Day 120 to 126, Dec. 21-27

Day 120 to 126, Dec. 21-27

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you all had a fun and safe holiday! 

Monday was an emotional challenge. Jeff had to go to the hospital for a follow up x-ray on his neck and then to an appointment with the Neuro surgeon at IMC. It was over an hour wait just to see him for about ten minutes! 

Of course Jeff fell asleep in the waiting room, there wasn't even a TV. Although his nap was only about five minutes long he woke up with horrible nerve pain, especially in the transition zone. 

The good news is that the surgeon feels the technique used to fix Jeff's neck was the preferable option and everything looks really good. The surgeon in Denver did a great job! Jeff has two rods and eight screws in his neck. 

The not so good news is a confirmation that Jeff isn't expected to improve as far as sensation or movement goes. Of course we've suspected as much because there hasn't been any improvements yet, but it was heart breaking for us all to have it confirmed. The surgeon says the goal is stasis and to prevent things from getting worse. 

You can imagine how devastating this news is for us, though we know miracles can still happen. We are really working on accepting God's will and pushing forward in faith. 

Tuesday was Jeff's birthday! He says, "It was just another day." His OT from TOSH went to their house again so it was nice they didn't have to go through the hassle of transportation. They made another finger brace to go on the left side this time. 

Wednesday was Cherie's birthday! We are so grateful to her for all she has sacrificed for our family. We know it's not easy for her or her little family. We love you Cherie! 

Jeff went to Neuroworx with Annette and Brandi. It was REALLY cold outside with biting wind so the transfers in and out of the truck seemed to take forever. One of the tie downs for Jeff's wheelchair broke and they only had three. Thankfully it's not too far from home and the three held without a problem. 

Zach later tore the broken tie down apart and reconstructed it so it would work properly. We are so thankful to have such skill in our family and are grateful for his time and help! 

Thursday, Christmas Eve! We have a tradition of cookie decorating, pizza, and presents every year. This year was no exception and so much fun to spend time with family! 

Before we did anything Brandi and her family opened a very special present. We are so excited for them! You'll have to read next week's blog to find out... Are they having a girl or a boy?? 

Dinner was awesome, the favorite being the vegetarian pizza. Jeff even used his knife to cut the second piece himself. 

A huge shout out to Brent for making the leg lifts for the kitchen table. They are perfect and Jeff can fit now. Thank you so much! 

Then it was cookie time. Annette's cookies have always been a favorite dessert after Christmas dinner! 

After the cookies were decorated we opened presents. Grandkids are waiting so patiently! 

Jeff got a new church shirt with a tie from Brandi's family, a paraffin wax warmer for Jeff's hands from Ryan's family, and a heated blanket from Cherie's family. 

Christmas morning on Friday brought on an awful cold for Jeff. He has a difficult time coughing because he can't get enough power behind them. Annette has to push on his chest to help each cough be more effective. 

They had a late breakfast of waffles, bacon, and hash browns with Ryan's family. The waffle maker Jeff and Annette got from Jay and Peggy works great! 

After some relaxation Annette and Julee changed out Jeff's suprapubic catheter to one without latex. The latex ones only last so long before they make his bladder angry and cause blisters on his skin. Until now we never knew he had a sensitivity to latex. 

Then it was time to go to Clifton and Joyce Green's house for Christmas dinner with Annette's family. We are so thankful for their loving service and enjoyed the time we got to spend with them! 

Dinner was amazing with turkey, funeral potatoes, yams, and salads. Later we enjoyed pie and sugar cookies for dessert. Thank you to everyone who pitched in! 

Christmas this year is bitter sweet. We are so grateful for the birth of our loving Savior and the opportunity we have to celebrate it. We have been so blessed to live in a country that allows us to practice our religion freely. We are grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives that helps us keep our trials in perspective. 

Our dad has suffered a great loss with being paralyzed, but he knows the eternal blessings of remaining faithful will make it all worth it. It's not always easy to see things so clearly and we appreciate everyone who comes to visit and helps give him distractions and reminders of why he's still here on the earth. 

This season has been especially trying for him. The slopes that used to call to him are now a sad thought in the back of his mind. He can't even stand the thought of being outside in the cold now with how badly his body responds to it. 

His entire existence is dependant on others. His interests are few and limited at this time. We look forward to finding new ways to get him back to his active lifestyle and back to his busy self. We'll need help with this though and pray that we'll be guided and directed to find activities he can enjoy and where he can spend time with old friends again. 

Saturday was a day to relax after all the craziness of the holiday celebrations. A day to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas with fewer distractions. 

On Sunday Jeff and Annette went to church. Starting next week their ward's services will begin at 9am. This used to be Jeff's favorite time to attend church, but now there's a little anxiety. It will be a challenge to get him up and ready, and Annette to get ready, and arrive on time. Practice and patience will get them there. 

After church Ryan's family joined Jeff, Annette, and Cherie's family for spaghetti dinner. Brandi's family stayed home sick. Jeff was struggling to get warm and the  only thing that helped was his new heated blanket. 

He can't use the blanket without supervision because he isn't able to tell how warm it is. If it were to get too hot he could become overheated or even burned without knowing it. 

Jeff spent some time in his standing chair after dinner. 

Jeff then got his hands dipped in his new paraffin wax warmer. Julee massaged his fingers after to help loosen them up more before Annette put them in the braces that straighten his fingers out. The heat really helped! Unfortunately the wax is scented a strong floral and the mitts that came with it are pink! Jeff didn't complain once though. 

We hope you all had a blessed Christmas! Thank you to everyone who provided our mom and dad with warm wishes, visits, treats, love, and friendship this past week. You all make more of a difference than you could possibly know! It is such a blessing to know that our mom and dad are in your thoughts and prayers and it brings us so much comfort.