Adam’s Accident + 36 Week Pregnancy Update

Have you ever heard the saying “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”?

Well I had plans. I have about a month left till this baby is due and I’ve been trying to finish up the guest room, boy’s room, and baby prep in the next month so that I can relax with my newborn and not have a big to-do list. I had two posts a week (a lot for me) planned until then, revealing both rooms and sharing tutorials for the things in them.

Then last week Adam had an accident. He was helping friends build a house when an extension ladder fell out from under him. He said it started slowly, and he had time to assess the situation and decided that riding it down was a better plan than jumping. When he landed he hit is face, ribs, and stomach on the rungs and was in some pain. About 30-45 minutes after it happened he decided to head to urgent care to see if he cracked a rib or something. I met him there, and as soon and I walked in with the boys the nurses were saying that they couldn’t treat him and he need to get to the emergency room ASAP for fear of internal bleeding. A friend rushed him to the hospital, and when I arrived a few minutes later I entered the room and there were about eight doctors and nurses around him frantically working, cutting off his clothes, hooking him up to all sorts of monitors, and prepping him for emergency surgery. He was pale and his vitals were weak, but soon after they got him stabilized and everyone took a deep breath. Then they wheeled him off to get a CT scan and see exactly what was happening.

Shortly after the doctors came back and said he had badly ruptured his spleen and was bleeding internally, that he needed to get into surgery immediately (a splenectomy) to remove it and stop the bleeding. They also presented us with a second option, which is where they go in through a vein on your leg and try to stop the bleeding and save part of the spleen, all without actually cutting you open.  They said that they have never tried it on a spleen this badly injured, but if it didn’t work they could just go in surgically and remove the entire spleen anyway. Adam and I decided trying to save part of it was worth a try, and off he went.

Nearly three long hours later the doctor appeared and said the initial surgery had work and they were able to save about 1/3 of his spleen. This is great news, because while it you can certainly live without a spleen you have to be extremely careful about getting sick (since it’s an important part of the immune system – which I know from googling it on my phone while in the ER.)

Adam spent a couple of days in ICU before being transferred to a regular room and spent about a week in the hospital total. I even forced him to document the occasion….in 30 years were going to look back on this photo and laugh about that time Adam landed himself in the hospital right before we had baby #3.

hospital

He is home now, and he will be on bed rest and out of work until it’s time for him to man up and take care of me. Since he never got opened up for surgery, the dead 2/3 of his spleen, all the blood from the internal bleeding, and the gas that they pumped into him during the procedure was left in his body. His body is working hard to absorb and rid itself of all that extra matter, and evidently it’s pretty painful. So the next month will be spent taking it slow, healing, and basically just surviving. It may not be exactly how I imagined my ninth month of pregnancy, but I’m thankful that I get the opportunity take care off all my men.

Throughout all this Adam and I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful. The doctors have told us over and over again how lucky Adam is, that with a spleen injury like his you can bleed out and die in about ten minutes, and Adam didn’t get to the hospital until about two hours after the accident. Then, they were actually able to save part of his spleen. Thank goodness for modern medicine and wise doctors. Also, the amount of support we’ve received from our family, friends, and church has been nothing short of incredible. We’ve been completely covered in prayer, had meals and gift cards bought to us, childcare always available, offers to clean our house and help with medical bills. Adam had a steady stream of visitors the entire week, which had the nurses calling him “the most popular guy in the hospital”. I really cannot put into words how grateful I am to be part of community that really looks out for each other.

I’m totally NOT tearing up while writing this…I just have something in my eye, I swear.

Needless to say, projects and blogging are being put on the back burner and it’s going to be a little quiet around here for the next couple of months. I’m not going to disappear, I have a few finished projects to write about and a few easy ones I think I can get done before the baby comes (plus I have to tell y’all about the land we closed on last month!), but generally my time will be spent taking care of two little boys, one big boy, this mystery baby in my belly, and somewhere in there, me.

Speaking of the mystery baby, I haven’t blogged about this pregnancy since 23 weeks…it’s high time for an update.

pregnant

My due date is in a month (March 5th), which puts me at 36 weeks.  It’s weird to think that there is a full-sized baby calling my stomach home right now. I mean, my belly is huge and wiggly, but still…it’s hard to believe that any day now that belly will produce an actual human being. At about 20 weeks Levi started calling the baby “Kicker”, and the name has stuck…we’ve been calling him/her Kicker ever since.

I’m feeling…alright. Not the best I’ve ever felt or anything, but not terrible. I didn’t just have my spleen removed, so I can’t complain too much. Though I am definitely tired, my back hurts, and have a really sexy pregnancy waddle going on. I’ve basically given up on dressing myself…I have one pair of jeans I wear, one pair of shoes, one bra, a few granny panties, and handful of shirts that I rotate for when I leave the house. That doesn’t happen too often these days though, so it’s mostly just Adams pajamas that are keeping me covered.

Admittedly the baby prep has been pretty minimal, but since it’s the third I now just how little babies actually need. But I’ve gotten all the baby stuff out of the attic, cleaned up and ready. The van is rearranged to fit three car seats. The crib is all set up in our room. All our hospital bags are packed and in the car. The doctor says this baby is locked and loaded. I’m ready.

With Elijah I was nervous because he was my first. I had no idea what labor was going to be like (besides painful), and really no idea how to be parent or take care of a baby. I loved being pregnant, and when I was two weeks overdue, I was like “eh, it”s fine”. With Levi I was both excited and terrified. My first labor was horrible, so there was that. I had a one year old at home…how was I going to juggle both? What if I didn’t love him as much as my first?

With this one I’m just ready. I’m done being pregnant. My second labor was great so I’m not nervous about that. I have two small boys at home, but at this point I’m pretty good at juggling and know we’ll be okay. I’m still worried I won’t love this one as much, but by now I know just how silly that is.

I’m excited to see if Kicker is a boy or a girl…though I’m almost certain it’s a boy. I thought both my other kids were boys too, so I’m feeling a bit cocky about my mothers intuition. If it’s a girl we have the name nailed down (Noelle), but if it’s a boy (it is) we still haven’t decided on anything. We have our list, and at this point we figure that when we see him the name part will be easy. Fingers crossed that’s not totally dumb and we end up naming him something terrible.

The boy/girl thing isn’t the only surprise I’m excited about though, I’m excited to what Kicker looks like. My boys looked NOTHING like each other. See for yourself – here is newborn Elijah and newborn Levi..

Newborn Elijah and Levi

My boys

And since I just can’t control myself, here they are at one, two, and three years old…

one year old

two years old

three years old

We joke (well, it’s not really a joke) that Elijah is an “Adam baby” and Levi is an “Ashley baby”. Elijah looks exactly like every boy in my husband’s family…in baby pictures you can’t even tell them apart at times. They are blonde and fair, have that hairline that refuses to fill in, and the distinctive family upper lip (that upper lip is the first thing Adam looks for in our ultrasounds).

Levi on the other hand looks like my family (he is my brothers twin). He’s a truly hairy dude, with big blue eyes and a nose that turns up at the end. Somehow, despite their differences, they manage to be equally adorable. When they’re not driving me crazy, that is.

Anyway…I’m not sure how to end this post. Thank you in advance for all your support, and I promise not to disappear on you…even if I do just post updates on Adam, random projects, and newborn baby photos for a while.

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56 Comments

  1. Definitely teared up reading this. I’ve been following you and your family since living in the UK, Canada and now NZ. Really want to send you all my love (distribute it to Adam, the boys, yourself and the bump as you see fit). I hope the next few months aren’t stressful and remember that the thousands of followers in internet world are with you all the way x

    1. You’re too kind Laura, thank you for the love and support. I’m currently surrounded by chatty preschoolers and a table full of Play-Doh, so I’ll start the distribution there and work my way to the sleeping husband :)

      Also, look at all the places you’ve lived! Does work move you around a lot or is it for fun and exploration? I would love to visit New Zealand one day.

      1. Thank God – truly – that your dear Adam is alive and getting well. And I myself have 4 of the best sons on earth, plus a grandson, so I personally am rooting for another boy for your family ;-) I love girls, too – I am the oldest of 6 girls (we have one great brother) – and I really pray that the baby and you are healthy. God bless you all!

  2. Oh my goodness! I am so glad everything turned out alright. What a nerve-wracking experience. I hope Adam has a speedy recovery and all the best with your soon-to-be new arrival!! I’ll be thinking of you guys!!

    1. Thank you Kim! It was nerve-wracking…I actually had contractions the whole first day he was in there (I’m sure from stress) and was thinking they were going to have to pull me up a bed in the ICU. Thankfully that didn’t happen…but it would make for a great story!

  3. I have the privilege of actually seeing you and your beautiful baby boys. Even when you think you are running around thrown together, you are one of the prettiest pregnant ladies I have ever seen. Your babies are all smiles & eyes & crazy smart. We are praying for y’all!!!

  4. Oh my Lord! That’s crazy! What an awful thing to have to experience, especially while you’re pregnant! Glad Adam’s on the mend though and you can start focussing on you a little bit more. All the best for the next few months x

  5. Best wishes you guys. God bless you all. Have fun with your new little one. We will all still be here whenever you get back to it! No worries.

  6. I’m so glad Adam is okay! That is too close for comfort. O_O Best wishes for a smooth recovery!
    It’s quite remarkable how different the boys really are, in looks. Are they as different in personality? I can’t believe how big Levi looks in that last picture.
    As for you, you are radiant! One of those people who just glow during pregnancy. (And here I thought that whole thing was a myth…) I hope Kicker arrives safely and uneventfully, and can’t wait to see baby pictures. :)
    BIG CYBER HUGS!!

    1. Thanks Jan! He is recovering well, but I think it’s taking him by surprise that he actually needs to be on bed rest and can’t do anything. He’s not used to that. I wish I could assign him my long list of behind the scenes blog tasks that need to be done!

      It’s funny you ask if the boys personalities different, because YES, they are 100% different in every single way. Seriously, it’s incredible. I’m not even going to start listing them off, because this comment would turn into a novel.

  7. Prayers and best wishes going your way. Speedy recovery to the big boy, speedy and easy labor you, and just the best of wishes for the remaining two (three?) little dudes/dudette in your family!!!!!

  8. Oh my!!! So much for a quiet last month before baby! Sometimes it’s SO scary to realize what ‘could have been’. Thanks goodness everything turned out and your husband is resting at home safe and sound! Good luck with the home stretch!!
    xx Charlotte

  9. So good to hear that Adam is doing well and you have an army of support out there. Make sure he listens about the healing part…you know how men can be…”I can do that” (I know, I have one here recovering from spine surgery). You look fabulous Ashley and please don’t forget to share the exciting news! Praying for a speedy recovery for Adam, a healthy baby and an easy delivery for you. Think positive!
    Hugs, Ellie

    1. I thought I was to have to get on him about not doing too much, but he’s in enough pain that I haven’t had to worry about that. My big challenge is keeping the boys off him…they just want to wrestle 24/7!

      Prayers for yours recovering from spine surgery as well, that doesn’t sound like fun either. Soon enough they will both be back on their feet!

  10. I’m glad to hear everyone is doing ok. God is certainly looking over you all. Take care and remember we are all praying for you and yours.

  11. OMG! You poor things! I can so totally relate! My hubby way back when, broke his knee when I was at a similar stage of pregnancy and he had to have a long hospital stay, not to mention the 6 weeks recovery at home and me having to shower and toilet him! My other two kidlets were just itty bitties and it was tough, but we all got through in the end. Hang in there! Your hubby is a trooper. He looks miserable in the photo but no doubt will laugh in time when he looks back and sees his gorgeous wife with bubby within! (You ARE a gorgeous woman, Ashley!) Hugs and hopes Adam feels better real soon. (He must be filled with man-guilt right now knowing you are about to pop. Tell him to just get better!)

    1. Oh man, you totally get it. That sounds rough…rougher than I have it. He needed help with those things in the hospital, but here at home he can get around without me.

      That photo was actually taken about 5 minutes before they nurses took off all his monitors and sent him home…I have some from the ICU where he looks really terrible. I decided not to post those :)

  12. Wow what terrible timing, but thank God Adam is going to be ok! I got a call when I was pregnant with my first that my husband had been in a motor bike accident. I was panic-stricken! He broke his back, but thank God that was all and he recovered quickly. Don’t forget to take care of you too. Looks like you are ready…can’t wait to see your new sweet pea. :)

    1. How scary, I’m glad he recovered well…a broken back is no joke! Adam rides motorcycles too and it’s always made me nervous. I never worried about ladders though…go figure.

  13. Hugs to you and all your family….
    And I still vote for Jesse if you’re right about little Kicker being a boy :)

  14. Many, many hugs to all of you! Don’t worry about your fans going anywhere, take care of YOU. We’ll still be here when you have your new “normal”. Hope you have a gentle, easy birth with kicker and Adam has a full recovery. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Will light a candle for you each morning until we hear Kicker has been born!

  15. I am so sorry for what you all have been through and very thankful all turned out well. Best of luck over the next few months. And you are the cutest thing ever, what a bright smile.

  16. So glad Adam is going to be okay! Your babies are adorable and I’m sure this one will be as well. You are one busy lady and I enjoyed reading your story. I will keep all of you in my prayers :)

  17. Wow! I had to blink back tears myself reading your words about such love and support and how great our God is. So thankful for your family that he worked a miracle in Adam! When I read the article I was sure it would be something police related. I hope his friend gets him a huge “sorry we broke you!” get well basket! :) And I’m personally hoping for a March 6 delivery! Kicker and I could share a birthday!

    1. Thank you Kara…we really have been shown an incredible amount of love. I pray, daily, that he never has a police related accident. It’s scary out there!

      My sister-in-law is hoping for March 6th too, because that’s her birthday. I’m personally hoping for much sooner!

  18. I am SO glad that things turned out as well as they have and that you have support and help if you need it. Please take good care of YOU through all this as well as all of your “boys”! I am sending lots of prayers your way and cannot wait to find out the sex of “kicker”. I am rooting for a girl! ;-) Give Adam a gentle hug and let him know we are all glad he is alright. Don’t stress about posting, you have more important things to be dealing with at the moment. When you are able, let us know how Adam is and when kicker arrives, but we will be here whenever you are able to post.

    Love and hugs,
    Maureen

    1. Thank you Maureen, it’s good to her from you! Adam is doing good, a little better everyday. And trust me, you’re not the only one rooting for a girl…I’m feeling the pressure from family and friends. Pretty sure I’m going to disappoint you all though!
      How are you doing?

  19. Angels are surrounding you and your little family. Hugs to you all. You are handling this emergency like a Woman with competency and grace. Let us know when little Kicker is here. Your blog is one of the first that I started to read when I discovered blogging. I love following the growth of your family.
    Kisses,
    Pam

  20. Oh my goodness, I’m glad you put this in your title so I knew to expect something bad. I’m so sorry to hear about Adam’s accident, but the tone of your post is so upbeat, which is great to see. I’ll be praying for your pregnancy and Adam’s healing!

  21. Oh, If I had ever had a daughter I had wanted to name her Amanda Noell!!!! I am so glad your husband went to the hospital even if a bit late! God was watching over him!

  22. I’m so sorry to hear about Adam’s accident!! I hope the next few months are as easy as they can be on you and your family. And again, you look stunning! Pregnancy suits you well :)

    Good luck with everything!

  23. Oh my gosh. Even reading this was so scary! I’m so sorry you and Adam had to go through that. Sounds so scary. He definitely had a guardian angel looking after him. My prayers for a speedy recovery and easy last month of your pregnancy <3
    Take care of your family, we of course will wait for any and all updates but understand taking care of your boys (and maybe a girl, who knows!) comes very first!!

  24. So glad to hear that Adam is OK — love, love your blog! And…. you are due the EXACT SAME DAY as my middle daughter! That will be my 4th grand baby and it is a boy…. so I will especially pray for you as I pray for her this month. Blessings and gentle care to you as you navigate this memorable month from Austin, Texas!

  25. Hi Ashley,
    I’m so sorry about what happened to Adam. Sending him healing prayers and speedy recovery. Please take care of yourself and enjoy your final trimester Ashley. By the way I’ve been following your wonderful blog for over a year now and never miss reading although I often forget to remember to leave a comment, oopsiiie!. I shall always be here whenever you are able to post.
    Hugs xx
    Asmah

  26. Glad your husband is okay. I can’t believe Levi’s hair – WOW. As the mother of three boys, I truly hope you have a girl. I love my boys but I always felt as though I missed something not having a girl. I have a wonderful daughter-in-law and I love my youngest son’s girlfriend very, very much. I will keep your family in my prayers for a quick recovery and a fast labor and delivery.

  27. Oh my goodness! I clicked over to your blog from your penny countertop post at Bob Villa and started reading your story! Whew, I am glad it all worked out and I am sending happy thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery and blissful delivery. I can totally relate. My husband has drilled through is finger, sawed into himself, broken his wrist…and would not stop to go to the ER until the project was done. Oh those boys! ;)

  28. wow what a cliffhanger. such relief and thankfulness for your hsbs recover.
    Thank you for the precious photos of your sons and family history re their looks.
    God bless you and your family. Looking forward to updates.

  29. So sorry to hear about your husband’s injury! I’m so thankful he DID go to the hospital!
    My husband tore his ACL 2 weeks before our third child was born. I think he needed to be wheeled around the hospital more than I did! Lol! Hoping for a speedy recovery and healthy delivery of #3!

  30. I am so glad Adam survived that. How incredibly scary!! It sounds like that would be painful. I hope you’re able to take care of yourself as well as everyone else. I’m rooting for a girl too but I know either way she/he will be just as loved as the other two. I will be keeping all of you in my prayers. Get well Adam and make sure you get some rest too Ashley!!

  31. Praying for a good recovery for Adam. What a scary experience this all was! Hope you have a good last month of your pregnancy. Can’t wait to hear if Kicker is a boy or a girl, see if your mothers intuitiion is still going strong! Wish you and your family all the best all the way from the Netherlands.

  32. Good grief, that’s a lot to stress over! I’m so thankful that Adam was hurt no worse. Blessings to you and your family during this time, and I can’t wait to meet your third little cutie!

  33. Oh Ashley, huge hugs to you and the family. You have an amazing community around you and rely on them if needed, after reading your blog for a few years, you know you will repay the favour when you can. Although i’m not religious the quote “don’t tell God your plans” really rings true. We lost my farther in law last year to cancer at the age of 54, just as he and my mother in law had retired and moved to the coast. Your family really are beautiful, count your blessings and solider on!

  34. Ashley – I just read this today and I am so thankful that Adam is okay. You must have been incredibly scared when this happened. I will keep all of you in my prayers for sure!! Can’t wait to see if your baby is a girl or boy :-). Hope the next few weeks go quick for you!!

  35. Found you through Pinterest and will pray for all y’all. Hope everything is going the way it needs to and so glad your hubby is ok. Gonna try to paper a floor thanks to you. Be blessed!

  36. This is the first time I have seen your blog and I am definitely tearing up at all the news. Sometimes life throws us curveballs. I’ve learned to think they are there for a reason, though getting hurt like Adam did, well, i don’t see the reason behind that! Maybe it’s not up to us to see. At the time I’m writing this, you are probably in having your new little one.I’m looking forward to pics of him and more news from this blog. My daughter is due in May with a boy, as well. So any baby stuff, i tend to stop and look! lol. Good luck hon. Sending hugs and prayers to your whole family.

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