Drama Over the Pulpit
Sunday, July 14, 2024
It started out like any other Sunday. When Chloe and I arrived to the sacrament meeting, no one was waiting for us in our pew. Dan was off trying to work on someone's reimbursement and Seth was sitting on the stand on the left side of the bishopric. He thought he was so tricky - being asked to speak and not telling anyone. But I knew something was going on and when I got an email with the sacrament program; it was confirmed! I mentioned it to Chloe on Saturday night and we thought it would be funnier to let him be surprised when she was there too!
The entire primary presidency was on the stand to speak as well and the congregation was buzzing about them being released. But with no new ward business, we moved on to the sacrament. After renewing our covenants, the priests and deacons sat down with their families. Then Seth was up and sharing his experience of snowmobiling with his dad, Lynn Hammond, Tyler Spencer, Chad Horne, and some others near Chad's property in Wyoming. He was getting to the good part when his snowmobile was wrecked on a tree and wouldn't go anymore. He seemed to have lost his place on the pages he was reading from. He found his place but kept repeating himself. Then he started slurring his words and he leaned forward, slumped with his face on the microphone. Dan hollered, "Somebody catch him! SOMEBODY CATCH HIM!!!" when Bishop Duncan and Chad Horne caught him before he went down.
He had blacked out for about 15 seconds but it seemed like minutes. He came around and they got him sitting in his seat but he appeared to be slipping back into unconsciousness. Dan lept from our pew and was up front super fast and Bishop directed Dan to call 911.
Jessica Himle had Gage go and get some water from the kitchen and had him offer Seth some of his candy to combat the possibility of low blood sugar. The EMT on the phone directed Dan to not let Seth eat or drink anything until they arrived. Seth started talking and was acting the goofy way he did when he had his wisdom teeth removed. He was kind of loopy and silly but he didn't remember how he got done with his talk so fast.
The bishopric moved Seth out to the foyer near their offices and Chloe and I left the chapel to be with him. He was so pale and clammy. Brandon Himle, Tyler Spencer, and Jordan Peterson were there checking on him and teasing him for stopping just when the story was getting good.
Nate Shelton had gone out to wait for the EMTs. Seth was getting some color back in his face - he went from slate gray to seasick green. The EMTs arrived and checked his heart rate and patterns, did a quick blood glucose finger prick, and monitored his oxygen for 15-20 minutes. They saw his levels all return to normal and since he didn't hit his head or fall/crash, he could choose if he wanted to go to the hospital to get checked out further. He declined very quickly.
We got him home and he had some apple juice and a grilled cheese sandwich with some bean with bacon soup. He then took a short Sunday nap. He said he couldn't remember anything, that he lost his place in his talk and then everything went black. It was funny when the EMTs were packing up their gear, he asked them if he got a sticker for being such a good boy!
As his mother, I watched him slump over the pulpit and it looked like he had the head of the microphone in his mouth. When his dad saw and knew what was happening and yelled out, somebody catch him, he was up and out of our pew quick, like a cat. I knew Dan was right there and stayed seated holding Chloe's hand as we watched it all play out. I kept thinking they needed to get him off the stand and out of the chapel.
When he was slurring his words I imagined my Dad having his first episode while bearing his testimony, slurring his speach and all of the horribleness with Alzheimers.
Wade and Erin Robinson stopped by after church, then Jessica Himle with Gage and Payton. Then Bishop and Mindy Duncan stopped by with even more cookies.
After all those coming to show Seth their love, Melinda Cloward stopped by to tell me how much she appreciated me in welcoming her and Morris to the ward. She wanted to make sure I was okay after everything was back to normal with Seth. She said she kept putting it off and just had to tell me that today :)
Seth decided he doesn't like being the center of attention in large crowds. The combination of not eating breakfast, nerves, and probably locking his knees was just too strong today. He said the only thing worse would have been throwing up - projectile vomiting into the congregation. Is that a silver lining?
I am so thankful for the love and concern we felt from our ward family. Seth has been a part of this ward since before he started nursery at eighteen months old. He was planning on this being his final talk as he was hoping to be released as the priest quorum first assistant and start going to a YSA ward - we shall see. He knows he will be razzed about this for a long time but swore Dan and I to secrecy both with our families and at work! It will be interesting to see who breaks first.
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