Bear Lake Brawl

It was a healthy pregnancy.  No complications.  No indication that the baby was in trouble.  

And on a June evening in 1984 my mom started having contractions. What started as an exciting day - full of anticipation - spiraled into a terrifying experience where my mom and little brother both nearly lost their lives. I go into detail about the experience because Michael's first moments on this earth were foreshadowing of his life to come.  He has had to fight from day one.  And my parents have been his strongest advocates.    

My father was watching the baby's heart monitor at the hospital; something wasn't right.  He repeatedly told the nurses he was concerned.  Nurses assured him nothing was wrong, and that the monitor had been malfunctioning all week. But something was wrong. The umbilical cord was wrapped tightly around my brother, Michael's neck.  Doctors didn't recognize the severity of the issue until it was almost too late.  With each contraction, the cord wound tighter, and the necessary oxygen Michael needed, was cut off.  Michael was slowly suffocating.  This went on for four hours.  Time was running out.  Mom was wheeled in for an Emergency C-Section.   

My mom says the anesthesiologist, Dr. Lind,  saved her and Michael's lives that night.  She remembers the anesthesiologist yelling, "Where is the doctor?!?" A nurse replied, "He is scrubbing up..." To that the anesthesiologist replied, 

"He doesn't have time to scrub - if he doesn't get here now, there won't be a baby!"  

Mom remembers hearing rapid footsteps - the doctor running to the table where she was strapped down. The doctor grabbed a scalpel and cut mom's stomach horizontally.  Her body lifted off the table in pain. There had been no time for anesthesia.    Within the hour, Michael was born by c-section on Father's Day -- June 17th.  

During the C-Section, the doctor cut mom's uterine artery. Unbeknown to medical officials, mom was stitched up and sent to recovery. She was bleeding internally. Dr. Lind, the anesthesiologist, recognized the problem nearly five hours later. At this point, mom had lost so much blood that her body was shutting down.  Dr. Lind frantically pushed mom's bed to the Emergency Room.  

"I need you to open your eyes, Ronda," he said. "Take a breath! Do it....breathe'" he pleaded.  
"I am so tired," Mom mumbled. "Leave me alone."  Her eyes closed.  
"No! I won't let you die. You are too young," he yelled.  
 My mom was 29-years-old. I was almost three, and my father would need her help and support to raise a special little boy who would end up shaping all of our lives for the better.  

 "Live Ronda," Dr Lind yelled. He slapped mom's face. "Wake up!!" 

An on-call surgeon performed surgery on mom, sewing up her uterine artery. The scar from the original c-section cut ultimately hindered her from ever being able to carry another baby.  

Mom didn't know if Michael had survived. She hadn't held him. The nurses hadn't said anything to her about him. In recovery again, she had a ventilator to help her breathe. Because she couldn't speak, she signaled for a pen and wrote,

 "I want to see my baby" over and over again. 

Nurses said no, because both Mom and Michael were in such serious condition. She continued to plead through writing. She finally held Michael, for the first time, four days later.  She received 28 pints of blood transfused into her body, to make up for the blood loss from the cut uterine artery.   During the blood transfusion, mom received some compromised blood; she contracted a blood disease that wasn't discovered until 13 years later. She now functions on 7 percent of her liver - she has undergone treatments that nearly took her life....and she has survived.  



Michael was in the NICU for 17 days. Physicians were very tight lipped about his diagnosis and future well being. My parents felt alone, scared and overwhelmed. Three weeks after Michael was born, a letter came in the mail. It was addressed to the Parents of Baby Boy Wiscombe. The letter informed my parents that a pediatric neurologist had examined Michael during his hospital stay. The words were cold and harsh. The neurologist urged my parents to forget - forget that Michael was born, forget that he was part of this family;

 "Put him away. Let him become a ward of the state. Forget that you had him. He will be a vegetable; deaf and blind."
  

My parents were hurt and upset. My father called the neurologist, whom they had never met. 

"First of all," he said. "This baby has a name. His name is Michael. 

And secondly, you don't throw people away like trash; you don't just give up on them and forget you had them because they're not perfect."  

Words that would be a pattern for the rest of their lives. Never giving up. Always thinking of Michael and his quality of life - first.  Michael was 15 Months old before a medical professional gave my parents an official diagnosis. He has cerebral palsy, he suffered brain damage due to the lack of oxygen during his traumatic birth. His muscle control is weak. He relies on my parents for every daily need; bathing, feeding, diaper changing, dressing and administering medications. Of course it hasn't been easy. But our family has rallied around Michael.  

Michael has changed us.  

He has made us better and more aware of what really matters in life.  

And as my only sibling, Michael has been my encouragement, support and example.  

So what a miraculous event for me to watch him take center stage; to see my brother in the spotlight.  Michael spent a majority of his childhood watching other kids play little league, soccer and run track...while he looked on from the sidelines, in his wheelchair.   The day of the Bear Lake Brawl was HIS day; his day to be the star, the athlete, the one everyone came to see.

Jody teamed up with his dad and brother.  The three of them helped Michael cross the Finish Line at the Bear Lake Brawl Triathlon 2013.  Pretty Remarkable.  

Michael was so excited, he didn't sleep the night before!  Here is the star of the show - getting ready for the race to begin.

Pre-Race with Michael's biggest fans

It was a perfect September day on Bear Lake.  Jody pulled Michael during the swim portion, while Jeff, Jody's brother, swam along side to make sure Michael was doing okay.  Michael did better than just okay - I think he was so relaxed out there on the water, that he even fell asleep for a part of the swim.  Meanwhile, Jody and Jeff were treading water like crazy!  Swimming in the lake is a challenge; it's easy to get disoriented.  And pulling a kayak, carrying a person, would be even more difficult.  But they did it, and with great speed.  Michael barely even got wet. It was so inspirational to watch Jody, Jeff and Greg help Michael swim, bike and run.  

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

My sister-in-law, Lacey and Father in Law, Greg
Completing the Swim Portion 

Jeff pulled Michael on the bike, while Greg followed behind to make sure everything was okay.  Michael really liked the bicycle portion of the race.

Here, some of Michael's Warriors, are acting as the maintenance crew - switching over the carrier from the bike hitch to the running mode.  Everyone acted fast to help Michael and his team get transitioned from one phase of competition to the next.

I am so proud of Jody for helping to make this dream become a reality for Michael! Months prior to the race, Jody started 'training' with Michael. He spent a number of summer evenings running or biking with Michael - Michael always got very excited when it was a

 'training day'.  

Gracie was so good to check on her uncle and make sure he was feeling okay - post race.

Some of the physicians back in 1984, didn't expect Michael to live very long - let alone a full and quality life.  He turns 30 this year.  And he now has a medal from a Triathlon under his belt - thanks to people who believe in him.  Thanks to people who don't give up on other people.  Nobody is perfect.   In Michael's case - his physical limitations, are more obvious.  But for those who know Michael, like I do, he is witty, opinionated, funny and caring; he gets hurt feelings just like me and you. He is neither deaf nor blind...he is so much more than the expectations he was given as a newborn.  

He's a hero.  He needs someone to help pull him along, someone to push him across the finish line - but don't we all, at some point?  That's why we're here on earth - to lend a hand, to be someone's legs when they can't possibly make it on their own.  



“It has been said that life has treated me harshly; and sometimes I have complained in my heart because many pleasures of human experience have been withheld from me…however, if much has been denied me, much, very much, has been given me…” 

― Helen Keller, The Open Door

My Happiness -- Beach Days

The second week of September, we traveled to the Carlsbad Coast in California.  We spent three days on the beach.  It was a wonderful time to travel to Southern California.  The beach was empty and nearly all ours. 

This was my view.  

It was perfect.  Really - my idea of paradise.

Gracie had the time of her life, splashing through the waves!  We played game after game of 'mermaids'. 

*Pure Joy*

Sienna was more into the sand than the ocean.  She perfected her Frisbee skills.  

  

Dad gave her a lesson or two in Frisbee throwing.  

We laughed so hard and made so many memories!   Feeling the warm sand in between my toes was heaven.  Spraying my girls off at the end of the day with the hose, and washing all that sand away was a sense of accomplishment.  

We played until the sun set.   

When I am happy - I want to dance.  No really -- dance.  So I did.  I danced on the beach.  I got the entire family involved.  I just love the beach, and I can't wait to go back.  Here's one Instagram Video from the trip.  

                                                                                         

Beach Baby just melts my heart!

The punishment for throwing sand in your sister's face - you take a time out while being half-buried in the sand.  She doesn't look too disappointed.  But she was more than ready to get out, and start chasing the birds, collecting shells and building sand castles again.


We stayed with my parents and Michael in a three bedroom condo directly across the street from the ocean.  It was lovely.  We ate breakfast out on the deck, overlooking the beach.  And we enjoyed sitting in the bay window nook too!  It was really fun to wake up to the sound of waves crashing on the beach.   

Incredible Sunset!!

Oh Yuck!  Sienna forgot that we don't eat the sand.  

After a full day of the ocean beating against the sand, the waves had created this ledge.  It made it tricky to get up by our towels.  But never fear: Little Sister was there to help Gracie up.   

Our first day at the beach was a bit overcast, and the next few days were full of sunshine.  This picture sums up Jody and Sienna's sweet little relationship.  She adores him; such a daddy's girl.  

Jody helped Gracie build an extraordinary Sand City.

Gracie was fearless in the ocean.  She got slammed by a few big waves, and came up out of the water, totally soaked, with a big SMILE on her face.  Jody always swims out way far.  He is a great swimmer.  At this one point, I was watching, with Sienna, from the shore...I was sure I saw something BIG swimming by him.  I stood up to start yelling and waving at him.  Interestingly, he started swimming to shore right then.  When he got back in, safe, I told him I thought I had spotted something out there with him.  He said, "Well, I didn't feel alone - that's why I came in."  Yikes!   

At the end of the week, this little one was done running, playing and splashing.  She was ready for some resting.  And boy oh boy, doesn't she look relaxed?!?!?!  

Breaking the June Curse...

June hasn't been my month.

June has typically been hard and trying.

In June of 2012, Sienna had what should have been a two day stay at Primary Children's Medical Center to recover from a Ureter Re-implanting Surgery.  But her bladder ruptured post surgery.   She was terribly sick.  Doctors couldn't figure out why.  And after a broken-up nearly three week stay at the Children's Hospital, they diagnosed her with Pyelonephritis - (which means her kidneys were swollen, full of infection and not working properly.)

During that time, I was trying to coach my 2012 SkillsUSA Broadcasting Team and help them prepare for Nationals.  I brought Sienna with me, to practices - catheter and all.  Poor baby.  I remember ending one practice early, driving straight to the hospital, where she was again admitted for another stay.
  

She was sick.  And I was scared.

I missed my flight to Kansas City with all of the SkillsUSA competitors.  I was holding my baby in the hospital.  I flew out days later, after Sienna was home (for good this time).  I made it to Kansas City just in time to give my four students a good luck pep talk before they competed behind closed doors.

They didn't place that year.  And in the Post-Contest Meeting I wrote down everything the judges had to say.  I didn't even have a notebook.  (Great journalist, huh?!?!)  I tell you, I wasn't 100% there.  I had been sleeping on a hospital cot for 2 weeks, worrying my brains out.

So NO notebook, but I did manage to find these Holiday Inn post-its from the hotel where we were staying.  

I wrote down everything that a National Winning Team needed to know.  And once I was back in Utah, I hid these notes in my sock drawer.  I never said it out loud....maybe whispered it to my husband...but I was ready to take a team back to Kansas City...and this time, come home with a different outcome.

In March 2013, four dedicated students showcased their skills -- winning the SkillsUSA State Competition.  And the Post-It's got to come out of the sock drawer.

I worked with them on perfecting their broadcast writing, their storytelling and their believability.  Camera Cues were solid.  Team Chemistry was evident.  These are good kids.  Our Male Anchor hosted his own radio show, our Female Anchor re-wrote political and world event stories each week; not for an assignment --  just to have me correct them...so she could improve her newsworthy sense.  At State, the judges from ABC4 told me they would hire our Student Technical Director on the spot, "he was just that good." And our Floor Director, brought the team together with his accuracy in cues and his sense of humor.

They were the right group of students.  I spent the first month of summer vacation holding practices so we could fine-tune their skills.  We spent a ton of time at that school practicing!  Gracie and Sienna came with me often.  They acted as comic relief or the world's biggest distraction.  Either way, it was good practice for the students to try and keep their focus.

We were just days away from the competition, and my June Curse hit again.

I was 7-weeks-pregnant, and I lost the baby.

My doctor teetered with the idea of me leaving for a week, but finally gave me the okay to travel with the team.  I was in pain and sick the entire trip, and an emotional tornado.  But being there and focusing on the team was the best thing for me - it helped distract me from feeling sorry for myself.

OCC Girls and Advisor Chris Griesemer

The broadcasting competition lasted two days.  My team drew the 9:30 am time slot on the first day.  We were all excited about that time placement.  The morning of the competition, I did make-up for seven girls competing in 'Opening and Closing Ceremonies'.  They were darling, and definitely looked the part.  I then caught the bus from our hotel.  The convention center was a 20 minute bus ride away.  We hit traffic.  I was panicking.  I had one of the Floor Director's props.  So there I was flying off of the bus when we got there, running in my 4-inch heels across the space of two football fields.  For those of you who know me...this sounds about right....yes?  I got there with four minutes to spare.  I gave them their cards I had written for them, we huddled up, said a prayer, and they were off.

They had 2 hours to build their newscast rundown and write a 3-minute show based off of 20 Associated Press Stories.  And then they anchored, called and directed the show live.  The show had to end exactly at the 3 minute mark - one second over or under would penalize their scores.

Friday night -- Closing Ceremonies.  20,000 people in Kemper Arena.  It is so full, our team gets separated.  I end up standing at the top of the arena by my co-teacher, Dustin.

"Broadcast News Production", the announcer's voice booms.

"Here we go", I think to myself.
"Bronze Medal -  Washington."

"Okay....come on....come on....they deserve this," I am saying under my breath.
"Silver Medal - Delaware."  

My heart sinks.  Florida has won this competition for the past FIVE years.  And it looks like their winning streak is about to continue.

"Gold Medal - UTAH"

It is as if time stood still.  And then I start screaming....and screaming some more...and crying.

It is one of the most authentic moments in my life.  So pure.  So unexpected.

Not unexpected because Matt, Krista, Chase and Bailey didn't deserve the title.  Because trust me they do, and their scores prove it.   But because how often can you say you've been a part of a National Championship?!?!

It's like I won Miss America -- only BETTER because seeing the unbelievable excitement on these four student's faces, quadrupled my joy.

Look at them!  Students who put their minds to something positive and made it happen.  Lehi High School has never won a National Gold Medal in any of the 98 SkillsUSA competitions.  These four students brought home the Gold

...and they broke my June Curse. 

**National Champions**

By winning Gold, this team won the 10-thousand dollar EZNews Software Program for Lehi High School.

Krista Hintze who just started her Freshman Year at BYU.  She has declared her major as Broadcast Journalism.  She will be fabulous!

During the week, we spent a great deal of time walking around Downtown Kansas City.  It's a beautiful city.  Here we are having a "Brittany Pose-Off".  Apparently, I have a certain "pose" I strike in pictures.  Everyone did a "BTait" pose for this one.  What do you think?  Who won?

Here's a story to restore your faith in humanity.  Before I flew out for Kansas City, my husband said to me, "Hey Brittany, try to not lose our camera this year at the competition...okay?"  I have a bit of a history misplacing our camera.  And this year was no exception.  Before Closing Ceremonies, I realized I didn't have the camera.  I searched EVERYWHERE, called every place of business we had visited. It was MISSING.  I had to tell Jody that his crazy wife had indeed done the very thing he asked me not to do.

Fast-Forward 7 weeks.  I get a letter in the mail from a Nadine Russell in Clinton, Missouri.  She's writing me to tell me she has my camera.  Nadine was one of the bus drivers who drove the Utah Schools around at Nationals.  She found the camera on her bus - scrolled through the pictures and wrote, "I recognized you in the pictures as the lady that ALWAYS wore the high heels on the bus."  

Nadine didn't know my name, what school I was from, or anything about me....(other than the high heels.)  She did some serious investigation - running into numerous blockstops.  But she found me.  Isn't that so nice?!?!  Nadine is a friend for life.  What a lovely lady with a good heart.  Thanks to Nadine, we have our camera back.

**The Entire Lehi High School Crew**

This is my co-teacher, Dustin.  He invited me into his well-estabilished classroom more than two years ago.  It's safe to say I shook up the routine with my quizzes on attribution, news judgement and the journalism inverted pyramid.  We both have different methods; but the whole 'fire and ice' thing really worked out.  It's been such a wonderful experience to be an educator, and I am thankful Dustin believed enough in me to let me teach along side of him.     



At the annual national-level SkillsUSA Championships, more than 5,900 students competed in 98 occupational and leadership skill areas.  The organization has 13,000 school chapters.  




This event is larger than life!! 

Sweet Success