OT:What a rough couple of months!

crawdaddyjim · Post by **crawdaddyjim** » Sun May 11, 2008 12:50 pm

Sorry I haven't been around in awhile fellas. Things got interesting to put it mildly when my son's TI called from Lackland AFB to tell me that Tim had collapsed on the training field while running. He was in the base hospital and I couldn't get anyone to give me any information! I was some kinda PO'd. I flew out that night. My wife doesn't fly for any reason. Not rational I know but she wouldn't be reasoned with. She drove out with my parents.

I got to the base hospital and durn near got arrested being hardheaded about seeing my youngest son. After a good yelling spat with the knucklehead at the desk. I just started back to the rooms where my son was. This guy started yelling at me and saying I would be arrested. I just kept walking. About 50 yds in a doctor came around the corner (Capt. loop D loop ) and told me to return to the desk and wait. Needless to say he was ignored.

About the time I arrived at Tim's room the MPs showed up. I told them as soon as I talked to Tim I would gladly go anywhere they wanted. They were pretty nice fellas and let me stay without a fight. Tim told me that the doctors didn't know what was wrong but that his heart had started to stutter when he was running and he passed out. His face was scraped up some but other than that he looked good. I noticed his legs were swollen up and asked him about that. He said that his legs had swelled about the second week he was there. That the medics had issued him some compression hose and told him to keep his feet elevated when in his bunk or when he was resting.

We stayed out in San Antonio for 3 weeks waiting for the doctors to come up with a diagnoses. Best they could do was heat prostration combined with a allergy to the cleaning soap they used in the laundry. Anyway Tim is back on the road to graduation and on to tech school at Eglin AFB.

We made it back home and were settling in to routine when I got a call last night from a friend of my oldest son Steven. It seems Steven had gone over to help his friend take down a water oak tree and while Steven was in the tree removing limbs they took one off that unbalanced the tree and it fell with Steven in it. Miracle of Miracles happened and the tree twisted as it fell or Steven would have been under it when it hit the ground. As it was he landed on the tree and his left knee hit the ground and swung his face into the tree breaking his jaw in three places and grinding some of his ear off and popping out one of his lower front teeth.

The friend called 911 and when they heard what happened Steven got a helicopter ride to the regional trauma center in Gainesville. We got there last night around 10:30 after a pretty fast trip. He looks like 5 miles of bad road. But he will live and the doctors there are a LOT more reasonable than at Lackland AFB. I came back home with my daughters last night and his Mom stayed. They put plates in his jaw and wired his mouth shut for about three to four weeks from what the doctor said. I am not sure he can go that long without solid food. As that boy is a goat when it come to eating.

Well that is about it I suppose. It has been a rough time. But I am sure it will turn out fine. God willing. But that where I have been so don't hold it hard on me for not being around if you can.

Jim

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun May 11, 2008 12:55 pm

Eyouch and a half!!!!!.

Hang in there and keep us posted.

Your youngest sounds like he has more than allergies and heat problems. Not going to make any guesses but swollen legs is not a good sign.

Joe

crawdaddyjim · Post by **crawdaddyjim** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:09 pm

Jay I thought the same thing. And try as I might the da... doctor would not even try to see it my way. But his ECG is still not showing any signs and the swelling has gone away. Now Tim is a TALL kid at 6'6" but he has never had any problems growing up and all. I would like to get him to my doctor if at all possible but I can't see that happening until he gets to tech school and has some leave. Then I will go get him and bring him to Orlando for a check.

Jim

Post by **Old Savage** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:19 pm

Crawdaddy - I pray for your sons' full return to health and well being.

sgtgrinche · Post by **sgtgrinche** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:24 pm

prayers for you and yours sent express

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:49 pm

Jim,
Your absence has been noticed. I was worried a few weeks ago when they were having the Lakeland gun show and you were no where to be found. I think you're right though. Tim needs to be checked out a little better. Sorry but I don't have a lot of faith in Air Force doctors.
Some of 'em are OK but a lot more of them are questionable.

You're in our prayers.
Happy Trails and God Bless,

Rusty <><

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:58 pm

AF docs are never reasonable. My best to both boys, they will be in my prayers.

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:02 pm

Will keep them both in our prayers.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:18 pm

prayers for you and your family

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:37 pm

Prayers sent.

Shawn

crawdaddyjim · Post by **crawdaddyjim** » Sun May 11, 2008 2:45 pm

Thanks Fellas, And I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I gotta go now. I will see about getting back on later tonight when I get back from the hospital. And give you an update.

Jim

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:15 pm

I hope both your kids are o.k. , Man that is some rough stuff. Prayers to you and your family.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:32 pm

Sounds like a rough time alright. My thought and prayer are with you and yours. I'm sure thinks will work out. Please keep us up to date on how they are doing. Seeing your kids hurt is probably the worst thing a parent can experience. I have heard of people falling out of a tree before, but never falling with a tree. I'm sure some funny stories will come out of this once his jaw heals up.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:39 pm

Y'all heal well! Prayers sent.

RKrodle · Post by **RKrodle** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:51 pm

I hope everything turns out well and, next time you get to Texas for ANY REASON drop a line on the forum, levergunners will aways look out for each other.

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun May 11, 2008 8:58 pm

Goodbless and Godspeed recovery.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:00 pm

That was tough on all of ya!

Prayers up that the best will come to pass. Thanks for posting. You're a credit to the Dad profession.

Grizz

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:14 pm

Jim -

Prayers up for both of your sons, for you, and the rest of your family. Hang tough - sounds like they need you!

BenT · Post by **BenT** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:35 pm

Jim your heart must be in good shape if you made it throught all that.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Mon May 12, 2008 2:14 am

Prayers sent for a speedy recovery to both your boys.

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Mon May 12, 2008 3:38 am

Air Force doctors can't even diagnose a sliver

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:11 am

From a man with no brothers, and didn't have a son of my own but rather 3 daughters, I feel for you in a special way. Those boys sound like their pretty tough guys, but they sure been through the mill lately. I'm glad you told us about this, and prayers will go up. Best regards and best wishes for fast recovery.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:01 am

Prayers up for you and yours.

I've had experience with AF doctors and I wasn't impressed. And, I was only 19 at the time. I was in the Corps but the AFB was the closest one around for a military doctor.

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Mon May 12, 2008 10:21 am

So very glad that you and your sons came through all that OK. Great to have you back on the site Jim!

Will send some prayer your way for sure........

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Mon May 12, 2008 11:58 am

HEY JIM...
HANG IN THERE BUDDY...
HOPE YOUR BOYS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY...
PRAYERS SENT...
DUFF-L-BAGG WILL BE IN TOWN AROUND THE 20TH OR SO
LETS GET TOGETHER AND HAVE SOME FUN SHOOTING....

crawdaddyjim · Post by **crawdaddyjim** » Mon May 12, 2008 6:29 pm

God bless all of you.

We came home with Steven last night late and had to get up early for work. So didn't get a chance to get back online.

Update on Tim is he returned to training and most likely will graduate in two weeks. Then on to Eglin. Mom and her shofer (me) will go up and see him after he settles in. Talked to him today while I was driving. Says he feels fine and the legs haven't swelled back up. So he is good to go for the moment.

Shands "lost" Steven's wallet. So Mom spent the day driving around Deland and Orlando getting all of his cards and such replaced. Man! what a pain in the patoot. He is sore as all get out and trips to the head are an adventure. But thank the dear Lord above we still have him and his brother.

Ronnie I would love to have some R and R at the range when Duff gets back into town. Give me a call 469-8341 you know the area code.

Jim

don Tomás · Post by **don Tomás** » Mon May 12, 2008 6:44 pm

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

Man, glad to hear that the boys are OK. Both are in in out prayers for a speedy recovery.
Tom

(What Tech School did your boy get??)

JohnnyReb · Post by **JohnnyReb** » Mon May 12, 2008 7:17 pm

Prayers sent for both the boys and your family.

Get your son to a cardiologist. EKG only shows some things...

Don't want to worry you but it is better to know the facts. They have alot of new drugs that can treat almost any condition if discovered early...

1894cfan · Post by **1894cfan** » Tue May 13, 2008 12:26 am

I hear ya.
The last 5 months have been kinda rough for me too. Docs found a tumor about the size of a small orange and operated on my Dad late January and he went down hill after that. He died on March 26th. Among the rifles that I got from him just before he died was a Winchester 94 30/30 that he got out of a crashed airplane that he salvaged back in the mid '60's that he had rebuilt after it was damaged in the resulting fire. I'm going to miss the Auld fanny burp.

Duff L Bagg · Post by **Duff L Bagg** » Tue May 13, 2008 2:05 am

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and all of your family Jim.

I should be back in town around the end of the month. The 31st and 1st are looking good for a sorely needed range trip and B/S session.

crawdaddyjim · Post by **crawdaddyjim** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:25 pm

Reb, I know about the Ekg thing. I was a hospital technician in a previous life and was responsible for doing those as well as EEg's and working the OR. Which is why I was arguing with Dr. Knucklenoggin. They did do a stress test on him and a CAT scan. Neither showed any problems BUT I still want to get him down to my Dr. in Orlando and have him run the same tests and see. Thanks for thinking about my boy and bringing that up.

Don Tomas' Tim is going to be a Bomb Disposal Technician. I am told he will be in tech school for 36 weeks learning his trade. He seems fine with the choice. His other choices were for C-130 gunship duty or Fuelers. But this slot came open first and he took it. He scored a 97 on his ASVAB and the recruiter said he could have his pick but he wanted to go instead of wait.

Duff, I believe those dates would work for me. I will call your cell when it gets a little closer.

Jim

PS. Thanks for letting me get this OT post in. You folks are like an extended family for me and being able to talk about this has helped a whole bunch.

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Tue May 13, 2008 6:52 pm

Glad to hear all is going better!! You are right in that there is a great bunch of people here and talking with them about what is going on helps. You guys helped me this year when my father in law passed suddenly. I printed out all the offers of prayers and showed it to the family in law it was deeply appreciated.

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Tue May 13, 2008 8:59 pm

My prayers are with you and your boys. Hope you all figure out what is going on with your youngest.

MikeS. · Post by **MikeS.** » Wed May 14, 2008 12:31 pm

Glad to hear the boys are on the mend.

So what did the MPs do with you? Throw you in the klink?