By the look on his face I could tell that there was something wrong. First for the fact that I was receiving a called at 2:00 clock in the morning. Being told that I had to go to the hospital because there was an accident. The second because it was 9:00 and I still hadn’t heard anything so I was getting nervous. A sweat broke out on my face as he started to walk over. He looked distant but determined at the same time. He took no time getting straight to the point.
Now when I first received the call I thought that it was just Jeremy calling to say that he was staying over a friend’s house but when I found out who it was my mind began to race thinking the worse things possible. After finding out that there had been an accident I immediately jumped out off the bed and got dressed as I told my husband what happen. At first I didn’t want to think that it was to serious so I tried to psych myself into thinking that everything was fine while my gut was telling me otherwise.
“Hello this is Officer Smith speaking I would like to speak to the parent of Jeremy if at all possible.”
“Yes this is his mother how can I help you?”
“Well ma’am I’m sorry to have to tell you but Jeremy has been in an head on collision and we aren’t quite sure what is going to happen. Know what’s going to happen the ambulance has just come to get him.”
“Wait what happen he what is he okay. How did this happen?”
“Ma’am where not sure right now what happen but we do know that right now he is responsive but that might now be for very long. We’re not to sure we’ll have to see ma’am.”
After hearing that I know that I should have been more concerned. But something in me just would not let me go there it would not allow my mind think that something this bad was happen to my baby. He is such a good boy how could this happen to him. He does good in school gets good grades, plays quarterback on the football team and just all around a good kid what could have possible happen this night that was different from all the others. Well I remember thinking that I would find out soon enough, and I did.
As soon as my husband and I walked through the emergency room we saw a tall lanky man standing there in a white coat as though he was looking for someone. Soon I would find out that it was Doctor Maller the doctor for the night that was taking care of Jeremy. As soon as he saw us he walked straight over to us.
“Do you happen to be Mr. and Mrs. Roman?” the doctor questioned.
“Yes. We are how can we help you?” I answered first wanting to get straight to the point.
Well Ma’am I’m Dr. Maller the pediatrics here at the hospital. Since Jeremy has been watching him closely. Its tough and go right now but were going to have to do more tests.”
“So you’re telling me my son was in an accident and you’re still trying to do tests. What is wrong with my baby I want to see him I want to see my baby?”
I was saying this as my husband started to pull me into his arms to comfort me. Pulling me in his arms as I started to cry. This could not be happening this could not happen to my child my baby.
I can remember this moment specifically and only hearing the doctor say softly “I give you to a moment alone. “ He said then immediately walked away. When he came back I was composed enough to talk and he described to me what he thought was going on and that they still weren’t going to do surgery because they didn’t want to make the injuries worse. They needed to do surgery though because there seem to be a problem with his legs and they wanted to go in to see what the problem was. After a couple more hours of waiting it finally seemed like they were going to let us in it seemed as though Jeremy woke up and wanted to see us. As soon as we walked in he sat right up in the bed.
“Hi, Mom and Dad. I know what your thinking but I was just trying to be responsible….” But before he could finish I rushed over to him in that bed and gave him a bigger hug then I have ever given him in his life. And he in return reciprocated. We stood there for a while just holding each other and I thought back to when he was younger and always before bed he would want to give me a hug.
I will never forget what happened after that night because it changed my life forever. After leaving the hospital that night we got another call saying that they were going to do surgery but they just needed consent from us. They also said that we would not have to come back to the hospital though. The next day when we went to the hospital we were relieved to hear that all they had to do was take the glass out of his legs but there was some more serious problems. Before I could ask what the nurse meant Dr. Maller came out.
“Mr. and Mrs. Roman I’m sorry to tell you this but there has been some effects from the car accident that will affect Jeremy for the rest of his life. When Jeremy got out of the surgery and we went to go touch his legs he said that he could not feel our touch. At first we though that it was just temporary but as the hours went by I went back into his room to check again but he still couldn’t feel anything. I think that because of the impact of the other car hitting these boys was so bad that it crushed Jeremy’s legs so he will not be able to walk I’m sorry I had to tell you this since you’ve been through so much I just wanted you to know. I am not saying that it will be permanent because I’m not sure myself we just know that right now he will not be able to walk.”
It is a year later now after the doctor told me this news. Jeremy is doing a lot better right now and he is taking physical therapy to get better so we are still hoping and praying for good results.