As My World Lies Broken In A Bed

I sit here at the bedside of my 24 year old son, Rodney. He was involved in a horrible single vehicle roll over crash on 8/24. He was taken from the scene via life flight helicopter. It happened on a desolate stretch of highway with nothing but pasture and swamp on both sides of the road. No street lights for miles and most times no traffic.

On this particular night, an off duty police officer from Maryland happened to be behind Rodney and came upon the scene before too much time had passed. The roll was estimated to be around 1/8 of a mile with a mile long debris field. He was traveling at a high rate of speed, 100 - 120 mph. I do not know the name of the off duty officer who phoned for the chopper but I hope to find out. Were it not for him, the rescue would have been a recovery instead. With two collapsed lungs he would not have survived long.

The crash occurred at 10:20 p.m. and a call was made to me at 12:15 a.m. I have never been on a longer car ride in my life. Nothing can prepare you to see your child in such a state. No amount of television shows or gruesome movies compares to the total devastation you will feel when you see your own child in a trauma unit.

Just a guy doing what he loves

This is the information I first put out on Facebook

Hi everyone. I'd like to give you all a brief update on Rodney's condition.

First off, he's got one helluva fight on his hands. To be honest, we don't know for sure if he will make it or not. He has severe thoracic trauma including two collapsed lungs, several broken ribs, internal bleeding and a perforated colon. The bleeding and colon were addressed earlier today with an emergency surgery.

Now on to the head. He has some head trauma, then extent of which is not yet known. Possible eye issues, neck injuries and c4 vertebrae concerns are the most dangerous, along with the possible brain injuries.

He had a dislocated elbow, which has been set. Thankfully no other broken bones.

Rodney is young and strong and will fight as much as he is able. He needs you all, though, and I am not too proud to beg you to please, please lift him up in thought and prayer as often as you can. He loves you all so much.

I thank each and every one of you for replying with your well wishes and prayers. I am sure that those great thoughts helped to get him through the surgery this morning that the doctors warned us was the worst option, but the absolute only choice we had. THANK YOU!!!

Playing a gig.

Rodney works a tough day job and makes music at night. He is the drummer for a metal band called Sick Thrill. The remaining shows planned for the summer and fall have been cancelled. Time will tell when he will play again.

While I was sitting here willing him to heal, I wrote a poem for him. I have never written poetry before, don't know the different styles of poetry, nor in fact, have I read much poetry until recently when I met up with @clayboyn and @lukakorba. Things that they write usually strike a chord in me and maybe that's why I wrote a poem for Rodney.

Quebec4241

There upon his pretty face
was laid a ghastly hue,
Amidst the ropelike tubes
skin showed both black and blue.

His eyes were swollen, one and two
his lips as cold as ice,
It brought a tear to me and you
to see him pay this price.

He cannot move, he cannot speak
To tell of pains aplenty,
He simply listens to the creak
of voices, ten or twenty.

He squeezed my hand and made me cry
when I told him I was there,
I then asked if he could try
to hit me with his stare.

He has a way of looking through
your soul to see what's there,
He knows if you are false or true
He sees the lies you wear.

If true you be, a friend for life
is what you'll have from him,
He'll do his best to keep the strife
from striking on a whim

A thousand hands or maybe more
are lifting him in prayer,
We're seeking grace from every shore
if you should like to share.

I welcome you, come one come all
join your voices unto mine,
Let's lift him up to God's great hall
I'll be the first in line.

Your countenance upon him shine
like dewdrops on a flower,
Allow to heal both fair and fine
you alone do have the power

A note about the title of the Poem. Quebec4241 is the name he is called in the trauma unit. Apparently all trauma patients are given military names until they are stable, identities are confirmed, toxicology reports done etc. So for now he is my son, Quebec4241.

https://www.facebook.com/rodney.lovelace.98

Thanks so much for your prayers and well wishes. Rodney's facebook link is up above if you would like to read more about his story. If you would like to leave a comment on his page I would be honored to read it to him and he will see it when he is able to read again.

Tam