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I'm writing this on the behalf of Michael David Diehl, my son. I think he would feel its important that everyone knows the chain of events and how he arrived into heaven and its helping me feel better about what has happened. He was born December 6, 1992.
August 5, 2008
Michael is seen at the family doctor and diagnosed with a double ear infection, a throat infection and a start of a sinus infection. He had not felt the best for nearly 24 hours. He had a fever of 102 and climbed to 103 later during the afternoon. The doctor placed him on an antibiotic to clear everything and get him back to 100%. This fever would continue for the next few days and would drop to 101. He had not been sick before this day.
August 6, 2008
Michael says he is feeling better, but doesn't get off the couch. He says that he isn't hungry but eats some toast in the morning to go with his medication. He slept most of the day.
August 7, 2008
Michael comes into our bedroom at 2:30 in the morning and wakes us up. He is upset and says he had a nightmare. He says that he had a dream that he was dying. Angie and I both tell him that kids don't just die in their sleep at his age and sent him back to bed so we could all get up for work. What I didn't know then, I would deal with in just over 24 hours. I look back now and feel that this was the angel tapping his shoulder and telling him to say his goodbye. I just don't think his body knew what his heart was trying to say.
August 8, 2008
Michael says his chest was hurting, his temp had dropped to 98.0, everything was looking better but he felt something was not right. I went to my car to get an old blood pressure cuff and stethoscope that had been in my trunk for years and rarely used. Its not the best thing in the world and I had to fix one of the rubber hoses before it could be used. This is not something that I normally do from my personal car. Michael has a 128/60 blood pressure and his lungs sound congested. He said on a scale of 1 to 10 that the pain was a 7. I asked him if he wanted to goto the hospital to see the doctor. Michael says no, and that its not that bad.
Michael was upstairs and could not be quiet. I asked him if he wanted to sleep downstairs and he said he did. I came down with him and fixed up the couch. He could not get comfortable and said his arms, back, legs, throat all hurt and could not get comfortable. I told Michael that I could not stay up any longer and that I had to be at work in the morning. Michael said that he didn't want me to go upstairs and wanted someone to stay up with him. He laid down and I told him that if he could not get comfortable that he needed to change positions and find one that would be comfortable. By this time Angie was awake and came downstairs to see what was happening. Michael said he needed to goto the bathroom and was on the stool for several minutes.
We checked on him and he said he felt like he could blackout. We told him to get his business done so he could lay down and felt the congestion was really settling in. Michael went to his knees and flushed the stool. He stood and pulled up his pajamas. As he walked to the door, I noticed his color just didn't look right and he was staring straight through the wall, but he walked to the couch and said he was going to sleep. I went upstairs after telling him I loved him and saying goodnight. Angie didn't have to work on Friday and decided she would stay downstairs with Michael and sleep on the other couch. I had placed my glasses on the top of the bed and Angie yelled that there was something wrong with Michael. I think I caught one step on the way down. I could tell that Michael was in a seizure and immediately grabbed my radio to call for help. I didn't know that Angie was already calling 911. I only knew that someone had responded to my radio call and I didn't know who. I literally yelled for help over the radio.
I threw the radio and checked Michael. There was no breath and no pulse. I started CPR without a second of hesitation. The first person to arrive at my home was 14 seconds after the call. We did 2 person CPR for another 38 seconds as fire and EMS were driving in. I turned my son over to them and told them I needed an airway right away. CPR and work at the hospital would continue for more than one hour. The extended police family remained at the hospital the entire time.
August 9, 2008
I slept after crashing flat on the floor until 4:34 am. I got up and went to the restroom. As I walked out I noticed the motion light at the back door had cycled on and woke Angie. I went to the door and did not see any motion or any reason for the light. The only thing that I could think is that it was Michael checking the door to make sure it was locked. I have no other answers and really makes sense to his ways.
I truly feel its been more than a spectacular 15 years. Its been really difficult in the past few days. There has been many gallons of tears, many chances to stop and think about the what if's. Deep in my heart I know that everything that could have been done, was done and it was done by the best of the very best. The entire rescue call was absolutely perfect and was done better than any training session could show. Its the perfect example of what to do and how to do it.
Michael had no history of anything and no medical problems. The preliminary autopsy shows something called Miocardoses. This is a virus infection in the heart in which this case, damaged the muscles of his heart. Its my understanding from the doctor that the muscle damage may have occurred over 2 days and even if he was on a surgical table the day before, it would not have changed the outcome. It rarely causes death and extremely rare to kids. I had never heard of this until it came from the doctor. This has left a huge void and big a lack of understanding why. Michael was in perfect health and actively played baseball and rode bicycles with his brother. As one would imagine, its a very difficult time. I am at a loss for words and have cried to most of the people who have called. I have a few others that I want to personally say thank you for everything that was done. You just don't appreciate people you work like you do when they are working for you. It changes from the lets do this attitude to its personal, its family. This is the best way I felt that I could tell you what happened and how great the people are that responded that night. Michael was actively studying criminal justice in school to become his dream, a police officer. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He always said there was nothing any cooler than seeing all of those lights going around and seeing them reflect off the walls. He will be buried with his own real badge, and I was the one who wore it before he received it. That alone means more than I can put to words. On the back, it says "I LOVE YOU" "YOU EARNED THIS" "DAD" and it will be with him forever. Michael loved police officers and looked forward to maybe someday driving one of the cars. He also had a desire to fly in an airplane and was hoping we could someday buy one. Someday I hope to make that dream come true as well.
If you learn nothing more from this chain of events, it is to take care of your family, they may not be with you as long as you would like and hope.
Love and prayers,
David Diehl
August 5, 2008
Michael is seen at the family doctor and diagnosed with a double ear infection, a throat infection and a start of a sinus infection. He had not felt the best for nearly 24 hours. He had a fever of 102 and climbed to 103 later during the afternoon. The doctor placed him on an antibiotic to clear everything and get him back to 100%. This fever would continue for the next few days and would drop to 101. He had not been sick before this day.
August 6, 2008
Michael says he is feeling better, but doesn't get off the couch. He says that he isn't hungry but eats some toast in the morning to go with his medication. He slept most of the day.
August 7, 2008
Michael comes into our bedroom at 2:30 in the morning and wakes us up. He is upset and says he had a nightmare. He says that he had a dream that he was dying. Angie and I both tell him that kids don't just die in their sleep at his age and sent him back to bed so we could all get up for work. What I didn't know then, I would deal with in just over 24 hours. I look back now and feel that this was the angel tapping his shoulder and telling him to say his goodbye. I just don't think his body knew what his heart was trying to say.
August 8, 2008
Michael says his chest was hurting, his temp had dropped to 98.0, everything was looking better but he felt something was not right. I went to my car to get an old blood pressure cuff and stethoscope that had been in my trunk for years and rarely used. Its not the best thing in the world and I had to fix one of the rubber hoses before it could be used. This is not something that I normally do from my personal car. Michael has a 128/60 blood pressure and his lungs sound congested. He said on a scale of 1 to 10 that the pain was a 7. I asked him if he wanted to goto the hospital to see the doctor. Michael says no, and that its not that bad.
Michael was upstairs and could not be quiet. I asked him if he wanted to sleep downstairs and he said he did. I came down with him and fixed up the couch. He could not get comfortable and said his arms, back, legs, throat all hurt and could not get comfortable. I told Michael that I could not stay up any longer and that I had to be at work in the morning. Michael said that he didn't want me to go upstairs and wanted someone to stay up with him. He laid down and I told him that if he could not get comfortable that he needed to change positions and find one that would be comfortable. By this time Angie was awake and came downstairs to see what was happening. Michael said he needed to goto the bathroom and was on the stool for several minutes.
We checked on him and he said he felt like he could blackout. We told him to get his business done so he could lay down and felt the congestion was really settling in. Michael went to his knees and flushed the stool. He stood and pulled up his pajamas. As he walked to the door, I noticed his color just didn't look right and he was staring straight through the wall, but he walked to the couch and said he was going to sleep. I went upstairs after telling him I loved him and saying goodnight. Angie didn't have to work on Friday and decided she would stay downstairs with Michael and sleep on the other couch. I had placed my glasses on the top of the bed and Angie yelled that there was something wrong with Michael. I think I caught one step on the way down. I could tell that Michael was in a seizure and immediately grabbed my radio to call for help. I didn't know that Angie was already calling 911. I only knew that someone had responded to my radio call and I didn't know who. I literally yelled for help over the radio.
I threw the radio and checked Michael. There was no breath and no pulse. I started CPR without a second of hesitation. The first person to arrive at my home was 14 seconds after the call. We did 2 person CPR for another 38 seconds as fire and EMS were driving in. I turned my son over to them and told them I needed an airway right away. CPR and work at the hospital would continue for more than one hour. The extended police family remained at the hospital the entire time.
August 9, 2008
I slept after crashing flat on the floor until 4:34 am. I got up and went to the restroom. As I walked out I noticed the motion light at the back door had cycled on and woke Angie. I went to the door and did not see any motion or any reason for the light. The only thing that I could think is that it was Michael checking the door to make sure it was locked. I have no other answers and really makes sense to his ways.
I truly feel its been more than a spectacular 15 years. Its been really difficult in the past few days. There has been many gallons of tears, many chances to stop and think about the what if's. Deep in my heart I know that everything that could have been done, was done and it was done by the best of the very best. The entire rescue call was absolutely perfect and was done better than any training session could show. Its the perfect example of what to do and how to do it.
Michael had no history of anything and no medical problems. The preliminary autopsy shows something called Miocardoses. This is a virus infection in the heart in which this case, damaged the muscles of his heart. Its my understanding from the doctor that the muscle damage may have occurred over 2 days and even if he was on a surgical table the day before, it would not have changed the outcome. It rarely causes death and extremely rare to kids. I had never heard of this until it came from the doctor. This has left a huge void and big a lack of understanding why. Michael was in perfect health and actively played baseball and rode bicycles with his brother. As one would imagine, its a very difficult time. I am at a loss for words and have cried to most of the people who have called. I have a few others that I want to personally say thank you for everything that was done. You just don't appreciate people you work like you do when they are working for you. It changes from the lets do this attitude to its personal, its family. This is the best way I felt that I could tell you what happened and how great the people are that responded that night. Michael was actively studying criminal justice in school to become his dream, a police officer. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He always said there was nothing any cooler than seeing all of those lights going around and seeing them reflect off the walls. He will be buried with his own real badge, and I was the one who wore it before he received it. That alone means more than I can put to words. On the back, it says "I LOVE YOU" "YOU EARNED THIS" "DAD" and it will be with him forever. Michael loved police officers and looked forward to maybe someday driving one of the cars. He also had a desire to fly in an airplane and was hoping we could someday buy one. Someday I hope to make that dream come true as well.
If you learn nothing more from this chain of events, it is to take care of your family, they may not be with you as long as you would like and hope.
Love and prayers,
David Diehl
