Big Ed

(are you so sick of me writing about bad things happening to my family???)

My sweet father-in-law, or as I call him, Big Ed, is a football coach for TCU, as I have written before. As I wrote in my last post, Eddie flew to TX with Cal for the game on Saturday. The only place to find Eddie during one of his dad's game is on the sidelines. In fact, at the bowl game last year, you had to have government clearance to get on the sidelines and Eddie about had a fit trying to get down there!

So this Saturday, Eddie was on the sidelines and Patty, my mother-in-law was in the stands with Cal. During the first quarter, someone came over to Eddie and asked what was going on with his dad. Big Ed was walking to the tunnel with a trainer and a team doctor. Eddie ran over to him and he looked at Eddie and told him he was having a heart attack.

They got to the training room and his dad got on a table and was really in a lot of pain. Eddie tried to call his mom, but her phone was in her purse so that she could hold Cal. Once they determined that Big Ed needed to get to a hospital quickly, Eddie ran into the stadium to find his mom. Since he has never sat in the stands with her, he had no idea where she sat. So, in a state of panic and fear, Eddie ran up and down the steps in the stadium searching for his mother. A police officer joined him and they were able to locate her.

Patty and Big Ed rode in the ambulance to the hospital and Eddie and Cal rode in the police car. Eddie called me somewhere in there beyond upset. I have never felt so helpless. I just wanted to be there for him and for them and there was nothing I could do. Eddie told me not to tell his sisters yet (even though I had been talking with both of them since the pregame), so that he could call them.

Halftime of the game came, and the head coach informed the players (on the field before entering the locker room what happened to Coach Williamson) and then the sideline reporter followed up by asking him questions about it in an interview-- all on live TV. Eddie had told his sisters about 5 minutes before that.....Big Ed's parents were watching the game so they found out for the first time by hearing the reporter talk about it.

As soon as Big Ed got to the hospital, he went into surgery where they put in a stint to repair the problem. 

My mom and I were scheduled to fly out Sunday morning for our trip to NYC.  I told mom we needed to cancel it and I was going to fly to TX to pick up Cal so that they wouldn't have to worry about him while trying to deal with Big Ed and being in the hospital, etc.  Eddie told me that I should absolutely still do my trip.  He said that this whole thing taught him that the time with our parents is so precious and the most important thing was for me and mom and have a great time enjoying each other (I mean, how sweet is that???). 

So, I called two of the coaches wives and arranged for Cal to be picked up from the hospital Saturday night and then kept over night.  They were SO SO SO sweet.  They kept sending me texts and pictures and videos of Cal having the best time.  I can't even begin to thank them for taking such good care of Cal.  I felt so selfish not being there to help, but with these women, there was nothing more that I could do; they were taking SUCH good care of him, and Cal was having a blast. 

Big Ed left the hospital on Tuesday and is expected to have a full recovery, thank God.  We are all SO thankful that he was where he was when it happened.  He could have been driving down the road, or out for a jog.... instead, he was standing about 10 yards from a trainer and a doctor and the ambulance was already at the game.

Eddie rearranged his flight to come home on Wednesday night, the same time mom and I landed so we got to see them in the airport. 

So there...I am sure you are entirely over reading my posts on these horrible things happening, and to be honest, I am WAYYY over writing them!  Seriously! My brother called us while we were in New York and we kept getting cut off so we just hung up and he sent a text that said "call me."  Umm, we freaked out.  We were both almost in tears when we got it....how sad is that???  He wanted to give us some GOOD news!  We are just living scared of answering the phone right now. 

Take a minute to tell your loved ones that you love them.  This has been so eye opening for everyone involved (Eddie, the pickiest eater I know, is ready to start eating broccoli...!!!).


xoxoxo,