We got up and at it first thing in the morning and headed straight into Bryce Canyon. After the obligatory stop for a picture at the park entrance and a trip back into Bryce Canyon City to print out Frank’s Fourth Grade Park pass, we finally made it to the Visitor’s Center to map out our day. Chris still wasn’t feeling good, took everything he had to even get out of the car for a photo at the park entrance. So he stayed in the car while we planned the day.

The weather wasn’t the most cooperative, it was blue sky and gorgeous, but bone chilling, freezing-ass cold. The road into Bryce is an out and back road. So we started on our way, stopping along the road to take in the beauty of Bryce. It truly is a stunning park. Chris spent most of the time sleeping in the car. At one point, he did wake up and took a Covid test, which came back negative.

So this continued on, driving along, stopping for photos and on and on. We finally made it to the end, Rainbow Point, and were able to each grab a family photo. We know hiking and enjoying the park probably wouldn’t be happening today. So in search of better weather, we headed on up the road to the town of Escalante and the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. It was warmer and the rangers told us of a neat place to explore, Devil’s Garden. Off we went, through the town of Escalante and for what seemed like 100 miles down a bumpy gravel road. I was driving and Chris insisted the faster I go, the smoother the ride. So I did try that.. until the car started swerving too much for my liking. It was so bumpy that our seatbelts kept locking up.

But we finally arrived at the Devil’s Garden and nearly had the place to ourselves. It was warm, the sun was shining and Chris seemed to be feeling better. There wasn’t a trail so to speak, but large boulders and rock formations we could climb all over. Some were tunnels leading to the other sides of the formations, some were sprawled out flat top formations we could walk (or run, ahem, Henry) across. It truly was beautiful.

Afterwards, we pulled out camp chairs at our cars, the kids played football and volleyball and we just relaxed for a bit. While Chris was feeling better, we decided that once we were back in cell service, we would google the town of Escalante to see if they had an urgent care.

Sure enough, just as we rolled into town, there was an urgent care along the road. So we pulled in, thinking he may get a quick pneumonia diagnosis, some antibiotics, and be on our way. As he was waiting to be seen, I ran into town to grab some snacks for the other kids. While there, we ran into our friends who graciously offered to take the boys home with them. Surely, we’d be right behind them with the girls.

The girls and I returned to urgent care to pick up Chris. He came out to the parking lot and calmly said he was to go directly to the ER. The ER in Panguitch, UT, which is over an hour away from where we currently were. The doctor told him it was either pneumonia or a pulmonary embolism. Needless to say, the rubber hit the road and off we went. I was terrified, barely uttering a word other than asking if he was ok the entire ride.

We were able to get a hold of the other family we were with and they stopped and waited for us so they could take the girls home with them. Without either of these families, this stressful situation would’ve been 100x worse.

We were about 10 minutes out of Panguitch, UT and I asked him why they didn’t transport him via ambulance and he replied, “they offered, but I turned them down.” If this embolism wasn’t going to kill him, I may have. Typical first responder, right?!

Finally we roll into the ER and luckily it was a slow evening. Both beds in the single shared room were vacant, and Chris took up residence in one right away. His first set of vitals showed his oxygen saturation at a mere 56. After running all the tests, it was determined he had a serious case of pneumonia. No pulmonary embolism, no covid. But as the doctor said, he was really sick and wasn’t going anywhere that evening and was admitted to the hospital.

Once he was situated in his room, I headed home to check in with the kids and try and get some rest.