15 Year Old, Shot Twice!
You and I read about shootings somewhere almost everyday. But rarely does it hit home with someone we know and care about. His name is Michael and he is mending but a very hurt young man.
Last Thursday I was taking care of my mom when my pm caregiver Peggy arrived. We talked awhile and I left to run some errands and home. Shortly after getting home, I get a frantic phone call from Peggy something about her son Michael getting shot. She said mom was OK for the evening and she was heading toward Birmingham with the ambulance. She said she would call me from the hospital when she knew something.
I could not believe a 15 year old, a very nice young man had been shot not once, but twice. Peggy called me later that pm almost 10:00pm and gave me some detail as she understood it.
Michael had gone to his 1/2 brothers home after school as they sometimes do. Michael's dad had married a second time and had another son, he named Michael. I sometimes have problem keeping the two straight as the older is called Mr. Michael and the younger is Sir Michael. The boys went to Sir Michaels home and his mom was drinking and talking bad about both of these boys father. It turns out that Michael Senior, the father, had left some 2 weeks ago and Sir Michael's mom was upset and mad at Michael Senior for leaving.
Now the evening before, Peggy and Sir Michael's mom were talking on the phone and she told Peggy about Michael Senior leaving and was he over there? No, Peggy told her! Now Sir Michael's mom spouted all kinds of venom about her husband and said she was going to find a way to hurt him. Peggy even said, knowing this lady, ask her if she would hurt her Mr. Michael. No, she said, I would never hurt your son!
Now the two boys are in the living room and Sir Michael's mom continues to berate Mr. Michael's dad, loudly, at both the boys. Mr. Michael ask her not to do this and really quote Peggy "Mr. Michael tossed his book bag across the living room and told Sir Michael's mom to shut up!" That was when everything went sour!
Peggy said Sir Michael's mom came out from under the sofa cushion with a pistol and pointed it at Mr. Michael. He turned to run and she shot twice, hitting him first in the arm and the second hit him in the back. Neighbors heard the gun shots and saw Mr. Michael stumble onto the porch or upper steps. They called the police and an ambulance and fortunately the EMT's realized how bad Mr. Michael was hurt.
There is a hospital in Bessemer but does not have a certified trauma unit. The EMT's stablized his wounds and took him to the trama unit at UAB in downtown Birmingham. This decision I am sure had a hand in saving his life. The chest and pulmanery specialist came to the ER and closed the wounds and did everything for him in the ER. He never went to an operating room. The ER at UAB is equipped to handle gun shot wounds and crushing injuries were time is the most important factor in stablizing these events.
Mr. Michael has now been on the surgery floor in UAB for over a week. He is so fortunate as the bullet punctured his lung and missed his heart by less than an inch. She apparantly shot to kill Mr. Michael! Peggy has been off all this time but has called me every day or so to give me an update on her son. I ask the reader to keep Mr. Michael in your prayers. He is slowly recovering from this terrible event that should never happen to a child. The woman that shot him is in custody in Birmingham. We do not know what she will be charged with at this time.
I hope I have not been too confusing in this writing as it is a little hard for me to keep the two or three Michaels straight in my mind. As time progresses, I will write additonal post as things progress. News at 11:00!
Michael is out of the hospital after a 10 day stay. He is on the mend and Peggy is back at work as of this Tuesday. I apologize for my absence in posting but this has been a traumatic event and affected all our lives right now. Things are just now beginning to return to normal....More later/jeff
Thursday was Peggy's only second day back after 3 weeks off taking care of Michael. I actually get a day off after almost 9 hours of taking care of mom Wednesday. WoW!
Peggy called to tell me she was at moms and how Mr. Michael was doing. The Xrays were OK on his chest and they were celebrating. He wanted McDonalds, double cheeseburger, large fry, and super size Coke. Then it was stopping later at his favorite Chinese Restaurant to pick up 4 Egg Rolls. Then accross the street to Krisp Kreme Donuts and a dozen glazed, to go. 10:00pm, he is raiding the frig. Sounds like a normal 15 year old to me....Jeff
