Wheat Field Flash Back

I took these pictures less than 48 hours before the grand-mal seizure and finding out about the brain tumor.

We were spending a beautiful afternoon in one of Keith's wheat fields while we took some data on his plants.

Charlie was having a blast and I was soaking in the beauty of the rich green fields, the blue sky, the perfect breeze, and the peaceful quiet.

Do you see that reddish-blond circle just below and to the left of Keith in the right picture? That is Charlie. I actually lost track of him a few times, but don't you fret; the field wasn't too big and after a few moments he would reappear.

On this day, and all the days before it, things like seizures and brain tumors and brain surgery were things that happened to other people. Kind of like the day before we were told that Charlie had PKU. That was the last day that genetic disorders were still things that happened to other people's kids. There isn't an alert that pops up on the calender letting you know that tomorrow life as you know it will change completely. (And it is only after the tomorrow comes that you learn that there is someone who wasn't surprised by the change. But that is for another post.)

Can you see him?

Now you don't.
Whenever he would vanish like this I would shout out "Charlie! Where are you?" As if he was going to wave and say "Hey Mom! Over here! Just picking up a rock and putting it in my bucket!" But he never did. He was too engrossed in his wheat field explorations.

And he does make a fine looking little explorer man.