About Lifeguardyourlittles

About Lifeguardyourlittles

August 10th, 2005.

That day is etched on my soul. Not because I have picture documentaries to look back on, not because it shows up in my facebook memories once a year. Long before cell phones purched in every hand walking by, we lived life. There was no need to document every moment, we did something much better. We experienced it.

Like many young moms of two, overwhelmed and needing that 5 minutes, I was a stay at home mom, only working outside of my home one day a week. It was summer and we had enjoyed every bit of it. Trips to the park and the zoo and fun filled days playing outside. My son had a John Deer Gator power wheels and he would drive around for hours on that thing. He ran the battery down every chance he got, driving in circles through the back yard. What a fun summer it had been.

I had enrolled us in mommy and me water classes when Andrew was a baby, and of course we had a kiddy pool for him at home. He absolutely loved the water. He was a daredevil. He was always on the go.

I wanted to make sure he knew how to swim. He had already mastered love for water, so the summer of 2005, I enrolled Andrew in beginner swim lessons at the same local organization. I stood at the window above and watched him with his floaty belt on swim back and forth holding onto his dumbbell. He wasn't scared a bit. He loved it. I remember telling him "Now don't run by the pool, you could fall and bump your head." He would answer in his four year old voice, ""I know, mommy! I won't." I was so proud of how he swam in the water. My heart was full seeing him having so much fun.

I was comfortable with this organization and swim lessons had become a weekly routine. Andrew always looked forward to it and wanted to know if he "got to swim today?!" So when we looked into end of summer activities and one was a field trip for water week, I knew Andrew would love it.
I quickly signed him up and the day arrived for the trip. I assumed it was a park with a wade creek because of the name. Early on the morning of Aug, 10th 2005 I drove Andrew to this organization. It was sunny out that morning and it was August so the weather was hot. A perfect day to splash through the creek. I went over "stay with the group, don't wonder off" with him on the way there. Andrew hopped out of the car to run and play before they left. I said "Now remember.." He cut me off and stated "I know mom, you already told me!" "Ok, I just want you to stay safe." I mumbled as I stood and watched him run to the slide to play before the trip. He was getting so big, I thought.

In line I went to sign him in. As I reached the table with my niece and mother in law, I felt nervous on letting them go alone. We asked several questions on "Should we follow the bus?! We packed them lunch but we could still come and bring lunch?" "No", the lady assured us, "They will be fine, we do this once a week through the summer." No need to worry we were told, all would be well. The mom's and dad's finished signing the waivers and the kids loaded the big bus. We waited there watching my son and niece enter the bus with their little lunch boxes in hand. I remember thinking they looked so small. They both jumped in the seat and waved goodbye happily. They were so excited to be on the big bus and off on their very first field trip ever. We waved back, as the bus pulled down the lane, headed for a fun filled day!

We stood and talked for a few minutes about how happy the kids looked and promised to meet back up to pick up the kids at the end of the day. They would be back around 3:30. I drove across town to my moms house. My younger son Ethan was around 7 months old at the time and we were going to spend the day with grandma and wait for big brother to return.

Flash back to a few weeks before Andrew's accident, before Aug 10th, 2005. It was around 6:30am and the boys and I were still asleep. The phone rang. I remember waking up thinking who in the world is calling this early?! The phone was not a cell. Back then we actually had to get out of bed to answer a call. I got up sleeply and grabbed the phone from the wall. "Hello." I said. Mom was on the other end. She was obviously shaken. "Sharil" she said. "Do not let Andrew around water!" At this point I was thinking its 6am, of course I'm not letting Andrew around water. She continued to tell me that she had heard my grandma Ellen's voice in her ear. It was a warning not to let Andrew anywhere near water. Grandma had passed away the year Andrew was born. I assured mom that Andrew would not be anywhere near water without me.
I brushed her instinct off as nothing more than a dream. Little did I know then, a few short weeks later Andrew would find himself alone, under water and struggling to stay alive.

Ethan and I arrived at mom's house that morning. We talked and played. I remember this being one of the first times without Andrew and only having Ethan with me. I'm sure it wasn't the first time, but I remember how quiet it seemed that day without Andrew there. We were sitting around the table and talking about the weather not looking good. The time was getting close to pickup time. It had started to rain a little and so when my moms phone rang and she handed it to me, I remember thinking as I heard the words "Is this Mrs. Griesemer?" That it must be a call telling me that the bus had returned early due to the weather.
I was so wrong. "Hello, yes this is her."
The next words I heard will stay on my heart for the rest of my life. The lady on the other end said these words. "Mrs. Griesemer, there has been a accident." Immediately time stood still. You never know what you will do in an emergency, how your body will react. I was trying to process those 6 words. "Accident?! I stated back "What do you mean, a accident??!" I could tell then by her voice in the next words she said that it wasn't good. She continued "Andrew was found in the water, he is on 100% oxygen and being taken by ambulance to the hospital." I lost it right then. I started screaming at the lady. "What do you mean a "blank" accident!!!" I yelled in anger. I used a few choice words I won't repeat. I reacted at first in total anger. It took one sentence for me to go from complete anger to total fear. I started crying. My mom was there taking the phone. My brother heard the screaming from upstairs. He must have came down. He was 14 at the time. He had my younger son in his hands. His eyes were huge. I remember seeing him with my son in his arms and that look on his face and me scream no and my mom calmly on the phone trying to find out were we needed to go to get to Andrew. This was only a few seconds but it seemed like a lifetime.

We were in the van. We left Ethan with my brother. He was to call my sister to come get him. There must have been some sort of cell phone back then because I'm calling my husband. My mom is driving as fast as she could go. I'm still screaming and crying. Mom my is silent. My husband answers. I'm screaming and crying. I'm trying to get words out but he can't understand me. Mom says calm down. Aaron yells for me to calm down! I manage to get the words out. Accident, Andrew, hospital. He hangs up and I cry repeatedly saying "God please don't take my baby!" "I swear I'll be a good mom." I bargained with God. "Please let him be ok , let him live please God, please!" It was a 30 minute drive. My son was alone struggling to live and I was 30 minutes away bargaining with God. We ran every red light. Mom kept saying "It will be ok, we are almost there." I kept pleading. I don't remember parking. I just remember running through the halls of the hospital.
We ran past. We backed up. There were tubes and nurses everywhere. He was blue, gray, white. He looked dead. I almost fainted. I couldn't go in. "Get her a chair" someone said. Mom was in the room. I was in no shape to go in. Aaron was there, he was in the room. I sat down. EMT was around me. They calmed me down. The EMT first on scene assured me Andrew would be ok. He said he would be just fine. He was found in time. "One more minute and it would have ended very different." he told me. One minute between life and death. I went in the room. My son wanted his mom. I had to compose myself. His eyes were so bloodshot. What's wrong with his eyes??!! Nurses rushed in. He had to drink potassium fast. "Andrew, please baby just try and drink it." He was conscious but so tired. He was still gray. He was freezing. He cried. Finally he took the medicine. Im not sure how much time passes. Andrew was finally stable. The CT scan was normal. His left side was responsive. Later I would find out initially he had lost feeling in his left side.

I was in a room. My father in law was there. The lady from the organization was there. Anger once again had replaced fear. I can't remember the exact conversation in that room. What I do remember was how much anger I felt at those who were supposed to be the adults in charge. I told them to leave. "Leave this hospital. You didn't stay with him when it mattered or this would never have happened. I want you to leave now!" I'm heading back to Andrew. There is a man and a boy. They are searching for Andrew. They tell us the boy found Andrew underwater unconscious and pulled him out. His dad started CPR. Thank God for them. My son would be gone if it wasn't for them. We hugged and thanked them. There was no words to repay the gift they gave us. Thank God they were watching.

Andrew was admitted overnight. He remained on oxygen for several hours. Andrew's color continued to improve. He wanted m&m's and his dog Shelby. He told us about "the lady underwater." She "helped him and told him it was ok." I knew then it had to be an angel, my grandma, and God. He wanted to make sure that "Someone watched him next time." "There won't be a next time." I assured him. ❤

Learn more  click on the podcast links below and follow us on Facebook!