Eleven months ago yesterday my kitchen was torn apart, cleaning behind the stove, scrubbing walls and cabinets when I realized it was time to pick Aiden up from school. Dressed in sweats and a baggy shirt, no socks and wearing a pair of worn down moccasins on my feet I left the house and picked up my son. We went and got our hair cut and then planned to go have some pizza for dinner - as we surely were not going to be cooking in the kitchen that night. Our house was packed except for the few things we needed for the next 10 days. I silenced my phone while we were getting our hair cut because the last time we were there it kept ringing. When we got out to the car I saw three missed calls from Erin, one right after the other. My face lit up and I thought to myself -- "We're having a baby! I will get to meet him before I leave for Texas!"
I called her back and instead of happy news all I had was a screaming, out of control daughter on the other end of the line - something had happened to Joey. Our lives forever changed in that one split second.
I called Crystal, told her what I knew, I called Stan and told him what I knew. I called Kevin and asked him to come to the hospital as soon as he could to take Aiden. And then I called Michele, my former boss and one of my best friends. I needed her to pray for Joey, I needed her to pray for all of us. When I told her what I knew, that he was being flighted but I didn't know where she gasped, they had just taken the call that Air St. Luke's was going to Mountain Home for a 22 month old child. It was our Joey. She called Jeremy out in dispatch and had him try to find out where they were transporting to. A little while later Jeremy called me and told me they were heading to St. Al's and their ETA. I was going to get there about the same time as the helicopter. Erin was still in Mountain Home.
I came into the ER and they took Aiden and I to the "Quiet Room" and said someone would be in to talk to me soon. Michele showed up and sat with us. I don't know that I could have stood it in there by myself with my child and am forever thankful she got there when she did. The nurse came in and spoke with us briefly, mainly wanting to know where Joey's mom was. They were on their way is all I could tell her.
When Erin and Ryan arrived all I could do was hold her. The nurse came in and told Ryan he would have to step outside, Erin didn't grasp it at first, I don't know when it connected with her why they wanted him to step out but I knew, right then and there, I knew - he had done this to our baby boy. Michele took Aiden out of the room and shut the door. Just before the doctor's walked in my son Stan showed up and came in the room with us. This was the first we were going to hear about what happened to our precious baby boy. Erin was numb, in shock, Stan was a rock holding us both up and I screamed and screamed and cursed Ryan.
And then we went back to see Joey, precious, sweet baby Joey. Stan went to the waiting room to be with Aiden and Michele while Erin and I went back to see her son. As I rounded the corner I saw someone I had not seen in a few years, a former co-worker and friend. He grabbed me, with tears streaming down his face and just held me and we cried.
When it was time to leave Saint Al's and head to Saint Luke's Kevin was there, I kissed my little boy and then walked to my car. I got on the road to follow the ambulance that was transporting my grandson and daughter with some "dumb ass military guy" following me. The same dumb ass that I promise to have a beer with before he moves to his new assignment, the same dumb ass that I prayed for his safe return to his wife and children when he was deployed this past eight months. But another vehicle slid in between me and the ambulance, the Police Crime Scene Investigation truck. I wondered why on earth is he going to the hospital? Why aren't they arresting that son of a bitch? That officer stayed beside Joey's room for hours. He was gentle and kind and I wish I knew his name because I would like to thank him for how he treated our Joey when he had to photograph his injuries, how he treated my daughter when he had to ask her about bruises and such on Joey - if they were new or old. A big man with such tenderness and compassion.
Phone calls took place on the drive over, to Crystal, to Lawrence and to Joey's other grandma - Kim. Of all the phone calls that day and the days to follow that call to Kim was the hardest and I wish to this day I had handled it better. To hear her screams, to hear her pain, it ripped me apart. She loved that little boy as much as me and I just stabbed a knife in her heart.
So that was just a peek into the first few hours of our changed lives. Eleven months have come and gone. We have an almost 11 month old baby boy named Gus, who came into this world ten days after his big brother passed away. He came in a hurry and hasn't slowed down since and I am so thankful he is with us.
We have had laughs, we have had good days, we have had tears and pain, we have had bad days and we have had horrible days, but we're here - every day....living....loving....crying....smiling....hugging....fighting....and waiting. Waiting for justice. Waiting to finally be able to grieve without the trial looming over us.
Eleven months ago today the doctor's pronounced my grandson, Joseph Wayne Graham III, deceased. Eleven months ago my grandson made some other children's lives better as they received some of his organs. Eleven months ago tonight we said our final goodbyes to one of the sweetest little boys to have blessed this old grandma with his love.
Rest in Peace Joey - Grandma loves you.
Hug your children, play with them, love them and be there for them.
Grandma Kathy
I called her back and instead of happy news all I had was a screaming, out of control daughter on the other end of the line - something had happened to Joey. Our lives forever changed in that one split second.
I called Crystal, told her what I knew, I called Stan and told him what I knew. I called Kevin and asked him to come to the hospital as soon as he could to take Aiden. And then I called Michele, my former boss and one of my best friends. I needed her to pray for Joey, I needed her to pray for all of us. When I told her what I knew, that he was being flighted but I didn't know where she gasped, they had just taken the call that Air St. Luke's was going to Mountain Home for a 22 month old child. It was our Joey. She called Jeremy out in dispatch and had him try to find out where they were transporting to. A little while later Jeremy called me and told me they were heading to St. Al's and their ETA. I was going to get there about the same time as the helicopter. Erin was still in Mountain Home.
I came into the ER and they took Aiden and I to the "Quiet Room" and said someone would be in to talk to me soon. Michele showed up and sat with us. I don't know that I could have stood it in there by myself with my child and am forever thankful she got there when she did. The nurse came in and spoke with us briefly, mainly wanting to know where Joey's mom was. They were on their way is all I could tell her.
When Erin and Ryan arrived all I could do was hold her. The nurse came in and told Ryan he would have to step outside, Erin didn't grasp it at first, I don't know when it connected with her why they wanted him to step out but I knew, right then and there, I knew - he had done this to our baby boy. Michele took Aiden out of the room and shut the door. Just before the doctor's walked in my son Stan showed up and came in the room with us. This was the first we were going to hear about what happened to our precious baby boy. Erin was numb, in shock, Stan was a rock holding us both up and I screamed and screamed and cursed Ryan.
And then we went back to see Joey, precious, sweet baby Joey. Stan went to the waiting room to be with Aiden and Michele while Erin and I went back to see her son. As I rounded the corner I saw someone I had not seen in a few years, a former co-worker and friend. He grabbed me, with tears streaming down his face and just held me and we cried.
When it was time to leave Saint Al's and head to Saint Luke's Kevin was there, I kissed my little boy and then walked to my car. I got on the road to follow the ambulance that was transporting my grandson and daughter with some "dumb ass military guy" following me. The same dumb ass that I promise to have a beer with before he moves to his new assignment, the same dumb ass that I prayed for his safe return to his wife and children when he was deployed this past eight months. But another vehicle slid in between me and the ambulance, the Police Crime Scene Investigation truck. I wondered why on earth is he going to the hospital? Why aren't they arresting that son of a bitch? That officer stayed beside Joey's room for hours. He was gentle and kind and I wish I knew his name because I would like to thank him for how he treated our Joey when he had to photograph his injuries, how he treated my daughter when he had to ask her about bruises and such on Joey - if they were new or old. A big man with such tenderness and compassion.
Phone calls took place on the drive over, to Crystal, to Lawrence and to Joey's other grandma - Kim. Of all the phone calls that day and the days to follow that call to Kim was the hardest and I wish to this day I had handled it better. To hear her screams, to hear her pain, it ripped me apart. She loved that little boy as much as me and I just stabbed a knife in her heart.
So that was just a peek into the first few hours of our changed lives. Eleven months have come and gone. We have an almost 11 month old baby boy named Gus, who came into this world ten days after his big brother passed away. He came in a hurry and hasn't slowed down since and I am so thankful he is with us.
We have had laughs, we have had good days, we have had tears and pain, we have had bad days and we have had horrible days, but we're here - every day....living....loving....crying....smiling....hugging....fighting....and waiting. Waiting for justice. Waiting to finally be able to grieve without the trial looming over us.
Eleven months ago today the doctor's pronounced my grandson, Joseph Wayne Graham III, deceased. Eleven months ago my grandson made some other children's lives better as they received some of his organs. Eleven months ago tonight we said our final goodbyes to one of the sweetest little boys to have blessed this old grandma with his love.
Rest in Peace Joey - Grandma loves you.
Hug your children, play with them, love them and be there for them.
Grandma Kathy