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Kayleigh’s Words…

This is what Kayleigh wrote today about her experience (written on Facebook):

August 24th

by Kayleigh Bledsoe on Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at 10:25am

For those of you who havent heard-or have only heard parts…

and for those of you who have ALREADY contacted me and loved on me-THANK YOU!

I was driving done Highway 50 on my way to UCF & I saw a guy in the bike lane probably 50 feet past a green light once I got through the light I saw the guy start to pull out in front of me and then turn back around-like he was just going to wait and go right behind me. Then I guess he thought I was going to slow to wait…so he pulled right out in front of me, I tried to swerve to miss him but it was raining and he just froze-so I hit him and he flew up on my windshield and then rolled off the car…

I ran over his bike but I thought I ran over him.

When I got out of my car he looked dead-I honestly have never seen so much blood in my whole life-but he started making noises(groaning and crying) so I tried to run over to him-I have NO clue what I was planning on doing but I just felt like I needed to hold him.

Then this big guy (who had been sitting in the traffic going the other way ran up and grab me and told I couldnt touch him or move him. I kept asking everyone-they were probably 8 people who stopped-if he was going to die and they all tried to calm me down. I probably told the guy I was so sorry 91231031 times but by that point he was pretty out of it.

It felt like I stood there and watched him bleed & cry for hours before anyone got there-even though it was probably not even 10 minutes.

They took him to the hospital and said he stable as of last night and he has a fractured arm, a large laceration on his head and several other wounds and bruises. Im hoping to find out an update today.

I walked away completely fine-a few little cuts that are really even worth mentioning. Each time someone would come over to look at my car(the sheriff, the EMT, the highway patrol) they would look and me and ask if I was inside of it???They couldnt believe I didnt get more cut up. They said my face should have been cut to pieces(including my eyes). They said the only reason he didnt come all the way through the windshield is because his head hit where the glass and the metal met and the top. The windshield is completely shattered and buckled in where he hit.

Right before I left for class I asked Lisa if I could borrow her jacket(I was wearing a tank top) and that really kept me from getting all cut up!!!They are so many God moments through out but its hard to focus on those. Im dealing with a lot of guilt and cannot get the picture of this man flying up hitting my windshield and then laying on the ground in a huge puddle of blood out of my mind.

While the EMTs we making sure I was ok…

I looked over and saw this guy in a orange shirt running down the side of highway 50. I knew it that moment it could only be one person. Barry had gotten stuck in traffic at Lake Pickett(because of the accident) and decided to run from Lake Pickett all the way to just past Bonneville where the accident was.

My parents also got stuck in traffic but the minute they got out their car they were running to me-I actually told the cop “My parents just parked over there and I can bet you they will be crossing 50 whether you stop the cars or not” So the INCREDIBLY helpful officers stopped all the traffic on a 6 lane road so my parents could get to me.

My Dad and mom each prayed with me before bed last night and helped calm my nerves!

I am so grateful and so loved!

There were 4 very kind people who waited almost 2 hours to talk to the highway patrol and tell him that they guy pulled right out in front of my and then stop and there was nothing I could do, and the patrol said based on where the accident was he was completely at fault.

But I just wish I could go back in time and have missed him.

I am asking for your prayers and thank you all for your friendship! Your text and calls have meant the world! Please be praying for Michael(they think that is his name) he was in stable condition as of last night.

I love you all and appreciate your friendship and prayers.

A special thanks to Asher for driving barry’s car so he could get out and run and for waiting there with us the whole time.

& to my amazing boss Verna Gange, who was so concerned about me-told me she loved me :)

and completely understood when I asked for today off-even though Im hoping to go in a little bit later!

***& PLEASE always wear your helmet-I have seen what can happen when you dont.***

We all love you Kayleigh and are so glad you…and Michael will be okay.  We thank God for watching over you and all of our friends for their love and support.

Peace to you all.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on August 25, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

When your world stops.

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Byron’s Post Today:

“I got one of those calls.  It came at 5:33 pm.  Angie and I were talking and… it happened.  Kayleigh had been in an accident.  We didn’t know much and flew out of the house.

So much goes through your mind.  Of course… “Is she okay?” is the main thing.  She was traveling down a major road in Orlando and for some reason a guy on a bike decided to cross the road… a six lane road!  She had no time to stop and she hit him.  Once I knew she was okay, I began to wonder about the guy that rode out in front of her (he was taken to the hospital).  Her front windshield shattered, front fender dented, bumper cracked… he must have hit pretty hard.

I have no idea what he was thinking – how he determined that was a good idea.  My little girl is incredibly upset, but she’s okay.  That call… that accident could have been so different.  There are moments when life is interrupted… moments we’re reminded what’s really important (I’m sure the family of the guy who was hit is having those tonight as well – please pray for them.  It’s my understanding that he’ll be okay as well).

When I saw Kayleigh’s windshield… and saw that she only had one minor scratch… it just didn’t make sense – but I know why she’s okay.  So, tonight I’m grateful.  I’m also so grateful for the Orange County Deputies (thanks Deputy Burk), the paramedics, the FL Highway Patrol… and the witnesses who stayed around.  I really was struck by how encouraging and helpful everyone was.  So much happens that we never see.  Tonight I saw the kindness and compassion of many people.  Life was interrupted… and I’ve payed attention.  I love my little girl!” - (Byron).

I love you, Kayleigh.  I love you, Ashley.  I love you, Nate.  I love you, Ethan.

….now I can sleep.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on August 24, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

To be or not to…..(you know how it goes)

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This morning, I heard myself tell someone that I’m “41″.

The words just rolled off my tongue - as if I were not saying, “Hello, I’m now 41, and I don’t know how I got to be in my 40’s when I feel like I should just be beginning my 20’s most days….”

Of course, there are many other days when I feel the passage of time like feathers on the wind that I can’t retrieve fast enough…and it would be pointless to try.

It’s hard being a woman in your 40’s - but, it’s made somewhat easier since the road to becoming a woman in her 40’s is quite trying - requiring the acquisition of a tough mind….and even tougher skin.  I guess I should say, it’s a hard journey to get there…and then once you arrive, you are rarely complimented for enduring the joys and trials that, most often, show up like a road map on your face.

For a man that’s called character. The world is not so kind to us women.  But, all of these things make us better, I suppose…preparing us for the days to come.

All of these things didn’t go through my head in that moment when I first spoke the words “41″ this morning, in relation to how long I’ve now been alive.  But, the thoughts are there, nonetheless.

Or, better still, they’re there…..in the “road map” on my face.

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As I walked away and went to get on stage to sing with some very talented…..teens & twenty-somethings, I thought about which I’d rather be….

…a butterfly or a moth.

Of course, the butterfly is so beautiful to look at, so often photographed and even captured and placed in a frame to show off its colors.  The moth, not so much…..it just plugs along - doing what it does.

I guess I’ve kind of always been pulled between these polar ends:  the beautiful and the practical - one so often overlooked, and one so often mishandled and desired as a trophy….

Both paths are hard.  Both have their downsides.

I guess that’s why I took both of these pictures in the mountains on a morning after the rain had past.  They were both so beautiful in their own way.  They both caught my eye.  And it was as if nature was reminding me:  Don’t worry about which you are, just be……just fly and forget about the rest.

So, I walked into the theater to sing 4 sets (feeling more like a moth than ever), and I just decided to just “be” - to fly….and forget about the rest.

I am 41, after all.  So I can fly displaying whatever colors I want!

…….and just forget about the rest.

Peace.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on August 22, 2010
in Uncategorized, church, life lessons, love, random and women
. 0 Comments

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

So…

I went to the Cardiologist on Monday to find out what’s going on with me….well, one thing that’s going on with me.  And, there are a couple of minor issues: heart murmur, mitral valve prolapse, low blood pressure and rapid resting heart rate - none, by themselves, severe or life threatening.

Apparently, it’s just the combo of my blood pressure being 60/40 while my heart rate is 105 that makes for a problem.

Anyway…he scheduled an ultrasound of my heart and a “stress test” for this morning….

The ultrasound went fine - although that kind is not near as fun as the kind of ultrasound you have when you’re having a baby - but, I digress…

Then, came the “stress test”.

I assumed that any test that involves getting stressed would be one I could pass with flying colors.  BUT, NOT SO!

I barely made it through the “hooking up” process before I started having a weird (yet, all too familiar) feeling…..the nurse looked at me and immediately took my blood pressure and started talking in a loud voice (never good when you have wires hooked up to you….).  Of course my blood pressure was bottoming out again.

The technician said she couldn’t “run me” if I was in that state….so I sat down drank water and waited….

My BP went up a little and my “color came back”, so we tried again.  I got on the treadmill and started walking…slowly.  I closed my eyes to focus and she said, “Honey, I need to see your eyes….are you okay?” (gradually, getting louder as she spoke).  Then, she said to the nurse, “Shut it off, she’s bottoming out again!”….back to sitting down and drinking water…..

You may ask, “Who fails a stress test?”……..and, apparently, the answer would be ME!

We left the doctor’s office and I was craving salt, so I downed a quarter pounder with cheese and some fries - got home around 10:45 - said, “I just need to lie down for a second” and when I regained consciousness it was 3:30.

So,  there’s my day.

My “Happy Wednesday”.

It’s all good - at least they’re not scheduling any kind of surgery or anything like that - well…that I know of.

Right now, I’m coming off all medications, trying to change my lifestyle….just whatever I can do to not “lose” any more days like today.

We’ll see…

Actually, I’m getting quite used to charting my days between doctor’s offices and the bed - I’ve grown quite familiar to this new level of “La La Land” (I just thought I was the mayor before!).

Thanks to all of you who have prayed or thought of me.  I’ve appreciated you all so very much.

You all make every Wednesday - test failures and all - a happy one.

Peace to you all.

Published
by
angiebledsoe
on March 31, 2010
in Uncategorized
. 3 Comments