Evan Chapter 3

When Evan became a teenager he matured a great deal. Yes as all teenagers are he was selfish but not as much. He began to show a softer side, a kinder side. He was adored by his cousins and his uncles and aunts. By his sister not so much. He and Ashton fought constantly, as a lot of brothers and sisters do. He was closer to Bayleigh than anyone else in the family. Bayleigh is Dana’s daughter and only about 10 months younger than Evan. They had a bond. They always sought each other out. They seemed to understand each other without saying a word.

In November of 2011 the whole family took a trip to Chicago. Shannon was to be married and we were to attend her wedding. Of course both Evan and Ashton had a part in the ceremony so Evan was to wear a tuxedo. We had been measured for the tuxedos here in OKC and were to pick them up in Chicago. Cameron called me and asked me to stop by their room. Evans Tuxedo was too small and the shirt was too large. Nothing to do but wear it because we were within an hour of starting time. I was so proud of Evan. He made the best of it and never complained. The picture you see as my profile picture on Facebook was taken that night. It is the last photo ever taken of Evan and me together. I will never change my profile picture. There was a great reception and party after the wedding and Evan loved it. That was the last time the whole family was together with Evan. I will never forget it. Two days later we all flew back to Oklahoma. While boarding the plane Evan wasn’t himself. He got hateful with his Dad , with Emily with Ashton and even with the stewardess. He complained of a headache. I think that was a warning that we didn’t recognize. Because just over a month later he got very sick.

January 31 2011, news years eve , I got a call from Cameron. He said ” dad Evan is sick, I don’t know much but he is at the Children’s hospital emergency room”. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. We rushed up there. He was being examined and test were being run. The family started coming in and in a short time we were all there. The first thing we were told was that he had a small brain bleed at the cerrabellum. They were going to admit him to the intensive care ward. It all seemed very serious but for some reason I wasn’t all that concerned. I thought well they’ll get him in here get him all fixed up and we will be back home. Little did I know. The family was all there, we took over a waiting room. It seemed everyone felt like I did so the mood was light, lots of laughter. Shannon was here because she and Corey had come home for Christmas. We took turns going back to see Evan and as time went on I Got more concerned because he had a severe headache. By late that night the headache was under control and things were looking up. After several days he was moved from ICU into a room on the floor. We visited him several times during the week. On. Friday night of that week we went to see him and he was in quarantine. They had discovered some kind of infection. We didn’t get to see him But I peeked in as the nurse was closing the door. The very next day exactly one week after being taken to the emergency room, while watching a football game with his mother Stacy and sister Ashton, Evan had a stroke. We got the call and rushed to the hospital. When we got there Evan was back in ICU. the doctors and nurses surrounded his bed and were frantically working with him. He could not talk but was answering questions with hand signals. One for yes two for no. I got within hearing distance and tried to understand what was going on. It had been decided surgery was imminent and surgeons were enroute. Meantime he was taken for MRI Etc . By this time the whole family was there or on the way. He was finally taken to surgery late that evening. This whole thing went on all night. About three or four that morning the doctors finally came out to give us a report. They said they had removed all the clots, that the surgery had been successful and they saw no reason he wouldn’t recover and have a normal life. We waited til he was back in ICU and came home to sleep. Every day after that began with a visit to see Evan. Every day we were disappointed to learn he had not regained consciousness. We would sit for hours In The waiting room for any news. Poor Stacy never left. She moved into his room and stayed there. Taking short breaks for a shower. She refused to leave she wanted to be with him . Her mother Betty Frazier and her husband Michael Neely kept things going for her on the outside. Cameron and His wife Emily would volunteer but she would not leave. This went on for months.

Gotta take a break