A Very Scary Event

Yesterday Maggie gave us a pretty mean scare. Something that has never happened to us before, even with Jonas. While out on a bike ride with Whit she stopped breathing. I wasn't there, and I'm kind of glad because it's scary enough just thinking about it. Too close to home, too reminiscent of Jonas passing away, too real of the everyday potential that we live with. 

One thing is for sure.... we were NOT ready for that to happen just yet.  

Here's what happened: 

While I was away having a great morning with family at my cousin's baby shower, Whit was home with Maggie hanging out. I was on my way home and so Whit thought before I got there they would go on a quick bike ride around the block. My parents live a couple houses away and so my dad joined as they rode by. It was close to nap time and as they rounded the corner it looked like Maggie had fallen asleep. Her positioning looked off and so they went just a little father and then Whit stopped to make her more comfortable. He took her hat off and it became very clear that she was not well. In fact, Whit said she looked just like Jonas after he had passed. :( and she was not breathing. Being the hero dad that he is, started right away on CPR. We don't believe her heart stopped, because she responded very quickly to the CPR. Only 3 cycles of breaths and compressions. She started crying and her coloring looked so much better he said. 

In the mean time.... my dad is calling 911 and doing his best to tell them what's going on and where they are. I know it was so scary for him, but I am so grateful that he tagged along and was there for Whit and Maggie. Also just as Maggie came around, a passerby stopped their car and asked Whit if he needed him to take him anywhere. Whit knew he needed to get Maggie her bi-pap and it was around the block, so he jumped in his car and as they started to pull away, that's when the ambulance,firetruck, policeman, came up. My dad told them to follow that truck and off they went to our house. It was all pretty confusing for them and think the bystander got chewed out a little by the police man, but we are so grateful to him for listening to us. Who ever he was! I wish I knew who it was so I could say Thank You. 

Thank you for taking the time to notice someone in need and actually stop to help!

Also in the mean time....

I am driving with my mom and sister-in-law and see that a firetruck is coming up behind us and so we pull over. There have been a couple firetrucks in our neighborhood recently and so I am intrigued as to where it's going. NEVER once did it pop into my head that it could be Maggie. Isn't that weird?! I even said..oh let's follow it and see where it goes in our neighborhood. It of course disappears and as we continue driving I'm looking down streets to see if it's stopped anywhere. Then we all came together right in front of our house. A perfect storm. The random truck was in our way and the firetrucks way and I'm like...'what is this guy doing'....'where IS this firetruck going?'....'they're not going to my house are they?'...'why would they be going to my house, Maggie's not sick'....

Then out of nowhere Whit is running up the drive way, with Maggie in his arms, I'm yelling after him...'What is going on!!!?'...I was so confused... Maggie stopped breathing is all I heard. By the time I got into her room he already had her bi-pap on, pulse oximeter on and she was at 98%. She looked a little pale to me, her eyes were big and a little worried, but overall she looked ok.

Whit told the story to the paramedics and because of the fact that he did CPR they wanted us to go in to see if any damage had been done. We could have driven ourselves, but knowing all long it takes to get into a room, we opted to bypass that and take the ambulance. So thanks to Maggie I can cross of a bucket list item...ride in an ambulance, even better I wasn't sick or hurt! Maggie talked and smiled then fell right to sleep on the ride. Taking the ambulance got us right into a room, but we still managed to stay in the boring ER for 6 hours until they sent us up to the floor to stay the night for observation.

Maggie was thrilled with that. 

don't ya love the food that I grabbed when I went home to get some stuff! That's all we had and I was trying to hurry and get back.

They sent us home nice and early this morning, which was a treat it didn't take all day. 

Basically this is what we think happened... Maggie choked on her secretions and her positioning was off so her airway was even more obstructed, she passed out and then stopped breathing. I am so glad that Whit checked her like he did and just didn't continue on home, which was so close, because I don't think she would be here with us now if he had. I am beyond proud of Whit for knowing what to do and saving our little girl. Coincidence... he just re-certified his CPR the day before. It was all very fresh in his mind. 

We also like to think that Jonas was right there with her, turning her right around with a little spank on the bottom saying go back, not yet. Not yet. We have so much more to do with this little one! So many more memories!  

 

So the first bubble bath was in order!

Maggie we love you!!!