Monday evening I was standing in the kitchen making spaghetti for Kyle and waiting for him to arrive home from Spring training. It was getting to be a little past 6 and I just happened to walk into my bedroom, where I'd left my phone, and caught a call coming in. It was a call from Jonee (who we refer to as his other mother) and she was driving past my house to come and tell me that Kyle was in the training room with a concussion and John and I needed to get to the school ASAP!
At that very moment all I could think of was getting to him fast! I turned off the stove (thank goodness), threw on my shoes and bra (another thank goodness), gathered up John and called the trainer. She told me that Kyle was brought in by a couple of the coaches around 4:45 after they noticed him standing and staring into space on the line with no response and since that time he couldn't remember answers to simple questions (his birthday, what year it was, who the trainer was, etc.). Not a good sign!
On the drive to school, John said he now hated football and became angry, which isn't new since he seems to be angry at the world most of the time. All I could think of was that Kyle needed both of us and I needed him too, not his anger!
Why are women so much stronger than our counterparts? Men really can't handle circumstances that are out of their control! (Ok, maybe not all, but my man should have just stayed home).
So, we get to school and I practically run to the training room (John is taking his sweet time as usual) and find Kyle sitting with an ice bag on his neck and almost incoherent. Luckily, Jonee had gone back to be with him until we arrived and she stayed (she's an ER nurse at Baylor - Dallas). I decided to take him directly to Baylor for a CAT scan and with Jonee's help she'd get us right in and taken good care of. Kyle was getting very frustrated that he couldn't remember things and at this time I found out he'd been hit last week too but didn't tell anyone. He'd been having dizziness that I attributed to all his allergies and had mentioned to Jonee over the weekend that he was having some memory problems. Great! Now we're talking a concussion last week compounded by another hit Monday. Not a good thing.
We walked right into the ER and a room and a doctor saw us immediately. The doc and nurse couldn't believe that the trainer had kept him as long as she did with his symptoms, had no collar on him, ice on his neck and hadn't called me or an ambulance right away. The doc put a collar on him and began his exam (after I had to undress him, yuck! he was really stinky and smelled like a dirty locker room)and then whisked him away to the CAT scan. Luckily, when Kyle returned to the room he seemed to be feeling and looking better, plus he started remembering things and laughing!
After about an hour the results were back that his head was ok and we could go. Kyle can't play football or do any strenuous activity for at least 2 weeks but when we got in the car to leave he announced he would be quitting football. What? He said his brain is more important to him and his academics than hoping for a scholarship in football. He has more opportunities for academic scholarships since he's in the top 10% of his class. Well, looks like his brain is functioning fine and his father is happy about his decision.
His decision to quit football became even more clear upon his return to school the next day (yes, he went back Tuesday because of the TAKS testing) and got to football and the head coach didn't even say anything to him. Only the two coaches that took him off the field who have been there and know him best asked him how he was. He really got his feelings hurt and felt insignificant! Now, he just has to make it until the end of school and then tell the coach he's quitting. He is going to move to baseball. Sure, now he can get hit in the head with a smaller, faster, and harder ball! Ugh!
This incident has been a huge wake-up call to me and for anyone with children in sports that we really need to pay closer attention to how things are handled by the trainers and injuries. Kyle could have been seriously injured and he was left to sit in the training room for way too long with memory loss, etc. Kyle is lucky but will probably have some slight symptoms for a while. Get involved!
Thank you Jonee for all the attention and help you gave Kyle and me! I love you!
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