Now that Alabama's season is over..

Pulling the trigger for one last time for the season brought a surprising relief to me this year... Not because I was tired of hunting, but rather the fact that I had such a life changing event occur in the middle of hunting season. Me and my wife had our first child on December 14th which was born 2.5 months premature. I will never forget the day that I got the call while I was at work... My wife had gone to the doctor because she was beginning to swell extremely bad in her hands and feet. During the visit, my wife calls me balling her eyes out screaming they are going to take the baby..... TODAY!!!! My heart hit the floor, not knowing what to think or what to do... I hadn't prepared for this at all! I rush to the hospital. Once I get there, she was in an ambulance headed to another local hospital which specializes in Neonatal care... At this point I knew there was more to it that her just delivering early.. I get to the other hospital and get in the room where she is at... 6 doctors surround my wife's bed and the words that were coming out of their mouths horrified me... One doctor looked at me and said your wife is dying! They said your wife has an extreme case of preeclampsia and HELLP disorder. Basically the nutrients that were going to the baby were becoming toxic to her and the baby, which in return was causing my wife's vital organs to shut down. The doctors rushed and prepped her for surgery so that they could deliver the baby immediately... My emotions became evident... I was speechless... All I could think about was the fact that everything dear to me could be gone within a seconds notice. After an agonizing hour of waiting they wheeled my new born baby girl out into the hall way weighing in at 2# 1 oz... The doctor said our baby was doing great but my wife on the other hand wasn't in the clear... She ended up spending 2 weeks in the hospital and went through several blood and platelet transfusions. She ended up coming home on Christmas day, which was the best present ever! We just got to bring our girl, Ashlynn Kate home last Friday and my life hasn't been the same ever since!!

I guess the thing I want to throw out there, and I know I have been guilty of this before, is that you never know when the good Lord is going to take away someone that is close to you. I know duck hunting makes you do some crazy things and causes you to neglect people you love just so that you can go hunting fill your addiction. But please, take some time during the season (and especially the off season)to show that you appreciate your love ones, because you never know when it could be the last time.

Thanks,

Hunter Maples