Hey all,
So I thought a blog would be appropriate to let everyone know what is happening with our well loved Roger Jr.
On November 1, 2009, Roger was at Sand Mountain doing what he loves... riding his dirt bike and hanging out with friends. Since I wasn't there I do not know the details, but I do know that he did a jump and when he landed he landed on his tail bone essentially and compressed his spine. This happened at 10:30am. Thankfully, Roger had a buddy there who had a similar accident and is also a medic so he kept Roger calm and still.
Amazingly, I came to Reno for the weekend to hang out with friends for the Halloween weekend. I got a call at around 2pm from Roger's buddy's, Rick, girlfriend, Brooklyn. Roger's number appeared on my phone so I answered "What's up my brother?" thinking I would hear the awesome stories of sand mountain from the weekend. When I heard Brooklyn say "Ashley its Brooke, Rick's girlfriend", I knew something was wrong. Never in a million years did I think I was going to learn what was to come. Brooke stated that Roger had been taken by care flight to Renown Medical Center in Reno. I was 5 minutes away. I looked at my boyfriend and in shock said I need to take a shower and get to the hospital.
When I arrived I picked up the phone and asked the operator where I could find my brother. She stated he was in the ICU. As I walked with Clint to the ICU I was shaking. When I walked past a set of double doors I saw Roger on a stretcher with a cervical collar on being wheeled into the elevator. I walked into the waiting room and there stood my Aunt, Mary Kate. She stated that she was glad to see me and that Roger has been asking for me since the accident. She told me a little bit about what happened and stated she wasn't sure how much Roger knew. I knew in my mind that I had to stay strong and be there for Roger. There weren't any tears for me until I knew what the heck was going on.
The nurse came out to the waiting room and said we could come in since Roger was back from his CT Scan. I asked Clint and Mary Kate to stay in the waiting room so I could see Roger and talk to the nurse and doctor to find out what was going on. Never did I think I was going to hear what I heard. Roger's spine had compressed to the extent that, in lay man's terms, blew up the T12 vertebrae. Part of T12 was compressing his spinal cord. Roger could not feel anything from his waist down. The doctor was awesome! He really explained things to me and to Roger. I told the doctor that I didn't want anything kept from Roger. This is his life and he needs to know what is happening everyday. Right then and there I asked the doctor what his chances of walking again were, and he stated "he has a very high chance of never walking again". BAM! Please just punch me in the gut! Why?? Why did this happen??
Since Roger was in stable condition there was no need to rush him off to surgery. The doctor explained the benefit of allowing his spine to rest for 48 hours before surgery would be done. I never realized how long 48 hours could be.
Once the conversation with the doctor was over, it was time to start making phone calls to the family. What a horrible thing to have to do. I have been that person in my family though and God has given me the strength to be able to talk to my family and be a person to stability and strength.