Day 11 - September 3, 2015

Peggy reports that today was just a repeat of the last 3 days, same routine just different staff, some great, some could be better. Annette said that Jeff was in quite a bit of pain today and they had to give him some IV pain meds because the oral medication wasn't helping.

Peggy says, "There is not one thing I could say today that would be of more interest to all of us than the words we have been praying for....plans are in the works for JEFF TO FLY HOME TO UTAH ON SATURDAY!!"
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While Jeff's blood pressure situation is getting slightly better it still has a ways to go before he will be released from the ICU.  The tentative plan is that Jeff will be transferred on Saturday from the Denver Health SICU to an ICU at either the IMC Hospital in Murray or the Riverton Hospital.  Jeff will then remain in the ICU here in Utah until his blood pressure issues have been resolved and then he can begin inpatient rehab at IMC after that.  Annette has been very pleased with the level of care that the Denver Health SICU has provided for Jeff and her only hope is that the ICU here in Utah is just as good as the SICU in Denver.

Thank you everyone for your prayers!

MOTHER'S WISDOM

By Peggy Page

September 2, 2015 

My first born came into this world December 22, 1959, weighing 9 lbs. 7 oz., and 22 1/2 inches long.  I finally understood with empathy the feelings of Mary as she held her newborn son Jesus Christ in her arms.  We brought Jeff home on Christmas Day - one of the happiest and proudest days of our lives.

His first home was a 2 room chicken coop that had a cellar which had the main well located in it.  We called it the "Cabin," which had been Jay and his brother LeRoy's abode since they were very young.  His grandparents owned 40 acres in Bluffdale with a very large mink ranch, horses, chickens, dogs and cats.  They grew alfalfa, corn, and nice pastures for the horses. 

We had his name chosen before he arrived, Jeffrey Jay Page, Jay being his father's name.  As every newborn, Jeff had to learn to swallow to enable him to receive nourishment to survive.  Through the next year he learned to feed himself as well as briefly crawling, then walking/running.  He came to us with built in self-determination and direction he wanted his life to be independent, creative, curious in every aspect of his achievements.  Talking and communicating his wants and questions that challenged us to answer him quick enough to satisfy his pursuit to know and understand his world and how to live in it.  Determination was his guiding force, a go-go baby, a go-go toddler, a go-go child, a go-go adolescent, a go-go teenager and of course a go-go man.

At the age of 14 months old I put him in a pair of training pants to hopefully get him potty trained before his baby sister would arrive 5 months later.  I can still see the picture in my mind.  Besides the cotton training pants, he had on a T shirt, his little blue fedora hat and his socks.  He was holding the dust mop pushing it around the floor when, Oh Oh, he peed down his legs onto the floor and on his socks.  He stopped and looked over what had happened and I explained all about using the toilet.  That was it!  He never wet or soiled his pants again; talk about instant potty training.  This was the way he learned to live in this world in all aspects, grasping even the tiniest pieces of knowledge to succeed; playful, creative, always busy and always tuned in. 

In our little home we had a glass candy dish with a lid.  Way after Jeff went to sleep for the night, no matter how quietly his dad tried to open the candy dish for a treat, Jeff would hear it and pop up in the corner of his crib, peek around the room opening and say, "Canny" for candy. Jeff was always fine tuned in.  He grew from a chubby, curly blond haired, green eyed, baby to a 6 foot dark brown, still curly haired man - always slim, trim and strong.

Almost 56 years has passed; now Jeff has restarted and learned to swallow again to enable him to receive nourishment to survive.   Small steps at a time through this next year he will shape his life in to the go-go man once again.  His new attribute will be patience, hand to hand with determination.

I am so fortunate to be his mother, to be with him every day, to be able to help him in anyway, from ordering his meals to arranging his flight home and beginning rehab at IMC in Murray.  Outpatient rehab will be in Sandy, at Neuorworx, when he is released fom inpatient rehab.

 

We laugh, we reminisce and talk of the future.  Jeff is making me smarter in the use of my smart phone.  I am amazed how he can instruct us in detail in using his computer, tablet and phone.  Jeff is directing his own care; the entire staff appreciates his involvement.  His bluntness and sarcasm  keep them bantering and laughing along with us.  I am so grateful for the Lord's blessing in giving me the strength, calmness, and the ability to handle the details needed for his recovery.

I will have my firstborn into my old age - that I know.

Day 10 - September 2, 2015

Annette and Peggy made their usual on time arrival to Jeff's room, just in time for breakfast. He was a bit more tired because his brain was in control of his sleep time "designing apparatuses” for him and others in his present condition. Nurses Jackie and Colin teamed up today and they went through the regular routine. Annette fed him his breakfast which he ate very well.

Jeff and Annette worked on the computer with the time cards from his work. Jeff's very patient and Annette is learning how to work his computer and Trackball Mouse. He was looking for his Quick Books Program but he soon realized he had never put it on this particular computer. He put it away to figure it out later. So, they looked to find out about 29 inch wheelchair tires instead. Search they did until he fell asleep again.

They are making some small changes by starting him on salt pills and caffeine pills to get his heart rate up and to bring up the blood pressure. The Doctor asked if it was okay for him to take caffeine pills because of our religious beliefs. Annette held up her Mr. Pibb and Jeff told him there is no problem taking anything medicinally if it goes to help.

Lunch came at 12:30 and he ate his Magic Cup which is ice cream with a lot of nutritional value added.

The PT crew came in at 1:15 to get him in a chair via sling and hoist. He was able to stay in it for an hour, 15 min. upright, 2 min. laid back.

 

 

Annette washed his hair while he was laid back. He enjoyed getting cleaned as it was very soiled in the back. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in the chair and said he was very comfortable. When he was hanging in the sling as they were moving him from the chair to bed he said, "This is like skiing the perfect powder. You feel like you are so free, like a bird flying." Colin said, "Hey I'd like to have what he's on." After all that he still wants to be dipped in water.

Jay and Peggy went down to the lobby to grab a Sub Way sandwich. By 4:00pm Jeff was out of the chair, cleaned up, new sheets, all that good stuff. Naptime. Jay took a walk around the outside of the hospital checking the area out. Dinner arrived, and as usual he ate his dessert first. This time it was orange sherbet. Routine continued with Nurse Jackie getting him turned and to get comfortable every two hours.  

Last night they had his dopamine down to 2 which is like a couple of whiffs. They removed his oxygen while he was awake, but because of his sleep apnea they have to put it on when he is sleeping. He is more consistent until he gets moved around, but it doesn't go crazy and is manageable. Nurse Jami, who we had for 3 days, talked to Annette and said, "Now you realize that after we get him off the dopamine he has to stay another day to make sure he can travel safely." We are good with that for sure!! Good day overall with a smiling, talkative Jeff. 

Peggy says, “It was special for me to see father and son embrace and tell each other how much they loved one another = Joy.

Remember my life's goal:
Find Joy
Make a difference
Pass the Test
Jeff is on track to do just that. I hope everyone that is reading this blog will follow my view of life.”

 

Back at Home (written by Brandi since Julee is working the night shift):

Julee said that her boss has been following this blog.  At her bosses church, during prayer time, they offer prayers up to God for specific people and a person in the congregation stood and said they wanted to pray for their neighbor Jeff and then described our dad's situation!  Julee's boss was funny and said to her, "I don't know if you want Methodist prayers, but we prayed for him!"  Julee told her boss that we need and want ALL prayers!  While we might have different beliefs, we believe ALL prayers go to the same place!! We are so grateful for my dad's neighbor (whomever he/she is) that remembered him and asked the Methodist congregation to pray for him.  I tear up just to think about how happy God is that his children, regardless of their faith or beliefs are standing together as one group to rally their faith in God in order to benefit one individual - our dad.

 

From the Book of Mormon in Mormon Chapter 9 Verse 21 it says, "Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth"

Day 9 - September 1, 2015

We wish more than anything to report that Jeff is coming home tomorrow, but unfortunately he's just not ready yet. While we are greatly disappointed about it, we find ourselves grateful that the doctors are being so thorough and careful with his care and health. In the larger scheme of things we'd rather they take their time and make sure he is stable instead of rush things and have complications.

 

Annette and Peggy arrived at the hospital at 8:10AM this morning. Due to the medications and care required Jeff is still in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU). His LPN today was David and they made a great connection right off the bat. They had much in common between bikes and Utah.

 

Dr. Harasaki came to check on Jeff. He says the blood pressure problem is very common and will stabilize in the next 3 or 4 days.

 

Jeff enjoyed his breakfast of regular food. Annette then assisted him with his phone clearing and/or reading his ton of emails.

 

Next came the speech therapist again. Jeff got annoyed with all the dumb questions.

 

Same routine: Turning and boot switched every 2 hours; breathing/sucking in air from the tube hourly; exercise arms, hands, and fingers.

 

Lunch time he ate his ice cream first- didn't want it to melt!

 

The occupational therapist came and made it easy on him by only working his hands and wrists. She put together two "homemade devices" to enable him to hold a stylis to use on his computer. She also showed him how he would be using his hands in eating and grooming. We all feel that a little more independence will go a long way in helping him cope with this change.

 

Naptime came again for the entire SICU from 2:00-3:30PM which meant lunchtime for Annette and Peggy.

After naptime the head trauma doctor came and spoke in depth with Jeff, answering his questions, etc. She explained the steps and signs showing his body will come back as functions become recognized. "I know you were a go go guy and you will still be a go go guy because that's who you are. In 3 months you will be able to drive, be the brains of your business, and take care of your own grooming. Just realize it takes time and you will have use of your hands." She gave him hope!

 

Annette and Jeff then worked together on his laptop, getting all the unwanted stuff deleted and reading the items he wanted to.

 

Dinner came and he ate his orange sorbet first, then some of his club sandwich. He had his first soda since the accident, Gingerale. Then things were winding down for the evening.

 

David, the LPN, has worked very hard and diligently to get the amount of dopamine down with some success. That's the medication he has to be off of completely before he can transfer. Another day or so will tell

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The CT results from yesterday were not discussed. No news is good news!

 

Peggy reports Jeff's constructive criticism for the day... When they arrived this morning he was watching T.V. all about the Alaskan Bush People. Jeff said, "Their IQ is so low it takes all nine of them to figure anything out!"

 

When Annette and Peggy were leaving, David (day LPN) and Josh (night LPN) were trying to follow directions to enable Jeff to control the T.V. remote.

Peggy says, "Determination is well entrenched in our boy Jeff. It was a nice night with some little success on the blood pressure."

 

Jay is flying in at 11:00AM tomorrow to join them in the wait and preparation for Jeff's flight home.

 

Ryan was able to talk to Jeff tonight and in a moment of honest and open communication Jeff told him that he knows he won't be able to ride his bike again. Ryan firmly replied that they will just have to find something else to do together instead.

 

While it's okay to hope for everything to go back to how it was before, we see the importance of realistic goals and expectations. Setting smaller goals that are more quickly achieved may be the best way for all of us to see progress and remain optimistic. Yesterday Jeff told Annette that he had two goals.  The first goal was to be able to use his computer again and the second was to walk again.  We look forward to seeing him reach those goals and then making even more that we know he will be able to achieve with hard work and time.

 

This change is the end of one chapter in his life. But then again, that also makes it the start of another. We are hopeful for many chapters to come that will include leaps and bounds of progress for our dad. As so many of you have already pointed out, if anyone can overcome this challenge it's him!

 

We appreciate all the encouragement you are sending our way, it truly makes a difference. We have been so blessed in this trial in so many ways. There really aren't words to express the depth of our appreciation. So we simply say THANK YOU and hope that you all know it's from the bottom of our hearts!