Chapter
9

When I was back in college at Louisiana Tech, I used to get extremely nervous taking any tests. This came to a head one time when I was about to lose a scholarship unless I made a certain grade on my final exam. I was so freaked out over the test that I broke out in hives over my entire body. I was certain that I was having a new allergic reaction to something, but it turned out to be test anxiety. This periodically became a problem for me, as I took important tests throughout my life. The first time I took my national medical boards in between my second and third year of medical school, I failed the test. I was pulled out of my third year of medical school for about 4 weeks for me to retake the test and pass it. I did. Later, after my anesthesia residency I had to take my anesthesia board exams. They freaked me out to the extreme. At that time, Elna and I were on a fast track in our growth in the Lord. Elna shared a scripture with me and asked me to memorize it. I did. On the day of the exam, it was written on a small piece of paper in my pocket. Whenever I started to get anxious, I would stick my hand in my pocket and just know that the scripture was there. I would then recite the scripture in my head. It was Joshua 1:9. I knew without a doubt that I had no reason to be terrified because God was in command, and He was right there with me.

 

Well on that day and every single other day of my life, God has never left my side. So, when Waylon asked us if we had a family scripture….. It was Joshua 1:9……..and at that moment we had comfort in knowing how God had used previous difficulties in our lives to teach us to lean on Him and trust Him.

 

When Elna and I first got married, we were so young. For the first years of marriage, we knew it was not a good time for us to have children. However, when we decided the time was right, we thought that Elna would get pregnant in a month. That did not happen. This time it was Elna that was anxious. The Indian culture put so much emphasis on the measure of Elna’s worth being based on her producing a son. Elna found an OB/GYN that she admired and trusted. He told her that he would do lab work and put her on medication and that he would help us have a baby. The blood work didn’t comeback well. I remember Elna pressing the nurse over the phone to just tell her the results. The nurse finally relented and said, “I’m sorry but with levels like that you have zero chance of ever having a baby.” Elna was devastated. Four kids later, I can tell you that the nurse was wrong. God was in control.

 

After meeting with Waylon about the arrangements for Jackson’s funeral, Dr. Quarls decided to have Alex transferred to a regular room with hopes of her being discharged the next day so that she could go to the services. St. Tammany had an unwritten policy to never discharge a patient from the ICU to home. Therefore, rather than spend two nights in the ICU, Alex was going to a regular room with her medical family watching her like a hawk.

 

After Alex arrived in her new room, I was walking past the nurses’ station. An aid at the nurses’ station said, “Are you Edward Dease?”

 

I said, “Yes.”

 

With no other words to me, she handed me a phone from the nurses’ station and walked away. I put the receiver to my ear and timidly said, “Hello?”

 

The person on the other line said, “This is blah blah blah from WDSU news. I would like to get a statement from you on how you feel about your nanny, Nicola Simpson, causing the death of your son, Jackson.”

 

I was speechless for a moment.

 

The person on the other line began to speak again, and I think he was kind of leading me to answer in a certain way. He said, “I’m sure you must be angry and beyond upset with her for doing such a horrible thing.”

 

To the best of my memory, this is how I responded.

 

I responded by saying, “We are incredibly sad about Jackson’s passing. We will miss him more than words can describe, but no. I’m not angry with Niki. My family loves Niki. Niki was and is part of our family. Jackson loved her deeply, and he would want us to live out our Christian Faith and forgive her. What she did was an accident. It was a horrible accident, but it was an accident.”

 

Now the person on the other line was speechless. There was a long pause. He thanked me for my comment, and we said our good-byes.

 

Later I was told by countless people that the entire conversation was played on TV. Thousands of people had heard my raw and hurting comments coming from a newly grieving father. I had no idea and was never told that I was going to be broadcasted. Again, it’s probably a God thing. I wouldn’t have been able to speak if I had tried to prepare myself to talk. God was in control.

 

Jackson and Alex were highly active in church. They were there for every possible activity. Jackson was a “Royal Ambassador” and he also loved to sing his heart out in the children’s choir. I remember one time being pulled to the side by one of the teachers that was my friend who told me that Jackson went off script at choir and started singing the latest Spice Girls Song. He had a great voice, and he loved to belt out some lyrics.

 

At FBC, the worship minister was a young adult that was diagnosed with cancer. Leigh was a gifted singer who not only led worship, but he also taught us all the importance of praising God in song. The year before the accident as Leigh was undergoing cancer treatment, Elna recorded Jackson singing the song, “I love you, Lord.” Elna sent the recording to Leigh with a note of encouragement on how much Leigh’s leadership had meant to Jackson and to our entire family. Leigh kept the recording. On that day in the hospital, Leigh told us how much that recording meant to him, and he asked us if we would like to play it during Jackson’s services. We said, “Absolutely.”

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 New International Version

 

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

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