Brandons traumatic experience

I posted on Plonnies "office" video clips that I needed a good laugh after having a rough time. I was on my way to bed and didn't want to type a lengthy post so I waited unitl I was at work and had to be awake anyway.

This happened on Friday

Jimmy is one of the clients in the group home I work in. He has a girlfriend he has been with for 35 years!!!! Her name is Grace (we all call her Gracie). Every day (except saturday) we pick her up from her house and bring her to the group home so she and Jimmy can be together. I got into work @ 4 and immediatly took Roger (another client) to work (he washes dishes at a local restaurant). I got home and John ( a co-worker) had already begun serving dinner. Gracie and Jimmy came in to eat (gracie never eats here, it's weird) and she had brougt her portable radio, and was singing Life is a highway by rascal flatts. After dinner (about 4:50) Jimmy and Gracie went out to the porch where they spend most of their evenings together. About 10 minutes later Jimmy comes in all frantic saying "gracie is having a fit" I took this to mean they were fighting. When I got out onto the porch I saw slumped in her chair taking very shallow breaths. I immediatly called 911 for help. They sent their medical teams. Because she was breathing, I never considered cpr. After about two or three minutes, I realized that she was no longer breathing and when I checked her pulse, I couldn't find one. I called to John to run upstairs to get a face shield for CPR. He was having a difficult time finding it, and by the time he ran downstairs to ask where it was, the police and the ambulances were already here. They shocked her heart several times before loading her in the ambulance. The EMT's believed she was already dead. They took her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. We are all still shocked that this happened. She had died of a massive heart attack.

This experience is such a reminder of how thin the veil is, and how we never know how long we will be around. I am still having a difficult time comprehending how a person can be so full of life one minute, then dead the next. It was a real wake up call for me. I was able to get the rest of the night off, and I raced home and gave Tina the biggest Hug (I couldn't kiss her because I have a fever blister from my strep throat). I cried as I went into the kids room and just watched them sleep. I can't imagine life without any of them. I also had to call and hear mom and dad's voice. They are so great and caring and loving. I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!

Don't take life for granted, tell your kids, spouse, parents, and loved ones how much you love them on a daily basis.

I love all of you!!!! I really do , and I can't wait to be back in Utah with all of you.

Take care of each other

-B