at outpatient rehab in ATL and I ordered tickets for myself, my wife, my youngest son, and my middle child to go to the games this Friday and Saturday night at LNS. I have been waiting for this moment a long time.
Y'all. My son. He died in my arms. God had the right people in place who placed a tourniquet on his leg and shocked his body (through pain response) back to life. The ambulance and helicopter pumped his body full of blood and kept him alive. HIs equipment and the surgeons saved his life.
My wife and I, we lost our jobs as we have taken so much time to care for my son. Yet God has provided, abundantly, more than we ever could have expected.
This weekend, I get to take my boy to TN baseball games. There are wheelchair attendees, then there are traumatic brain injury wheelchair attendees. You would be able to tell the difference. My boy is a miracle. And I get to take him to a Tennessee baseball game.
On a board that is often anonymous, I welcome anyone who wants to stop by and meet my child. He is one of the three miracles in my life. I have been blessed to pray for the lives of all three of my boys, (Adoption, wreck&TBI, and Adoption/Pediatric Cancer).
I will be cheering on the Vols and celebrating Life this weekend, win or lose. This site has been a refuge for me for the last few years. I lurked a long time, and I finally signed up when life was really hard and I needed connection with people when other forms of connection were limited by medical necessity. Any of you at LNS for the ballgames, feel free to introduce yourself this weekend, I'd love to meet you. You will know me. I'm the fat one.
Cheers,
RW
Last June, my middle son, my wife and I went on a motorcycle ride in the mountains. My son and I had ridden a couple thousand miles last spring as I built up endurance after my radiation and other treatment for the cooties. (#FCancer). We were outside of Robbinsville, NC, on the way to the Cherohala Skyway when a truck turned in front of us. My son was thrown from his bike, hit in the head by an SUV, and spun under the SUV, severing his leg.
He bled out on the pavement. He died in my arms.
Through circumstances that have only confirmed my faith, hardened it into knowledge, and has me on my knees in thanks, literally or metaphorically every single day, my son is alive.
His journey has been really, really hard. But that young man is so very strong. His will is staggering. His persistence is inspiring. His spirit, indomitable.
This last week, my son laughed at his mother. Three days later, he laughed at me. It hurt him to laugh, but I was so happy. I was so happy because this child, this precious gift of mine, he is not without joy, even though I haven't seen much emotion in 9 months. He is still there. He feels happiness. He feels love. He feels everything a parent wants his child to feel.
Some of my happiest moments have been spent in Knoxville, TN at UT baseball games. I have loved UT baseball for years. I went to Mark Conner's camps in the 80's, Delmonico's games in the early 90's, and I have tried to take my boys to games as they have grown up here in NC.
These last few years, tickets have been tough. Through the gracious generosity of some of the folks on this board, my wife and I have made a couple games.
Sometime these last few months, I can't remember when, I stood in a parking lot at outpatient rehab in ATL and I ordered tickets for myself, my wife, my youngest son, and my middle child to go to the games this Friday and Saturday night at LNS. I have been waiting for this moment a long time.
Y'all. My son. He died in my arms. God had the right people in place who placed a tourniquet on his leg and shocked his body (through pain response) back to life. The ambulance and helicopter pumped his body full of blood and kept him alive. HIs equipment and the surgeons saved his life.
My wife and I, we lost our jobs as we have taken so much time to care for my son. Yet God has provided, abundantly, more than we ever could have expected.
This weekend, I get to take my boy to TN baseball games. There are wheelchair attendees, then there are traumatic brain injury wheelchair attendees. You would be able to tell the difference. My boy is a miracle. And I get to take him to a Tennessee baseball game.
On a board that is often anonymous, I welcome anyone who wants to stop by and meet my child. He is one of the three miracles in my life. I have been blessed to pray for the lives of all three of my boys, (Adoption, wreck&TBI, and Adoption/Pediatric Cancer).
I will be cheering on the Vols and celebrating Life this weekend, win or lose. This site has been a refuge for me for the last few years. I lurked a long time, and I finally signed up when life was really hard and I needed connection with people when other forms of connection were limited by medical necessity. Any of you at LNS for the ballgames, feel free to introduce yourself this weekend, I'd love to meet you. You will know me. I'm the fat one.
Cheers,
RW
Enjoy the games
