What was your most anxious and concerned moment?

[Silver Fox]

I've had a few, but I think the worst was while working in a county 50 miles from home I received a call over my radio that my daughter had been hit by a vehicle and was enroute to the hospital via ambulance. Not being able to get any further Info. on her condition I arrived at the hospital within the hour at times clocking speeds of 90-100 MPH.
When I arrived she had just regained consciousness from a minor concussion with no broken bones.

[Pookie44]

A few things come to mind, but the most recent one was when I was cooking dinner, my electric burner got to hot and all of a sudden whoosh a fire was on my stove. My first reaction was to freak out and throw water on it, but my mind was racing and I knew I only had a few second to re-act, So I started thinking rational I knew I could not leave the area, so I grabbed the baking soda from my refrigerater and threw it on the fire. All this happend in about 2 minutes but it could have went went real bad. What a stinky mess:eek: I hate electric burners they're to prown for fires. Note I can cook it wasn't me.;):D

[North Patrol]

My most anxious and concerned moment lasted almost a month.

Many years ago I was working in San Antonio, TX while my wife and oldest son were in Denver, CO for surgery. My son was having heart surgery and they had been there for a month so he could aclimate to the conditions. Things like elevation, temp etc.

I only had a few days of leave so I figured it would be better to be there for him during recovery when he was awake than when he was under. I had a choice of 2 flights the day after his surgery, one in the morning arriving around 1100 hrs and one in the afternon arriving around 1800 hrs. I chose the afternoon flight because I did not want to short my shift being it was the 4th of july.

The day I was supposed to leave I got a phone call at work saying that things did not look good and I had better get to Denver right away. That was one of the most stressfull flights I've ever taken. I was met at the Airport by my wife and father-in-law and as she walked towards me I could see it in her face even though she tried to be strong. To this day I can still see her face and hear her say "Justin passed away". He died 2 hours before I landed and she felt that she needed to be the one to tell me. That night my wife and I sat on a wall on Colfax in Denver and watched the fireworks.

There are times I think back about the last time I saw him alive. He and his mother were walking down the ramp to their plane. As they walked away he was crying holding his hands out to me saying dad, not understanding why I wasn't going with them. To this day I wonder if he thought that I had abandoned him and that's why he didn't fight harder. No matter how many people say that's not the case I will always wonder.

[retdetsgt]

I know I'm fortunate in that my most anxious and concerned moments didn't involve my kids. But the only regrets I harbor in my life are about what I did, didn't do, to or with them when they were growing up. I think that's why grandparents want to do so much with and for their grandkids, we have a lot of making up to do.....:(

[Silver Fox]

My most anxious and concerned moment lasted almost a month.

Many years ago I was working in San Antonio, TX while my wife and oldest son were in Denver, CO for surgery. My son was having heart surgery and they had been there for a month so he could aclimate to the conditions. Things like elevation, temp etc.

I only had a few days of leave so I figured it would be better to be there for him during recovery when he was awake than when he was under. I had a choice of 2 flights the day after his surgery, one in the morning arriving around 1100 hrs and one in the afternon arriving around 1800 hrs. I chose the afternoon flight because I did not want to short my shift being it was the 4th of july.

The day I was supposed to leave I got a phone call at work saying that things did not look good and I had better get to Denver right away. That was one of the most stressfull flights I've ever taken. I was met at the Airport by my wife and father-in-law and as she walked towards me I could see it in her face even though she tried to be strong. To this day I can still see her face and hear her say "Justin passed away". He died 2 hours before I landed and she felt that she needed to be the one to tell me. That night my wife and I sat on a wall on Colfax in Denver and watched the fireworks.

There are times I think back about the last time I saw him alive. He and his mother were walking down the ramp to their plane. As they walked away he was crying holding his hands out to me saying dad, not understanding why I wasn't going with them. To this day I wonder if he thought that I had abandoned him and that's why he didn't fight harder. No matter how many people say that's not the case I will always wonder.

A very sad story NP and it's a shame the operation wasn't successful.
Being a Christian I believe that God is in control and has a purpose and reason for everything that happens in our lives. If your son had lived perhaps he would have suffered more from the healing process and the after effects of the surgery or for some other unrelated cause. This is something that only God knows and someday He will make it clear to you. I would hope that you'd stop wondering whether or not your son thought you had abandoned him, as you and he both knew that you hadn't and I'm sure you and your wife explained to him why you couldn't go along with them at the time. Crying and holding his hand out to you was a normal reaction from a child with strong family ties, as when going on a flight to a destination he wasn't too sure about, he and most kids would want both parents to go with them.

[Johninaustin]

The first patrol car I destroyed. I was a 5 month rookie.

Thank heaven policy allowed ramming suspect's vehicles. :D

[retdetsgt]

I'm not sure what mine was, but I bet it involved a bimbo, alcohol and possibly a firearm.:eek:

[Jennifer]

[quoteNorth Patrol My most anxious and concerned moment lasted almost a month.

Many years ago I was working in San Antonio, TX while my wife and oldest son were in Denver, CO for surgery. My son was having heart surgery and they had been there for a month so he could aclimate to the conditions. Things like elevation, temp etc.

I only had a few days of leave so I figured it would be better to be there for him during recovery when he was awake than when he was under. I had a choice of 2 flights the day after his surgery, one in the morning arriving around 1100 hrs and one in the afternon arriving around 1800 hrs. I chose the afternoon flight because I did not want to short my shift being it was the 4th of july.

The day I was supposed to leave I got a phone call at work saying that things did not look good and I had better get to Denver right away. That was one of the most stressfull flights I've ever taken. I was met at the Airport by my wife and father-in-law and as she walked towards me I could see it in her face even though she tried to be strong. To this day I can still see her face and hear her say "Justin passed away". He died 2 hours before I landed and she felt that she needed to be the one to tell me. That night my wife and I sat on a wall on Colfax in Denver and watched the fireworks.

There are times I think back about the last time I saw him alive. He and his mother were walking down the ramp to their plane. As they walked away he was crying holding his hands out to me saying dad, not understanding why I wasn't going with them. To this day I wonder if he thought that I had abandoned him and that's why he didn't fight harder. No matter how many people say that's not the case I will always wonder. ][/quote]

Wow. This actually made me cry.....

[Jennifer]

My most anxious and concerned moment:

In Ct this past winter was not bad at all just two or three big snowstorms. During the last storm I was driving to work early Sat morning (it was about 4:30 AM). It had been snowing overnight and it was still snowing as I was driving into Hartford. I am a good winter driver, been living in CT all my life I'm use to it! I usually drive slow and steady depending on conditions, if its really bad I go s..l..o..w if its not too bad, I drive but again keep an even speed. Well, started driving slowly and got stuck behind a few cars that were going too slow so as I made my way I started to pick up speed. Basically, I became overconfident in my driving abilities. All is fine until I get on 91N and get into the exit lane. Well, unlike the highway which snow was packed down the exit lane was not plowed and my car started to fishtail and WOOOOM!!! Of to the middle median of the highway I go!!!

Now, I have NEVER lost control of my car and up to this point had no idea how I would react in a situation like this. I know some people panic and instinctively hit the brake (which is a no no). Well thank God I had some common sense in my head. It was the most amazing thing. All I thought was "I gotta get this car under control." So I turned into the skid. VROOOM! Now I am going to the right side median. Turn again, the car does a 360 (My thought at this point was 'wow I am going fast') and for whatever reason, my car just died. All the lights on the dashboard went on, radio shuts off. Here I am in the middle of a 4 lane highway. Now, I am shaking because the adrenaline is wearing off and I look south to see a crapload of cars coming!! Next thought, "I have to get my car out of the road" Every car missed me. Car won’t start, now I am panicking so I call the PD (which is right off the exit I am at) and i'm going "I just spun out at ex. 33 on 91 N....."Car starts!! So I say oh never mind, car started, I didn't hit anyone or anything." The cop tells me "Don't drive fast!" :D
Turned my car around and got to work....on time!!!
Learned my lesson, don't get overconfident, if this was any other time than at 4 am Sat morning I would have been toast. And if my car had not just died, I would have hit an oncoming car.

[Ispbear]

I'm not sure what mine was, but I bet it involved a bimbo, alcohol and possibly a firearm.:eek:

Dang, were you one of the guys in the group that went out with me last week?

[retdetsgt]

Basically, I became overconfident in my driving abilities.

Actually, everybody thinks they're a better driver than they really are. Me included. I know a lot of cops that are dead today because they over estimated their driving skills.

Also, the cars they make today make people feel more confident than they should. With the climate control, power steering, brakes, etc., it gives folks a false sense of security when they're driving in bad weather.

Glad you came out okay. Cars are more dangerous than we care to believe.

[mcsap]

When I was first hired , I rode with my FTO 2 or 3 weeks and then I was out on my own BEFORE I went to the academy. I had a gun , a ticket book and a car. I cant remember much about those days but I am pretty sure that I was shakin in my shoes !!

[Darin]

Most anxious on duty was when a loaded .38 was pointed at me.

Off duty was when my son had an emergency appendectomy.

[Cat_Doc]

A few years ago, my wife suddenly started crying while we were watching television. I asked what was wrong and she answered, while wiping the tears from her cheeks, "We are never going to have any grand-babies."

All three of our children had been adamant they did not intend to have any kids, and the youngest was then in his early 20's.

I did not know what to say, so I just moved next to her and hugged her until she finished getting it all out.

Then, to our surprise and immense happiness, we found out our oldest daughter was pregnant.

She had a miscarriage after only a few months and called me, crying her heart out. I asked her not to tell mom, that I would do it and immediately left work. I held up until I got on the road, then had one of the hardest cries I've ever had as I thought about telling my wife.

It was amazing to me that she was stronger than I could have imagined, although I suspect I did not see her pain and suffering in private moments.

A year later, my daughter told us she was pregnant, again. Everything went fine, until we received a phone call that she was in the hospital suffering from pregnancy induced extremely high blood pressure and they were concerned for her and the baby who had not reached full term.

We immediately flew up to Wyoming, getting there within four hours of the phone call.

They could not give my daughter medication to completely protect her from the dangerous blood pressure because it would adversely affect, if not kill, the baby, so they induced with the understanding an emergency C-section would be needed if the natural birth did not occur within a certain time limit.

My wife and I were blessed to be in the delivery room when Adrik was born. What a wonderful experience, but I noticed right away the concern on the medical staff's face as they immediately put him on respiratory assistance and wheeled him quickly from the room.

We soon learned that he could not breath on his own and was going by medivac to the Denver Children's Newborn Intensive Care Unit.

My wife stayed with my daughter in Cheyenne and I rode down with my son-in-law to Denver. That drive down was the most anxious and intense moment in my life and I hope to never face anything like that again, although I know there are still trials and tribulations to face.

In any event, King Adrik was in NICU for 18 days, and on supplemented oxygen for another two months, but he is now a thriving, intelligent and extremely loving young two year old who gives me the best "monkey hugs" there ever could be.

Sorry for the long narrative , but it was therapeutic to write it out.

And, RDS, you hit the nail on the head, grandkids are a gift from God to allow us to make amends before we Cross the Great Divide. ;)

[keith758]

My most anxious moment was a week after I woke up from a 10-day coma. Before that, no one would tell me why I was in the hospital, and I had no short term memory. I was 18, and my parents came in and told me that I'd gone off of the road, hit a tree, and my best friend and his 3-year-old daughter had been killed.