Blessings

This weekend has been a whirlwind of things happening that I never expected to happen to our little family. I wanted to write down how grateful I am for my Savior and for the little promptings that we get in our lives. It all started Friday afternoon when I went to get Matthew from his nap. I had put him down for his nap around 2pm. Then I heard him cry around 4 and 4:30 a little. Usually I just let him cry and he goes right back to bed. Plus I was getting things done and taking care of Reagan. But I had this feeling that I needed to go and check on Matthew. Something kept telling me that I needed to go feed him. I was thinking it's not time for him to eat yet, but I kept getting that feeling. When I went into his bedroom I had found him wrapped up in the blanket we keep wrapped up around his mattress (because he spits up so much). This is a big blanket and covers his whole mattress and wraps around it. Anyway he had gotten tangled up in that and it was wrapped around his head. So many things went through my mind at that moment, but the most concerning thought I had when I unwrapped him from his blanket and turned him over to find him completely blue, was that I had lost my child. I didn't know what to do, or so I thought, but I know now that the Spirit was guiding me through these next steps when it felt like I was numb to everything else around me. I picked Matthew up and started yelling his name a couple of times, then I layed him on the ground and patted his checks hoping to get him to respond. Then I tipped his head back and covered his nose and mouth with my mouth and gave him a couple of breaths. He then began to breath very faintly. I called 911 immediatly after that and waited for the paramedics to arrive. I asked the 911 worker if I could hold my child or if I should leave him on the floor. She said not to touch him. That was the hardest thing watching him on the floor trying to breath, crying very faintly and I couldn't do anything for him. I felt so helpless. The paramedics arrived and they gave Matthew some oxygen for a few minutes. Dave was on his way home from work and as he drove towards the house, he saw several ambulances and a firetruck out front and a stretcher was at the foot of the driveway. He ran into the house thinking that his wife had a bad accident and as soon as he entered the house, the paramedics quickly assured him that "the baby is fine." Dave had a look of horror on his face as he entered Matthews room with paramedics surrounding this little baby with an oxygen mask held in front of his face and barely keeping his eyes open. Dave quickly came to me as I became emotional and asked if I was okay and what happened. They allowed Dave to pick Matthew up but Matthew was too lethargic and weak to even hold his head up. Dave had to support his head and just held him kissing him. I called my neighbor to come get Reagan while we took Matthew to the hospital and she came over right away with her husband. Sam Sweet and Dave gave Matthew a blessing before heading to the hospital. Dave said that he struggled to give Matthew a blessing because he was overwhelmed with emotions, but he felt prompted to bless Matthew with strength to recover completely and that everything would be okay. What a blessing it was to have a worthy priesthood holder nearby to respond so quickly. I rode in the ambulance with Matthew and watched as they put the oxygen mask on his face and how he didn't really respond to anyone or anything. By the time we reached Primary Children's hospital he was doing a bit better. He was responsive and his eyes were open and looking around. I was so grateful. I can't count how many prayers I was saying from the time we left the house...or from the time I found him lifeless in his crib to that moment. The doctor saw him and they did a couple of tests and that kept us in the hospital for a long time. We decided it would be best to keep him in the hospital over night for observation. I had made myself sick with everything that was going on so I went home and Dave stayed with Matthew at the hospital. The next morning the doctor discharged him and said that he looked great and was ready to go home. One of our concerns was that Matthew had stopped breathing for possibly an hour or so since I thought he was napping, and there was some possible brain damage. The doctors believed that I had found Matthew maybe just a minute or so after he had stopped breathing. They said that Matthew wouldn't have recovered so quickly if he had stopped breathing for even 5 minutes or so, and that this would have been a completely different story in that case. We are so blessed to have Matthew still with us. I am grateful that I was in tune with the Spirit so that I could go in at that moment. I'm grateful for all of our friends and family that helped out and for all of their love, support and prayers. Matthew is so precious and I just still can't believe that we might have lost him. I still have a hard time sleeping after that. I find even when I put him down for naps I go in and check on him a few times. I'm sure that I will be doing that for a while still. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the priesthood; for blessings and for answered prayers. The Lord's tender mercies have again touched our lives.