Ben & Shae Cecka's family in Gilbert, AZ

Since yesterday was so eventful, I thought I would post my own version of the events, starting with Wednesday.

On Wednesday I flew down to San Jose for a meeting with Longs corporate in Walnut Creek, CA. We were there to discuss many issues that pertained directly to my job. It was a stressful meeting in the least, but overall was very productive and I think everyone walked out happy. Upon leaving, I had agreed to a 9:30am conference call the next day with their lead software personnel to discuss update and patch implementation in the stores that we support. With this in mind, we can lead into the rest of the story.

I was a little late getting into work because I missed my first bus. Due to the meeting on the last day of the month, I didn’t have a current bus pass so I had to grab a buck and a quarter to get to work. I figured that I could walk to the transit center later in the day and get a pass to get home.

So, about 9:30 I get the expected phone call and proceed to hammer out the gnitty-gritty details of software support. While on the phone my cell phone rings it’s distinctive ring for a family member (I have separate rings for colleagues, friends, and family) and I assume it’s Shae, however, since I’m on an important call with some high-ups at Longs I let it go to voicemail. She calls one more time and this time leaves a message. Once I’m done with the conference call at about 9:50, I check the message and it’s clearly Shae but she sounds about ready to burst into tears, telling me that she’s called 911 and that she is taking Johnathan to the hospital. “He’s breathing, everything is okay”. Those words repeat in my mind over and over and over. Why would she tell me that he’s breathing unless there was concern that he might stop?!?! My mind starts to panic and I call Shae but it goes to voicemail. I try again. Same thing.

After trying to get a hold of Shae I look at my phone and I notice that I’ve missed calls. Julie. She was supposed to be leaving Dakota with Shae before she went into an interview. Bingo — I call her up to see what’s going on but she doesn’t have any news that I don’t already know. However, it is Julie who reminds me that since Shae went in an ambulance, our car is sitting in the carport. If I can just get home! Dangit! No buspass! Well, no sense in waiting around, I need to be at the hospital NOW! I call a co-worker and tell them my son’s in trouble and that I need them to take my calls until I get back. Done. Grab my bag, lock my door, and race down 4 blocks to the transit center.

Is he breathing right now?

I’m in line waiting to get my pass and an elderly woman with a sour face cuts right in front of me and proceeds to buy her pass. My bus is still going to be a few minutes.The cashier looks at me with a questioning face but being a forgiving young man I nod in approval, signaling that it’s okay by me. The woman doesn’t know. I bet her son isn’t in the hospital. She finishes up and as she leaves the woman behind the counter says, “That certainly was nice of you.” I nod and smile, replying that it’s fine while giving her my credit card and getting my pass for the month. I’m trying my hardest to be polite and not too much in a rush. If she met Johnathan then surely she would understand. I grab my pass and wait by the bus. Just a few minutes go by before the driver opens the doors and begins his route.

We head up Main Street and come around onto Broadway. A typical route for me but this time my mind is on other things. It’s hard to keep focused and not play the “worst case scenario” game but I concentrate on the road. Is he breathing now? As my mind wanders again I think of the story that Shae and I are reading and I concentrate on a single flame in my mind. That helps.

As we head up Broadway we stop to pick up a very large man (up and out) with a cane. He walks over the bus as if each step requires deep concentration and extreme muscle strain. I feel bad for him. When he pulls himself onto the bus I can feel it lean into his weight. The man takes a seat close to me and leans back into it, letting his head rest on his chest as if to sleep. I wonder what he would think of Johnathan? The bus continues on it’s course and again I have a hard time keeping my focus on the tasks at hand. The flame and the void.

After a few more minutes we roll up towards my stop and I get out and run down the house. I head straight for Johnathan’s room and check over his crib. No blood. It isn’t his rash. I check on the computer for directions to the hospital (never been to the Salmon Creek Legacy Hospital — it’s brand new).

5-North
134th – R
20th – L
139 – R

Grab my bag again and off we go in the Vue. Is he breathing?The trip should be short and sweet as 134th is only a few exits up on the freeway. I know the area West of the 5 fairly well up here, but East is another story. Still, this should be easy. I get off on 134th and make my right. A block up takes me to 20th and I make my left. Logic tells me that if I got off on 134th, and I’m headed to 139th, I only have 5 blocks to go. Logic is right! I come up on 139th and I’m ready to turn in when I notice a big construction sign. The entire road is blocked off and there huge construction vehicles tearing up the middle of the road! @#$%$#&*@! Okay. Calm down. A single flame. This is a hospital we’re talking about, there has to be a detour sign. I look around and see one pointing up 20th so I go ahead and follow it. Nothing… Nothing… Nothing… 1 mile down the road I turn around. The address of the hospital is on 139th so it can’t be this far down.

I turn around and head back the other direction. I look for detour signs as I pass 139th again and see nothing the other direction. However this time I look down the street and the hospital is less than 100 yards down 139th Street! I turn around again and look for a side street, thinking that I can come into it from around the main road. More construction is taking place on this road but it isn’t blocked off so I continue up. The road vears off to the left and away from where I want to be so I turn around again. Okay, at this point I give up with the roads.

I can see the place, I have legs, time to use’em.

I pull into a shopping center and park in front of a dentist office. Grabbing my stuff, I hop out of the car and run down a block to where the construction on 20th is taking place. There is a lady there watching the traffic, probably to make sure nobody tries to turn onto the street. Panting, I point to the hospital and ask what’s the fastest way on foot. She gives me a concerned look and says I can use the sidewalk where they are working. Good. I run down the sidewalk avoiding the strange glances from workers, stepping aside as a crane drops a pile of dirt into the back of a truck. Finally, I’m past all that and I can see the signs to the Emergency ward.

With my destination in sight, I break into a full speed run (the parking lot is HUGE). My phone rings — that familiar family ring once again. I look at the screen and It’s Shae!

“Where are you?” says the voice on the other end.

“Here.” I reply.