March 5th and 6th
Morning rush! All up at 5:30: first group out the door to seminary by 5:40am , next group up to wash/bathe by 5:50, final group to get up and start routines 5:55am. Following breakfasts, teeth brush, finding all the shoes and backpacks (an yes they all have an assigned place and we still struggle with it) the timing looks like: 6:40 bus, 6:45 leave to work, 6:48 back from Seminary, 7:10 off to school. Yes….it is the same again and again.
However during the rush of today, I did not get Garrett up for Seminary. He had finally collapsed asleep around 5:40am.
In the rush, I’m out the door and suddenly driving, then dropping off kids, then teaching, then looking at the clock and then getting the text message from Scott. He told Garrett to NOT get on the bus. He came home from driving to find that he was gone! I contacted his brother and he said that he was at school. I didn’t know what to do. (YES I understand that that seems like a no brainer---go GET him!) But no, wait, maybe the routine will help him. Maybe the structure will give him some support. He loves routines….maybe…. If there is anything that happens I’ll leave and grab him---I swear that I will.
Around 1:30 the call from help came from the high school. He could not follow directions, was disoriented, was lost, did not respond to the teachers. He was lead to the counselors office. He collapsed with exhaustion. They just let him sleep. I set things in order at work and raced towards the school, however, I became trapped in the greatest Austin traffic known to man on a Monday afternoon. The guilt, my own shame, my stupidity were beating me up pretty good on that hour and half drive home. Needless to say I missed Garrett and he was put on the bus to go home. Monday night followed more fit-fullness and exhaustion. Through the night I kept praying to know when to take him to the hospital. I received no answer, no direction, nothing. Soon Tuesday morning on on us and Scott stayed with Garrett while I went to work.
Tuesday was more of the pain and the terror. I knew that I needed to take him to the hospital. I knew that this was bigger than any of my supports, my behavioral training could handle. I simply prayed to know what time to take him. The Spirit told when… it was Wednesday morning.