Blue Light Special

Riding in the car is often, what should I say, interesting with Miss Ivey. Over the course of three years and 11 months I have self- trained myself to drive in emergent situations. That's a scary thought, huh? Self-traind ..

For the first year of Ivey's trach, I did not drive in the car alone with Ivey. Someone (an adult) was always our passenger or they were our chauffer. It always struck me as remarkable that our friends, some close others acquaintances, would pool themselves to ride along with us. Ivey and I developed some strong bonds in those rides. However, the pressure of having such a simple privilege ripped from under my feet got the best of me.

First, I began to drive alone with Ivey to pick the boys up from school. Gradually we expanded our circumference. Eventually we found ourselves driving to Chattanooga one day to watch a movie on the IMAX with friends – I have never been so scared in a car traveling that distance with Ivey trached. From that point on there was no looking back. That was the day I decided life had to resume some normalcy even if it meant we got to know every parking lot in Georgia.

Since the trach has been gone – seizures rule our car rides…

In all this time I have spent many days pulled over on roads, highways and in parking lots. I have had more people blow the horn at me because I was the first car in line at the red lights – where we sat through multiple lights as Ivey needed suctioning with her trach, monitored during seizures or some other catastrophe. One, don't go thinking "how dare they", how many times have you about rammed someone through the light because they didn't go from 0 to 60 once that light flashed green? Two, start obeying the rule of not tail gaiting and pulling to close to the car in front of you – or you could have easily gotten around me. I speak for all of us - I know I do the same things, I pull so close to cars while waiting on lights to change….that I can always read the bumper stickers that say "If you can read this, @#%#$!

Anyway, no one has ever pulled over to the side of 411, 75 or 285 to see if I needed help -

I have even had people slow, intentionally, as I ran up behind them going down Turner McCall literally at 60 miles per hour aiming for the ER –not move into the right lane - really– flashers on – flipping my headlights all the while Ivey was seizing and turning blue - It is really amazing what people will do to sometimes. (This has happened more than once.)

Today Mr. Policeman I will say an extra prayer for you. Thank you for turning around and waiting with me as Ivey seized. You are the first in three years and 11 months to stop. And even though I spent the entire time telling you she is fine – you stood there and waited. And I don't think that all of our times in the past were over looked – just the timing wasn't there. Today you were in the right place at the right time. So thank you, Ivey thanks you.

And since you offered so much kindness and I am now indebted to you, I will close up this computer, get out my saw and try to remove this lead foot that is welded to my leg -