~ Breath-taking News and the FIGHT FOR JOHN ~

So, as long winded as I am...let me start from the beginning.

It's Monday evening and Keith walks into the house with Whole Foods bags and I know the only Whole Foods close to us is the one down by our office...a little ways away, but not too far to swing by and say "Hi." So, I give him a hard time for not "showing me the love." Tuesday comes around and mind you we just got back in town, and my phone is going crazy...my dad and I keep playing phone tag. If you know my Dad, at all, you know he is not a phone person...so it worries me a little. Turns out, he just wanted to find out if he needed to pick up Gavin at the end of the day. But I still had a sick feeling. Well, the afternoon goes on and I get an email I have been waiting on for over a year...we have been approved for our Government Contract at work!! Karle and I had been working on this for over a year! I was so excited! Then, Keith walked in the door and I was even more excited. I thought he was making up for yesterday (Monday) by swinging by to say "Hi" and "show me the love." Not so much...

Keith says, "We need to talk..." with this look on his face like someone just died and he is about to tell me something horrific. "It's John..." he said, and my heart dropped. No one had died but what he was about to tell me was something horrific.

My BEST friend of over 19 years was in a tragic car accident that had already killed 3 people and injured over 16. He was in ICU at a hospital in Reno. Keith was still trying to gather information, but didn't want me to hear about it from anyone else or posts on Facebook and what not. My heart sort of stopped and it was increasingly harder to breathe. Keith had already talked to my Boss, well...my FRIEND, and cleared it with him in case we needed to jump on a plane and fly to Reno. We still didn't know the severity of the situation.

Summer of 1994

After just leaving Gavin for 8 days to go on vacation in Mexico, it was hard to consider leaving him again, but he would get over it and be extremely well taken care of in our absence. So many people love him and offered to keep him for a few days. We waited to get more information and then a few days later booked our flights after finding out that John was in critical condition in Reno and would not be transported to a different hospital in California. He was too unstable. My heart hasn't beat right since that Tuesday afternoon 2 weeks ago, today. Ironically, about the same time as I began my blog.

We flew into Reno and spent 5 days with John's family and friends...taking our turns sitting with him...giving his mom a shoulder to lean on...talking to him...decorating his room...and making new friends from California. You know, those friends and families John would always rave about to us...they are now just as much our friends! He is still in critical condition and still unstable, but STILL FIGHTING!

Always Larger than Life!

If you would like to follow his CaringBridge page, you can access it at www.caringbridge.org/visit/ironadams. You can log in with your email address and a password you create. Your email address is used so that you can automatically receive email notifications each time there is a new journal entry with information about John's status...but only if you elect to do so.

 

If you would like to make a donation in honor of John...you can do so at the following link. I can only imagine that he will need help with medical bills, rehab and whatever else once he pushes through this fight.

http://www.talbertfamilyfoundation.org/

We, Keith and I, continue to call the nurses once if not twice a day for updates and maintain his CaringBridge website. Since Keith has a medical background, sometimes it is easier for him to understand the medical terms, dosages, procedures and what not to then turn around and report them back to the rest of is in English. Since Keith has been dealing with his own tragedy this week through the Fire Department, I have been taking over the calls, updates and researching terms and procedures for myself. I must say, it's amazing what your brain will upload and process when you are learning about something you really care to understand.

Please continue your prayers and thoughts for John. He continues to battle each day with his recovery and stability in the ICU. I plan to return to Reno in a week or so and Keith will return soon after I come home. It seems our two year old notices more than I give him credit for and it might be best for him to have Mommy or Daddy around after two periods of separation from both of us.

John did so many things to help mold me into the person I am today...he fought for me when no one else could...he taught me to love when I didn't feel like I had anything left to give...he taught me to lose the FEAR and enjoy life...he was there during my lowest of lows and my highest of highs...he was there to talk about my first kiss...he was there when my husband became more than "just a friend"...he was there for high school and college graduation...he was there for my wedding and the birth of my first and only child. These are only some of the major moments in my life. I can't tell you how many times I was about to pick up the phone to call him and he was calling me. He was phenomenal about knowing when I needed him and vice versa. So, in knowing that he has done so much for me...I will do whatever it takes to get him through this fight.

The THREE BEST friends that anyone could have!

You DO NOT have to be blood to be FAMILY!