the biggest scare....

Ryan got home yesterday to end my longest streak of single-parenting in several years.  We made last-minute silly plans to join the Lineberry's on a quick trip to their Winter Park house to drop off an ATV.  We thought we could enjoy the drive-time to converse and grab dinner while enjoying the Fall colors. We traded planned burritos for a special dinner at Devil's Thumb ranch and the kiddos were able to run around while we looked on from the deck.

We got the ATV dropped at the house and headed for home back over Berthoud pass.  Not long after we saw a moose on the highway, (yes, a moose!,) Ryan said he felt nauseous and might need us to pull-over.  Amy quickly veered off and Ryan assured her he was ok for her to find a safe spot with a wide shoulder to pull off.  A second later he said he felt like he might pass out and then, bam! he did.  He was sitting next to me on the front bench seat and the seconds and minutes that followed were a blur but Ryan's blank stare is unfortunately crystal clear.  We screamed at him and shook him and started to call 911 but had no service on the pass.  Finally I blew into his mouth twice and Cole doused him with a bottle of ice cold water and he slowly came to. 

We decided to continue towards Denver rather than heading back to Winter Park and had intermittent contact with 911 on the way over and down the pass.  An ambulance met us just past the town of Empire and after running an EKG and checking Ryan's vitals, they transported him to St. Anthony's ER in Denver.  Pat and Jim met the rest of us where we had left our cars and took Ben to our house to put him to bed and be with the dogs.  Amy came with me to the hospital and Cole came to pick her up after Amy's mom kindly met him at their house to watch the girls.

Ryan had come to, very wet, with little recollection of what had happened.  The rest of us wish we could forget it.  He was out long enough that all of us thought we had lost him.  My mind went to the worst places and I try to remember that vision of his face will grow more blurry with time. 

 After not enough sleep for most of us, we took Nana and Papa out for breakfast and then laid low for the rest of the day and night.  Thankfully Ben was asleep through the worst of it and has little recollection of anything but fun.