|
Kelsey had a tragic accident last summer (1997)
and has left her loving family with only her memory to remember her by.
We, as her parents would like to use this page to educate parents
about the issues of drowning, and how it can happen so fast....
We tend to believe that life jackets are for boat rides only, as did I. But the truth is
they are very helpful if your kids are going to play outside close to water. Another
good safety precaution, would be to fence-in your pool to prevent little people from
adventuring into it on their own! If you own/visit a cottage, or are going to a House
party/barbeque where there is a pool, or even taking a walk by a river front...
Learning Child CPR should be a lesson all parents should take. Knowing all route#
and road names of any location is very important in any case of emergency!
This is Kelsey's story......
Kelsey and her cousin, Jamie were playing outside unattended for about ten
minutes, no more. Well, it seems the girls decided to explore the shoreline,
as they were instructed not to. The boulder they stood on was slippery from
the morning rain, we imagine they got too close to the edge and that caused
their little feet to slip and in they fell...
I (Mom) was inside with Jamie's Mom making lunch and looking after the
two younger boys, as we heard a small voice calling for "Mommy", I went to
check on the girls, as I walked outside something felt very wrong, I thought
maybe they were stuck in the out-house, when I heard the voice coming from
the water... I started to run towards the voice and spotted them both in the
water. I screamed for my sister-in-law and proceeded to jump in the water.
My neice was keeping herself afloat, but my beautiful Kelsey was floating away
face down. As I was swimming back to shore with my helpless daughter
in my arms, I felt this overwhelming peaceful feeling... I wasn't panicing,
I wasn't afraid.... But when I got to shore all hell broke lose!
My sister-in-law was pulling her daughter out of the water. I plopped
kelsey on the boulder and tried to get out...the rocks were so slippery
from the algae that even my sister-in-law and I couldn't get out...
When we finally made it out of the water, my sister-in-law took a look
at Kelsey and asked me if I knew CPR...I started scream and crying
that I didn't know where to start or what to do... I was pumping on her
stomach and turning her over trying to get as much water out as I could.
My sister-in-law asked me to check for a pulse, but I couldn't find one,
then she checked for herself and mummble only knowing adult CPR but
proceeded to start on Kelsey. I ran back to the cottage to call 911.
On the phone, wondering what was happening at the shoreline where I had
left my daughter with my sister-in-law, I was trying to give the operator
directions to get to us, but the ambulance couldn't find us...Finally I
found the information that the cottage owners had posted for "In Case Of
Emergency", but 20 minutes had past. Finally, the ambulance got here, and
they took over. I heard one of the ambulance medic say that her air way was
blocked, I remember yelling at him, "Blocked? Unblock it!" I demanded...
He gave me this look like I was asking for the moon... At this point I
called her dad at work to meet us at the hospital. They were putting Kelsey
into the ambulance, I went to get in with her, but they wouldn't let me!
They made me ride in the other one that came along for my neice... But other
than being wet and cold, she was fine and didn't need to go to the hospital.
The drive to the hospital seemed soooo long, and I had no idea what was going
on with Kelsey. Praying, and pleading with God to make her better... At one
point the driver turned his radio on, and heard the transmission, they said
that her colour was improving... Then he turned it off... That gave me some
hope! I asked the driver, "they got her back?" But he didn't answer me...
I kept hoping I would see her awake when we got there. Hoping this was all
a nightmare and that I would wake up at any time. When we finally got
there they wouldn't let me see her, a nurse greeted me at the door and
took me into a small room where we waited for the doctor...
Wet and shivering, I feared that doctor that was going to come... But in he
came, shaking his head. NOOOOO!!!!! I screamed, "you must be wrong!" He said
"No, I am very sorry". I couldn't stop hyperventilating, I couldn't stop
saying "no, this is all a dream and when I wake up, it will be all over!"
But it was true, my worst nightmare had come true, I lost my baby girl...
How was I going to tell her dad, my husband, that I had let our child down!
When they fininshed cleaning her up, they let me in to say goodbye,
She looked so peaceful, and fragile. This was my baby, and I never wanted to
say goodbye! What about all those things we were supposed to do together?
What about school she was so excited to start next month? What about her
birthday party I was planning with her?
There was still so much to do together... But no time left to do it in....
When her Daddy got there, I had to tell him that our baby was gone...
Not only was my heart broken in a million peices but I had to break someone else's...
There are so many WHAT IF's and WHY's that still cross our minds,
but unfortunately it's too late for My Little Girl...
|
