As of today, the stitches are out, and he wants to go back to work. One more week (per doctor's orders) and he should be back!
PS- I will fix my typos shortly. I re-read the last few posts and didn't proofread! Yes, it bugs me.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Ryan's Surgery
As of today, the stitches are out, and he wants to go back to work. One more week (per doctor's orders) and he should be back!
PS- I will fix my typos shortly. I re-read the last few posts and didn't proofread! Yes, it bugs me.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Californios 2012
Cool gear!
My favorite, favorite singer. Dave Stamey rocks! I have all his albums. Concert was awesome!
Look at the size of that loop! Too bad the camera lady cut it off... bad me.
On Mother's Day weekend Ryan and I escaped to Reno for the Californios Ranch Roping competition. It was totally awesome to be anonymous, and so relaxing to just sit and watch. Arena seats are UNcomfortable... and concession food gets old fast. So old, that I ordered a Vegetarian Napolean from Sterling's Steakhouse in the Silver Legacy. It was a fancy restaurant. The Napolean was delicious. Hawaiian purple yams, quinoa, zuchinni, portabello mushrooms, carrots... I can't remember was else. Oh ya! Buffalo mozzarella on top. It was so good. Especially after numerous hot dogs, garlic fries, and Carrow's for breakfast.
The people there were so great- everyone had clothes on (you know what I mean...long sleeve shirts, pants...no hoochie mamas to be seen), and the concession workers commented to each other how nice and polite every one was. There were kids wandering around every where, and they were totally cool. I want my kids to be that cool. Watching out for each other, taking care of little ones, and being totally tough enough to throw a cow on the ground for some doctoring.
The judges for the competition don't judge on how quick you are, but rather on technique, style, and how you handle the animal. It's an old vaquero style. There were lots of hackamores, two rein style. something we want to do really, really soon. I was impressed with the quality of the horses. They weren't fancy, but they were so good with the cows. Probably because they are working horses. I think my favorite part was the "off the ropes," where the guys had to take a bronchy horse and settle it down and ride it. They had 12 minutes to do it, get on, and then rope a cow. It was so interesting to watch, and it made me want to do it. Someday. Soon.
More Blood...Ed's this time
Ed had a Kindergarten swim party at the school. (The school is also the community center.) While doing a fancy twist jump, he hit his chin on the coping. Ryan, Jessie, and I had JUST pulled into the parking of Home Depot in Ridgecrest. Not even parked yet! So, we turned around and drove fast, fast, fast to the school, where he was just getting off the bus from the pool. His teacher had managed to put a band aid on it.
Funny: While she made him lay on the ground after the hit, she was trying to get the parents, kids, and other onlookers away. Then she turned to the few "helpers" she had and said, "He's probably going to have to have S-T-I-T-C-H-E-S." Ed replies, "That's okay. I've had stitches on my face before." She said she was telling the high school base ball team that story and it took longer for the kids to figure out what she was spelling than it took Ed. So good news: Ed passes Kindergarten!
We took him back to RC where we thought 1) the trip is faster, 2) the doctors are competent, 3) the hospital is clean, and 4) the per capita ratio of doctors to citizens in need seems low. We did contemplate gluing it, but it was TOO deep.
The nurse was concerned when she took off the band aid, and I took a peek, and quickly looked away. Apparently I was a little pale.
Here's his chin, still swollen. He got lots of shots on the inside, which hurt him. He was tough, no tears. He got a stitch on the inside (ewww on the deepness of the wound) and then 12 on the outside. I forced myself to watch...most of the time. Really not my thing. Really. I should have had Ryan go with him, but I think it's just a natural mom thing to go with the injured kid. (Ryan would have been so much better at it, but I didn't even give him the chance. I hopped up with Ed when they called his name.)
The nurses were awesome- gave him a sucker, and even dug around for a pink one for Jessie. They also kept an eye on me, making sure I was okay and stuff.
I almost asked if I could pre-register the rest of the fam.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Wednesday/Thursday (after the shooting)
Okay, so I don't remember all of Wednesday, except I'm certain Ryan went to the doctor. Also, since there was Young Men that night, and Ryan is the Young Men's president, he had them come over and help with the house. We needed an inspection, and some work on the lathing wasn't quite finished yet. After they left, I asked how it went. (I hibernated in the trailer.) He said they played with sticks. All those boys, and it was one big sword fight. Didn't matter how old they were.
Funniest thing was the card they made him. They all wrote in it, and there were comments such as, "Don't work on Sundays" and " I wouldn't have missed" and "I have a tighter grouping than that" and MY favorite, "You have a hand like Jesus now."
Thursday I dropped off the kids and the dog in Bakersfield, and we headed out to Reno at 6pm. We finally arrived at our hotel room around 1:30am. They gave us two queen beds instead of the king I requested. Apparently, what you request online in only that- a request. Bummer. We sleep in a queen in the trailer- too short! Too "cozy!" We miss our California King in storage. The bed thing, plus the amount of road construction we encountered on the way, made our arrival not that great. But hey, we made it! and the rest of the weekend was awesome. I'll catch up on that tomorrow after church.
I do remember that lots of potential cars/suspects had been located, and all of them ruled out. I am still amazed at how many people "heard they found the guys" over here or over there. I assure every one that unless you hear it from Ryan (me) or the news on TV, all rumors are unfounded. As of today, almost a full three weeks later, nothing has panned out. With the ATF, FBI, KCSO, and CHP all working the case, I'm certain they have a good handle on it. Ryan got a phone call yesterday with some promising information, but it'll be a few days/weeks before anything conclusions can be made. There is evidence collecting, search warrants, and interviews/people searching to do. (Not by Ryan.) Closure would be nice!
PS- It's astounding how many dark blue Yukons have been in crimes...oversized rims and all. One even had bullet holes in it up here, but it had been impounded two weeks prior. Kern County has it's hands full.
Funniest thing was the card they made him. They all wrote in it, and there were comments such as, "Don't work on Sundays" and " I wouldn't have missed" and "I have a tighter grouping than that" and MY favorite, "You have a hand like Jesus now."
Thursday I dropped off the kids and the dog in Bakersfield, and we headed out to Reno at 6pm. We finally arrived at our hotel room around 1:30am. They gave us two queen beds instead of the king I requested. Apparently, what you request online in only that- a request. Bummer. We sleep in a queen in the trailer- too short! Too "cozy!" We miss our California King in storage. The bed thing, plus the amount of road construction we encountered on the way, made our arrival not that great. But hey, we made it! and the rest of the weekend was awesome. I'll catch up on that tomorrow after church.
I do remember that lots of potential cars/suspects had been located, and all of them ruled out. I am still amazed at how many people "heard they found the guys" over here or over there. I assure every one that unless you hear it from Ryan (me) or the news on TV, all rumors are unfounded. As of today, almost a full three weeks later, nothing has panned out. With the ATF, FBI, KCSO, and CHP all working the case, I'm certain they have a good handle on it. Ryan got a phone call yesterday with some promising information, but it'll be a few days/weeks before anything conclusions can be made. There is evidence collecting, search warrants, and interviews/people searching to do. (Not by Ryan.) Closure would be nice!
PS- It's astounding how many dark blue Yukons have been in crimes...oversized rims and all. One even had bullet holes in it up here, but it had been impounded two weeks prior. Kern County has it's hands full.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The Most Memorable Sunday and Monday. AKA "The Day Ryan Got Shot."
Warning: this is a long one. Lots of words, several pictures, and some blood.
Sunday, May 06, 2012 was a most interesting day, to say the least. I played the organ in church, during which time I was sorely tempted to play just the melody and then leave. I stuck it out, but not very willingly. So many mistakes. Ryan didn't go to church with us to hear my very interesting organ playing because he had been called out the night before for a DUI turnover. At least, I think that's what it was. He came to church for the last hour to teach the Young Men. The kids and I waited for him to come out of the church building, where a very handsome (if I do say so myself) Ryan came out to tell us good-bye. I can say that I thought he was especially hot because even my daughters said so. Kacy said, "Dad looks good today." Jessie, who is so hilarious now but scares me a little for her teen years and beyond, rolled down her window and yelled, "You are looking good, Dad!" Then she asks me, "Doesn't Dad look handsome today?"
We (minus Ryan, who must work) go to the Bunting's for family dinner. It was Jocelyn's birthday dinner, where I over stuffed myself on ribs and strawberry pie. Had a good conversation with Lindsey. Played outside with Pearl and the kids.
Jessie had her first sleep over at David and Lindsey's with Sarah. When Jessie got in the car we said our good-byes, and then (Lindsey told me this) she leaned over to Sarah and said, "I just love her." Ah, a moment worth recording...made me feel all warm and fuzzy for several days.
The three other kids and I loaded up in the car, and off we went to go home. We hit HWY 178 and Comanche, and Will asks me, "Hey Mom, what would happen if Dad got shot?" Our conversation went a lot like this:
"Well, it depends on where he got shot. Some shots just put holes in you, some can be fixed with surgery, and some will kill you," I reply. I don't mince words. I don't pretend it cannot possibly happen. I just don't. I've always had a back-up plan in my head, "just in case."
"So, what would happen if he got shot in the hand?" he asks.
"He would have a hole in it. Or it would slice it open and it would have to be stitched up."
"What about his vest? What would happen if he got shot in the vest?"
"The vest is made of this special fabric called Kevlar. It stops bullets from getting to your body. The bullet still hurts a ton, like getting hit with a hammer, but it can't hurt you besides maybe some bruising."
"What about the rest of your body? Like your head or leg?" asks Kacy.
So I finish this conversation about different parts of the body with the different scenarios, ending with brain injuries and frontal lobes... and no, it didn't seem weird to me at the time to have this conversation. My kids know Ryan carries a gun, wears a vest, and sometimes takes people to jail. To me, it was just another interesting Sunday conversation we have in the car on those long trips without a working radio in the car.
We got home, went to bed, and three hours after this conversation took place, Ryan called me to tell me he had been shot. Now, he says he was all nonchalant and calming, and I can honestly say I don't really remember much about his phone call. I remember looking at the time on the phone (it said 11:25) and that it was "Ryan's Cell" and thinking that was weird. I remember that he was out of breath sounding and I could tell he was amped up. I remember him saying "I've been shot but I'm fine. I took one in the hand and in the vest, but I'm fine. I wanted to call you before Sargent Romine called." I remember me wanting to swear (with a Holy in front of "it") but instead said "Holy crap, the kids and I were just talking about this!" Then I don't really remember, but I'm pretty sure he said something about sitting tight for a bit and he would call me to let me know more. So I did.
Actually, after about 60 seconds, I called Ryan's dad on his cell. He is a reliable cell phone answerer. I told him, "Ryan has been shot, but he is okay. One in the hand, one in the vest. That's all I know." Then I called my parents. Then, I went out to the big house and put on some clean jeans, a sweatshirt, and fixed my hair a little. Yes, I did. I wasn't going to the hospital in my jammies. I also made the conscious decision to wear my running shoes instead of flip flops. It was important to me at the time. Weird? After getting dressed, I started making more phone calls. I called my grandma, because I knew she would be up late. I called Jocelyn and Oscar, thinking they would want to know (hoping not to wake up their kids...but I think they were watching Korean soaps!) I called cousin David, because he's a late owl and I knew he would tell his family. Then I realized that Michael (my brother in law) and Mike (his graveyard partner and my cousin's man) were working and would have heard the radio traffic. I called him, hoping he could give me more information. Why didn't I call Ryan? Because I'm a good wife. Lol. I know not to bug or ask too many questions in certain situations, and this was a situation in which Ryan would need me to be a rock. If I called to bug him, it would just add another burden to him, and I didn't want him to worry about me. So I call for intel from my spies! Turns out Michael was already with him. The Michaels (as we lovingly refer to them) were working their beat on the East side of Bakersfield and Michael drove as fast as he ever has up the canyon. When I call Michael, he tells me they are going to take Ryan to KMC, but that they are still on the side of the road. He told me it was "a back seat shooter." See, in my mind, CHP officers get into shootings when a stop goes bad, or a situation is escalated and control is lost. Ryan is awesome (if I do say so myself) and situations just don't get escalated. In fact, he often helps other officers diffuse tense incidents. So, I was trying to figure out "how" Ryan got shot.
About an hour later, Ryan (or was it Michael?) called (or did I call one of them? I have no idea right now) and I woke up the kids to take them to Bakersfield. Cherie said she would meet me at the hospital and take the kids. I woke them up, telling them, "Hey, we need to go to Bakersfield. Dad got shot. He's okay, but we need to go get him at the hospital." One of the kids (not Ed, who was super hard to wake up) said, "Hey, we just talked about that!" We loaded up, and headed down. We made it to KMC and were met in the parking lot by David, David, Jimmy, Michael M. (I think), and Michael F. We were taken inside the back way, and when we got there, we saw this:
and this:
and we looked like this (thank-you cousin David for sharing):
That's Uncle Michael in the back- grave yard partner Mike was on scene with the investigation. Not sure exactly what I was doing, as always, it looks as if I was giving my kids some kind of lecture or lesson or something. Ryan was discharged shortly after we got there. We missed the fun cleaning of the would and stuff. Not. I hate blood. And needles.
As we were leaving the hospital, (I think it was about 3:30am at this point), David (dad) says, "They think it was a MAC-10, an automatic weapon." My heart sank a little, still not knowing exactly what happened. Shoot, I didn't know anything, really. I got in my car to follow the officers and unmarked cars to the CHP office in Bakersfield.
So, fast forward 15 minutes, and I'm at the CHP office with a ton of officers and plain clothes people, Ryan, the Captain, Chief... and Michael. I start to get the full story. I'm still so high on adrenalin that the magnitude of it all doesn't really sink in for a few hours. I'm fascinated with the way the investigation goes, and since it was an officer involved shooting, the Union guys are there making sure Ryan is represented. They give him a little card with his rights on it, he glances at it and sets it down. He says, "I'm good. It was a good shoot."
Here's what happened, and you can take my reporting over anything you heard or read. I've got the times from the actual radio traffic call. I'm still estimating times, but I'm more accurate.
Ryan was sitting in his patrol car (an old one, not his Durango or Expedition, as they both bit the dust a few weeks prior), on the shoulder of Westbound HWY 178 at Borel Rd. On a Sunday night at 11:10, this is a desolate road with only minimal traffic. Very rural. As he was sitting there with his radar unit on, a dark blue Yukon, mid 2000's model with 24" rims and low profile tires passed him going westbound. They slowed, made a U-turn and crossed over the double yellow lines, heading for Ryan. (The roadway is four lanes, two in each direction.) Ryan flipped on his high beams and spotlight, because he thought they were coming to ask him directions or something, and since they were crossing double yellows, he wanted to discourage them. As they approached, the back passenger window rolled down, and a passenger in the back open fired on Ryan. Ryan ducked down to the middle of the car, realized that if he stayed there he would be shot in the back of the head, and then took action. He's a big guy and in a little car, it was a tight squeeze. His gun is on his right hip (and he was leaning that way initially) so to draw, he had to arch up. As he did so, he put his left hand on the driver side window to help balance himself. That's when they got his hand (and his window shot out). As he was turning his torso and squaring up, he got shot in the chest. It hit his trauma plate, which is over his heart. He then fired 7 times from the A pillar to the B pillar. (Think: from the steel part of the car between the windshield and the driver side window, and the metal part between the front driver window and the back driver side window.) The shooter stopped shooting as soon as Ryan began. He is confident that he hit the shooter in the forehead. He saw his forehead change, his body stiffen, and then slump forward. The car sped up as soon as Ryan started shooting. Ryan tried to go after them, but he had a flat tire, and glass was flying everywhere. Ryan said he thought the bullet that hit his chest had gone through, because his vest was really high (from the slouching) and it knocked the wind out of him. He said he let out a huge sigh of relief when he felt the slug embedded in his vest.
His radio extender that he wore on the front of his shirt...that's a bullet hole.
Twenty-six casings of 9mm rounds (theirs) were found. Seventeen in the car. Two hit Ryan. All but one window was shot out (the only survivor was the driver side back window).
Ryan's hand. That other weird thing by his pinky finger is a genetic predisposition called Dupuytren's Contracture. The slug went through the side, and then out the palm. At the time of this writing, his hand is all stitched up. More on that later. He left the hospital that night with holes in his hand and a prescription for antibiotics.
We stayed at the Bakersfield office until 6:30am. Ryan wore home some scrubs because they took his uniform as part of the evidence. The hole in his shirt from the bullet was weird to see. I've seen blood on his uniform a few times...other people's blood. We went to his parent's house where the kids were. We had some breakfast and answered the many, many phone calls, texts, and emails. It got to the point where we both just stopped answering. Ryan's parent's phone was ringing off the hook, too. The funniest phone calls were to Ryan, and they would call and say something like, "I heard one of you guys got shot. Who was it?" and then Ryan would answer it was him, and he said it would be silent on the other end for a really long pause, followed by a "What?" Clay F. came over that morning. We had missed his birthday party the weekend before. Too bad we got caught up on such crazy terms.
We stayed at his parent's house most of the day, not wanting to come back to the trailer. We went to get Jessie at David's and stayed there a bit longer, making sure everyone was nice and tired. When we finally got home, Ryan slept like a log. He actually fell asleep on the kitchen counter in the house while I was showering our stinky kids. I didn't sleep that well that night. I kept waking up thinking, "Ryan has been shot." But, I would tell myself it was fine, because he was right here. It was like my subconscious was fighting my conscious. It was annoying.
THE NEXT FEW DAYS:
I tried to go to my board meeting, but I was so exhausted I couldn't concentrate. I left early. First time I realized that I was affected by what happened. Started having a small emotional break down in the five minutes it took to pick up the kids. I didn't like being lonely. Ryan had been in Bakersfield most of the day at the doctor and then at the KCSO headquarters doing a composite sketch.
I made a lot of return phone calls. We are still getting a lot of comments from people (had two yesterday and one today...) A lot of people are treating us very carefully and looking at us with puppy dog eyes. That part is a little annoying, too. We are fine. We were fine. The whole drive-by aspect of it really has our community freaked out. I still might be oblivious about it, or in denial, or SOMETHING...but I am truly not bothered. Truly. Ryan isn't. I recognize our Heavenly Father's hand in all of this, and I'm grateful He saw fit not to make me a widow. Ryan was prepared for this situation. He was protected and prepared. That's a winning combination!
I had one more minor melt down after I dropped off the kids and the dog to leave for Reno. Again, I hadn't seen Ryan for the day and the kids weren't around me...and my brain started wandering. It went to that place where I am a single mom and the kids don't have Ryan in their lives... but that is too painful to dwell on, and I talked myself out of it. I reminded myself that there is absolutely no need to go there, because he is fine, and he is here, so it's a waste of energy.
We went to Reno, and that fixed everything. A full weekend of complete anonymity and not answering phone calls was just the perfect thing. We spent the whole weekend together, no doctor's appointments, no investigation things (okay, a few phone calls, but not too bad), no phone calls. By the time we got back, it was like it didn't even happen. It was perfect.
The worst part for me: nothing. Maybe my lost brain activity for a week or so. Lack of sleep and inability to concentrate. That's gone.
The worst part for Ryan: the attention. The way people call him a "hero" or "brave." He says he didn't do anything brave or heroic, he just saved his own skin. He said everything he did was selfish. (I disagree a little. He was brave...he had the presence of mind and the awesome ability to shoot, and did so at the right time.)
The worst thing for the kids: Kacy and Will said they are nervous for him to go back to work. Jessie is preoccupied with "bad guys" and why they would shoot her dad, and now she wants to be a cowgirl-police girl who flies helicopters to catch bad guys. Will wanted to take a picture to school for show and tell because his friend Seth would never believe him. Ed was most bothered in the hospital, but since Ryan is up and around, he's been fine with it. No nightmares for any one. No worries, really. I credit that to the fact that we had that conversation in the car right before it happened.
I have seen our Heavenly Father's hand in all of this. I'm grateful Will asked the questions that started our conversation. I think that helped the kids. I'm grateful for Ryan's safety. I'm grateful Ryan called me himself before his sergeant did. I'm grateful Michael was able to hang out with me at the CHP office, and that he stayed with Ryan during the ambulance ride down the mountain. Him being there made it better for me- I wasn't stuck in the office with a bunch of people I didn't know. I'm grateful Jessie was at Sarah's house and not at the hospital. I'm grateful we had our trip to Reno planned. It really worked out well.
Sunday, May 06, 2012 was a most interesting day, to say the least. I played the organ in church, during which time I was sorely tempted to play just the melody and then leave. I stuck it out, but not very willingly. So many mistakes. Ryan didn't go to church with us to hear my very interesting organ playing because he had been called out the night before for a DUI turnover. At least, I think that's what it was. He came to church for the last hour to teach the Young Men. The kids and I waited for him to come out of the church building, where a very handsome (if I do say so myself) Ryan came out to tell us good-bye. I can say that I thought he was especially hot because even my daughters said so. Kacy said, "Dad looks good today." Jessie, who is so hilarious now but scares me a little for her teen years and beyond, rolled down her window and yelled, "You are looking good, Dad!" Then she asks me, "Doesn't Dad look handsome today?"
We (minus Ryan, who must work) go to the Bunting's for family dinner. It was Jocelyn's birthday dinner, where I over stuffed myself on ribs and strawberry pie. Had a good conversation with Lindsey. Played outside with Pearl and the kids.
Jessie had her first sleep over at David and Lindsey's with Sarah. When Jessie got in the car we said our good-byes, and then (Lindsey told me this) she leaned over to Sarah and said, "I just love her." Ah, a moment worth recording...made me feel all warm and fuzzy for several days.
The three other kids and I loaded up in the car, and off we went to go home. We hit HWY 178 and Comanche, and Will asks me, "Hey Mom, what would happen if Dad got shot?" Our conversation went a lot like this:
"Well, it depends on where he got shot. Some shots just put holes in you, some can be fixed with surgery, and some will kill you," I reply. I don't mince words. I don't pretend it cannot possibly happen. I just don't. I've always had a back-up plan in my head, "just in case."
"So, what would happen if he got shot in the hand?" he asks.
"He would have a hole in it. Or it would slice it open and it would have to be stitched up."
"What about his vest? What would happen if he got shot in the vest?"
"The vest is made of this special fabric called Kevlar. It stops bullets from getting to your body. The bullet still hurts a ton, like getting hit with a hammer, but it can't hurt you besides maybe some bruising."
"What about the rest of your body? Like your head or leg?" asks Kacy.
So I finish this conversation about different parts of the body with the different scenarios, ending with brain injuries and frontal lobes... and no, it didn't seem weird to me at the time to have this conversation. My kids know Ryan carries a gun, wears a vest, and sometimes takes people to jail. To me, it was just another interesting Sunday conversation we have in the car on those long trips without a working radio in the car.
We got home, went to bed, and three hours after this conversation took place, Ryan called me to tell me he had been shot. Now, he says he was all nonchalant and calming, and I can honestly say I don't really remember much about his phone call. I remember looking at the time on the phone (it said 11:25) and that it was "Ryan's Cell" and thinking that was weird. I remember that he was out of breath sounding and I could tell he was amped up. I remember him saying "I've been shot but I'm fine. I took one in the hand and in the vest, but I'm fine. I wanted to call you before Sargent Romine called." I remember me wanting to swear (with a Holy in front of "it") but instead said "Holy crap, the kids and I were just talking about this!" Then I don't really remember, but I'm pretty sure he said something about sitting tight for a bit and he would call me to let me know more. So I did.
Actually, after about 60 seconds, I called Ryan's dad on his cell. He is a reliable cell phone answerer. I told him, "Ryan has been shot, but he is okay. One in the hand, one in the vest. That's all I know." Then I called my parents. Then, I went out to the big house and put on some clean jeans, a sweatshirt, and fixed my hair a little. Yes, I did. I wasn't going to the hospital in my jammies. I also made the conscious decision to wear my running shoes instead of flip flops. It was important to me at the time. Weird? After getting dressed, I started making more phone calls. I called my grandma, because I knew she would be up late. I called Jocelyn and Oscar, thinking they would want to know (hoping not to wake up their kids...but I think they were watching Korean soaps!) I called cousin David, because he's a late owl and I knew he would tell his family. Then I realized that Michael (my brother in law) and Mike (his graveyard partner and my cousin's man) were working and would have heard the radio traffic. I called him, hoping he could give me more information. Why didn't I call Ryan? Because I'm a good wife. Lol. I know not to bug or ask too many questions in certain situations, and this was a situation in which Ryan would need me to be a rock. If I called to bug him, it would just add another burden to him, and I didn't want him to worry about me. So I call for intel from my spies! Turns out Michael was already with him. The Michaels (as we lovingly refer to them) were working their beat on the East side of Bakersfield and Michael drove as fast as he ever has up the canyon. When I call Michael, he tells me they are going to take Ryan to KMC, but that they are still on the side of the road. He told me it was "a back seat shooter." See, in my mind, CHP officers get into shootings when a stop goes bad, or a situation is escalated and control is lost. Ryan is awesome (if I do say so myself) and situations just don't get escalated. In fact, he often helps other officers diffuse tense incidents. So, I was trying to figure out "how" Ryan got shot.
About an hour later, Ryan (or was it Michael?) called (or did I call one of them? I have no idea right now) and I woke up the kids to take them to Bakersfield. Cherie said she would meet me at the hospital and take the kids. I woke them up, telling them, "Hey, we need to go to Bakersfield. Dad got shot. He's okay, but we need to go get him at the hospital." One of the kids (not Ed, who was super hard to wake up) said, "Hey, we just talked about that!" We loaded up, and headed down. We made it to KMC and were met in the parking lot by David, David, Jimmy, Michael M. (I think), and Michael F. We were taken inside the back way, and when we got there, we saw this:
and we looked like this (thank-you cousin David for sharing):
As we were leaving the hospital, (I think it was about 3:30am at this point), David (dad) says, "They think it was a MAC-10, an automatic weapon." My heart sank a little, still not knowing exactly what happened. Shoot, I didn't know anything, really. I got in my car to follow the officers and unmarked cars to the CHP office in Bakersfield.
So, fast forward 15 minutes, and I'm at the CHP office with a ton of officers and plain clothes people, Ryan, the Captain, Chief... and Michael. I start to get the full story. I'm still so high on adrenalin that the magnitude of it all doesn't really sink in for a few hours. I'm fascinated with the way the investigation goes, and since it was an officer involved shooting, the Union guys are there making sure Ryan is represented. They give him a little card with his rights on it, he glances at it and sets it down. He says, "I'm good. It was a good shoot."
Here's what happened, and you can take my reporting over anything you heard or read. I've got the times from the actual radio traffic call. I'm still estimating times, but I'm more accurate.
Ryan was sitting in his patrol car (an old one, not his Durango or Expedition, as they both bit the dust a few weeks prior), on the shoulder of Westbound HWY 178 at Borel Rd. On a Sunday night at 11:10, this is a desolate road with only minimal traffic. Very rural. As he was sitting there with his radar unit on, a dark blue Yukon, mid 2000's model with 24" rims and low profile tires passed him going westbound. They slowed, made a U-turn and crossed over the double yellow lines, heading for Ryan. (The roadway is four lanes, two in each direction.) Ryan flipped on his high beams and spotlight, because he thought they were coming to ask him directions or something, and since they were crossing double yellows, he wanted to discourage them. As they approached, the back passenger window rolled down, and a passenger in the back open fired on Ryan. Ryan ducked down to the middle of the car, realized that if he stayed there he would be shot in the back of the head, and then took action. He's a big guy and in a little car, it was a tight squeeze. His gun is on his right hip (and he was leaning that way initially) so to draw, he had to arch up. As he did so, he put his left hand on the driver side window to help balance himself. That's when they got his hand (and his window shot out). As he was turning his torso and squaring up, he got shot in the chest. It hit his trauma plate, which is over his heart. He then fired 7 times from the A pillar to the B pillar. (Think: from the steel part of the car between the windshield and the driver side window, and the metal part between the front driver window and the back driver side window.) The shooter stopped shooting as soon as Ryan began. He is confident that he hit the shooter in the forehead. He saw his forehead change, his body stiffen, and then slump forward. The car sped up as soon as Ryan started shooting. Ryan tried to go after them, but he had a flat tire, and glass was flying everywhere. Ryan said he thought the bullet that hit his chest had gone through, because his vest was really high (from the slouching) and it knocked the wind out of him. He said he let out a huge sigh of relief when he felt the slug embedded in his vest.
We stayed at the Bakersfield office until 6:30am. Ryan wore home some scrubs because they took his uniform as part of the evidence. The hole in his shirt from the bullet was weird to see. I've seen blood on his uniform a few times...other people's blood. We went to his parent's house where the kids were. We had some breakfast and answered the many, many phone calls, texts, and emails. It got to the point where we both just stopped answering. Ryan's parent's phone was ringing off the hook, too. The funniest phone calls were to Ryan, and they would call and say something like, "I heard one of you guys got shot. Who was it?" and then Ryan would answer it was him, and he said it would be silent on the other end for a really long pause, followed by a "What?" Clay F. came over that morning. We had missed his birthday party the weekend before. Too bad we got caught up on such crazy terms.
We stayed at his parent's house most of the day, not wanting to come back to the trailer. We went to get Jessie at David's and stayed there a bit longer, making sure everyone was nice and tired. When we finally got home, Ryan slept like a log. He actually fell asleep on the kitchen counter in the house while I was showering our stinky kids. I didn't sleep that well that night. I kept waking up thinking, "Ryan has been shot." But, I would tell myself it was fine, because he was right here. It was like my subconscious was fighting my conscious. It was annoying.
THE NEXT FEW DAYS:
I tried to go to my board meeting, but I was so exhausted I couldn't concentrate. I left early. First time I realized that I was affected by what happened. Started having a small emotional break down in the five minutes it took to pick up the kids. I didn't like being lonely. Ryan had been in Bakersfield most of the day at the doctor and then at the KCSO headquarters doing a composite sketch.
I made a lot of return phone calls. We are still getting a lot of comments from people (had two yesterday and one today...) A lot of people are treating us very carefully and looking at us with puppy dog eyes. That part is a little annoying, too. We are fine. We were fine. The whole drive-by aspect of it really has our community freaked out. I still might be oblivious about it, or in denial, or SOMETHING...but I am truly not bothered. Truly. Ryan isn't. I recognize our Heavenly Father's hand in all of this, and I'm grateful He saw fit not to make me a widow. Ryan was prepared for this situation. He was protected and prepared. That's a winning combination!
I had one more minor melt down after I dropped off the kids and the dog to leave for Reno. Again, I hadn't seen Ryan for the day and the kids weren't around me...and my brain started wandering. It went to that place where I am a single mom and the kids don't have Ryan in their lives... but that is too painful to dwell on, and I talked myself out of it. I reminded myself that there is absolutely no need to go there, because he is fine, and he is here, so it's a waste of energy.
We went to Reno, and that fixed everything. A full weekend of complete anonymity and not answering phone calls was just the perfect thing. We spent the whole weekend together, no doctor's appointments, no investigation things (okay, a few phone calls, but not too bad), no phone calls. By the time we got back, it was like it didn't even happen. It was perfect.
The worst part for me: nothing. Maybe my lost brain activity for a week or so. Lack of sleep and inability to concentrate. That's gone.
The worst part for Ryan: the attention. The way people call him a "hero" or "brave." He says he didn't do anything brave or heroic, he just saved his own skin. He said everything he did was selfish. (I disagree a little. He was brave...he had the presence of mind and the awesome ability to shoot, and did so at the right time.)
The worst thing for the kids: Kacy and Will said they are nervous for him to go back to work. Jessie is preoccupied with "bad guys" and why they would shoot her dad, and now she wants to be a cowgirl-police girl who flies helicopters to catch bad guys. Will wanted to take a picture to school for show and tell because his friend Seth would never believe him. Ed was most bothered in the hospital, but since Ryan is up and around, he's been fine with it. No nightmares for any one. No worries, really. I credit that to the fact that we had that conversation in the car right before it happened.
I have seen our Heavenly Father's hand in all of this. I'm grateful Will asked the questions that started our conversation. I think that helped the kids. I'm grateful for Ryan's safety. I'm grateful Ryan called me himself before his sergeant did. I'm grateful Michael was able to hang out with me at the CHP office, and that he stayed with Ryan during the ambulance ride down the mountain. Him being there made it better for me- I wasn't stuck in the office with a bunch of people I didn't know. I'm grateful Jessie was at Sarah's house and not at the hospital. I'm grateful we had our trip to Reno planned. It really worked out well.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Should Be Private Now
This ol' blog should be private now, if I did it right!
Anyhow, I promise to put up some pictures in the next few days. I have a lot to get caught up on, as the week of May 5-13 was one heck of a week! A week full of "firsts."
In summary, my week went like this:
Saturday, May 5: first time I saw my cousin Caley in a live performance. Saw her in "The Music Man." She's good. Way good.
Saturday, May 5: first time I used my dishwasher in the big house. Heaven.
Sunday, May 6: first time I played the organ in church in 13 years.
Sunday, May 6: first time Ryan called me because he got shot.
Monday, May 7: first time staying awake for two days.
Monday, May 7: first time realizing how many people we know.
Wednesday, May 9: first time the Young Men from church came out to help on the house. That will be the last time, as well.
Friday, May 11: first time I saw a movie in 3-D! The Avengers. (Okay, so I did see Captain EO at Disneyland once upon a time...you know, the 3-D movie with Michael Jackson in it? But that doesn't count.)
Saturday, May 12: first time I went to a steak house and ordered a vegetarian meal.
Saturday, May 12: first time I saw my FAVORITE singer live in concert: I love Dave Stamey. Maybe this next week will be the first time I write a fan letter!
Sunday, May 13: first Mother's Day I didn't spend with my mother, mother in law, or my kids.
I've spent enough time on the computer for one day. I need to go BBQ the legs and thighs I have marinating. Did you know that about me? I have mastered grilling dark meat chicken. It's a gift. :) I also have plans to plug in my earphones and go and sand my floor in the big house. It's kind of relaxing, really. All that is needed is a comfy pair of knee pads and something for your brain to do...hence the ear buds.
Anyhow, I promise to put up some pictures in the next few days. I have a lot to get caught up on, as the week of May 5-13 was one heck of a week! A week full of "firsts."
In summary, my week went like this:
Saturday, May 5: first time I saw my cousin Caley in a live performance. Saw her in "The Music Man." She's good. Way good.
Saturday, May 5: first time I used my dishwasher in the big house. Heaven.
Sunday, May 6: first time I played the organ in church in 13 years.
Sunday, May 6: first time Ryan called me because he got shot.
Monday, May 7: first time staying awake for two days.
Monday, May 7: first time realizing how many people we know.
Wednesday, May 9: first time the Young Men from church came out to help on the house. That will be the last time, as well.
Friday, May 11: first time I saw a movie in 3-D! The Avengers. (Okay, so I did see Captain EO at Disneyland once upon a time...you know, the 3-D movie with Michael Jackson in it? But that doesn't count.)
Saturday, May 12: first time I went to a steak house and ordered a vegetarian meal.
Saturday, May 12: first time I saw my FAVORITE singer live in concert: I love Dave Stamey. Maybe this next week will be the first time I write a fan letter!
Sunday, May 13: first Mother's Day I didn't spend with my mother, mother in law, or my kids.
I've spent enough time on the computer for one day. I need to go BBQ the legs and thighs I have marinating. Did you know that about me? I have mastered grilling dark meat chicken. It's a gift. :) I also have plans to plug in my earphones and go and sand my floor in the big house. It's kind of relaxing, really. All that is needed is a comfy pair of knee pads and something for your brain to do...hence the ear buds.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Going Private
As my room mate from college said, "I'm lockin' her down." (Thanks C.R.!) Only because I want to write about "THE INCIDENT." And post my pictures of THE INCIDENT. But I don't feel comfortable doing that because certain people are still at large and they might be holding a grudge. If they google THE INCIDENT and I have written about it, it'll come up, and I really don't feel like adding any more drama to my life, thank-you very much. Am I paranoid about being hunted down? Nah. There is just a small portion of my brain that says "Be cautious now." I am technically an elected official...public info...hubby's job...public info...why make it easy, right?
I know it's a pain in the bootie to log in and stuff, or get updates. Which reminds me... if jenn p, carrianne p, carla h, and emily m (add me please-) would kindly email me their blog addresses, I've lost them and want to get caught up. Gracias.
Anyway, email me and I'll put you on the list. I'm a little sad that I have to even do this, but hey, I'll ditch those dang comment verification words that I hate so much! Even family- not sure I have all your email addresses.
My email: karrie@hughes.net
or
leave a comment with your email
I know it's a pain in the bootie to log in and stuff, or get updates. Which reminds me... if jenn p, carrianne p, carla h, and emily m (add me please-) would kindly email me their blog addresses, I've lost them and want to get caught up. Gracias.
Anyway, email me and I'll put you on the list. I'm a little sad that I have to even do this, but hey, I'll ditch those dang comment verification words that I hate so much! Even family- not sure I have all your email addresses.
My email: karrie@hughes.net
or
leave a comment with your email
Friday, May 4, 2012
Kid Update!
Anyhow, this year, Mr. D. highlighted his top three readers in the class, all focused on Accelerated Reader. Will, in the last quarter, went from having 2 points to 10 in a matter of four weeks. All because I promised him ice cream when he reached a certain point. The boy just needs a little incentive. And, he's a little picky about what he reads- he likes informational stuff, like how robots work or how ships are built. Not stories so much. Not sure AR tests on expository material.
Ed officially started AR testing, too. He took a test today, passed it, and reported it was "Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy." he is the first Kindergartener to do AR, as they usually wait until the end of first grade. Kacy said she has blown Aidan out of the water with points. They used to be tied, until Kacy started reading the Harry Potter books, which are worth A LOT of AR points.
Go reading kids. May your love of reading continue always, leading to an increase in vocabulary, fabulous spelling skills, and awesome writing skills!
Here are the comments from their progress reports:
Kacy: Kacy is always on task. Kacy struggles determining which hand on the clock is for minutes, and which hand is for the hour. (But she has straight A+'s, so it must not effect her much.)
Will: Will continues to make good progress in math and reading. He has done a great job on AR this quarter- 8.3 points.
Ed: Ed is an amazing reader. I know he is bored with what we are doing in class because he is such a good reader and good at math as well. However, where others are accepting the challenge to show their strengths in the academic areas, Ed is happy to just quietly sit and do what is expected of him, and not much more. I would like to see him challenge himself a little more and be willing to make some mistakes in order to grow. He doesn't like making mistakes.
In other kid news, we had the most interesting conversation about what the kids are going to name their kids. (Seriously, it seems like every Sunday they contemplate about who they are going to marry, where they are going to build their house, what car they want to drive...and now my grandkids!) Kacy likes the name Jewle for a girl, and she said she will name her boy Virgil Danger like Ryan wanted to name Jessie if she was a boy. She also wants to name one David, since there is a "David thing" in our family. Will thinks Steven is a cool name (like Uncle Steven). I suggested they name one after their grandma Karrie. They all said they would, then decided it's whoever has a girl first since there can't be that many Karries.
Will wants to build a house somewhere out by us. Like, it's not an option to buy one, he's definitely building.
*****************
House update: pictures soon of the finished... I repeat, finished KITCHEN! The floor needs finishing... but I MIGHT get to use the dishwasher this week. Dang skippy I'm loading up my dirty dishes, walking them 100 yards to the house, and using that dishwasher. I'm already tempted to go use the sink because it has hot water!
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