Day 14 - September 6, 2015

Today has been a very busy day! So many things to report... 

Jeff's arterial line was removed from his wrist because it was interfering with physical therapy. He is no longer on dopamine or any other IV medications and is remaining stable. The PICC line to his chest is still in place just in case it is needed so they won't have to poke him for IV access, but it is currently unhooked. YAY! Jeff's pain is being managed well with oral pain meds and nerve medications.

The neck brace he had been wearing since the surgery was switched out yesterday and he seems to like the new one a lot more, it's more comfortable for him. He'll need it for a full 6 weeks post surgery, or about 4 more weeks.

They also implemented a second boot that they rotate with the current one. The first one is full of air and soft in order to reduce pressure. The second is more like a brace with a squishy inside material. The purpose of the harder boot is to prevent what's called “foot drop” where the muscles can't hold the foot in a functional position any longer and the foot falls forward. By rotating the two boots every two hours, when turning him, they are decreasing the risk of bed sores and foot drop.

He enjoys the food at IMC and is eating well, reported by both Annette and Peggy. 

The room he is currently in has a beautiful view of the Wasatch Mountains. It has more leg room than his last room and a comfortable chair for visitors, for which Annette expressed gratitude.

The doctors round early every morning. They have stated it is expected that Jeff will be transferred to inpatient therapy by Tuesday or Wednesday of this week! We are especially excited for this as the grandkids are getting antsy to see their grandpa and waiting in the waiting room every time moms and dads get to visit is difficult for them. Grandpa is especially excited for this because he's rearing to get going on his physical therapy!  He told Brandi tonight that he needs to get there so he can "work his butt off".

Jeff worked with physical therapy this morning. They actually got him up to sit on the side of the bed today. He had a therapist behind him for support, as he can't sit on his own yet, and one in front on a stool. They worked on upper body strengthening in order to maneuver his body where he wants it to go. Annette said they had him do reps of a sort of “push up” with each arm to help build up the muscles that will be needed to help him become more independent.

Jeff had many visitors today and he really enjoyed spending that time with friends and family. A special thanks to Josh, Brad, and Max for dropping by. It really helped to lift his spirits to see you today! Also, to Jeff's home ward bishopric who came and helped Jay give him a blessing... we are so grateful you took the time to come and minister to our dad. We know it meant a lot to him. 

Jay and Peggy came and helped him to eat dinner while Annette ate at the cafeteria with Cherie, Blake, and Aliyah. Peggy reports that Jeff's mind is going 90 mph, as usual, and that Jay is working to follow through on everything. She says, “He is so tuned in, we have to pay close attention.”

Brandi and Zach then went to visit Jeff to take him a poster which was signed by almost the entire Page family clan. (We are so grateful to everyone who participated in making that happen!)  Brandi read her dad all the messages on the poster and Jeff listened with tears in his eyes as Brandi tried to read them all without crying - which was pretty much impossible.  The messages from Terren (Jeff's younger bother) and his wife Stephanie made him smile and laugh.

Annette reported that Brandi and Zach walked her to her car tonight. She went a different way home than what was expected so they followed her to make sure she made it home safely. When they got close enough to her house to know that she knew where she was going they turned to go toward their own home. Annette laughed as she described this, but then expressed her deep gratitude that they cared enough about her well-being to do such a thing. 

Annette is an extraordinary woman, there's no other way to describe it. She's strong when she needs to be, gentle when it matters most, always overflowing with love for her family and friends, and has the most beautiful spirit showing on the inside and out. We could never have asked for a better mom/grandma. Having her back with us has brought so much joy to our family!

Annette's only complaint about getting home and having to get ready this morning was that now she has too many options! In Denver her wardrobe was extremely limited to what she had packed for their trip. Now she has to decide from an entire closet. Ha!

When she left the hospital tonight she said she felt very comfortable that Jeff is in good hands. His nurse tonight is Ally and she was with them last night. Ally has gone out of her way to make their experience a good one and it is working. From full and extensive bed baths each night, thoroughly brushing his teeth, and changing out all of his linens (including every pillow case) every night, she has gone above and beyond the call of duty. We are grateful that she has continued with the excellent care our dad had in Denver and our hearts are full of gratitude. 

For those reading this who are not members of the LDS faith, today is what is known as Fast Sunday, which is the first Sunday of every month. That means members fast (usually for 2 meals) and pray for certain blessings they are seeking in their lives or the lives of loved ones.

Usually children under the age of 8 don't fast because they are too young.  However, this morning Brandi talked with Kaisalyn & Sierra about fasting and expressed that her and Zach were going to fast for Grandpa Jeff.  After discussing this with them, Kaisalyn decided that she could go without lunch and snacks at church (church is from 1:00-4:00pm).  Going without snacks at church during sacrament meeting is a very big deal for a little child.  Although Kaisalyn and Sierra were a little irreverent during sacrament meeting, both girls stuck with the plan and neither of them asked for snacks during sacrament meeting.

Fast Sunday also means that during our church's Sacrament Meeting the congregation takes turns at the pulpit bearing their testimonies, or expressing their love of God and how He has helped them.

Today many of us found ourselves in that position, looking out at the congregations before us, and expressing our thanks for the blessings the Lord has given our family during this trial. The message that seemed to be expressed most was how thankful we are for our dad's testimony and his faith in God. We know that it has made the difference between giving up on life and finding a new purpose. He spent his time in Denver teaching others about Jesus Christ while he was suffering himself from a debilitating condition. He chose to use his time in such a way that would bring light not only to others, but also to himself. 

We all know Jeff as a determined, driven, and goal oriented person. That's what has made his life such a success up to this point. And now that everything has changed for him physically, we see that those attributes are still helping him to succeed every day. 

When Julee told him that she had bawled like a baby her whole way home after work yesterday morning because she was so relieved they were coming home, he responded that he had cried more in the past 2 weeks than he has in years combined. He then said, “But it was never out of sadness. It was always because of the spiritual stuff.”

What an amazing example he has set for his children, grandchildren, other family members, friends, and even total strangers. He has decided to put his faith in our Father in heaven and to trust in the plan that God has for him. He has made the choice to endure to the end, or more like to thrive to the end. This is the beginning of an incredible journey for all of us. We are strengthened every day by our dad's incredible faith and endurance. We are blessed by his fighting spirit. We are grateful for his example, and we love him more than he will ever know!

MOTHER'S WISDOM - #2

By Peggy Page

September 6, 2015

 

Yesterday my firstborn son Jeff flew in a Lear Jet for the first time in his life.  With his wife at his side, a nurse, a medic, and pilots at the control, they brought him home to continue his determined course of his life.  His father, Jay and I drove home from Denver, feeling the relief as we left Jeff and Annette with our pleading prayers and expressed love.  Throughout the 9 hour drive we experienced the confined pressure of the city, but knowing our day would eventually lead us to the open farmlands of Colorado, the open high plains of Wyoming , through the winding mountains of Utah to Salt Lake City, and finally home. 

Home 16 days later; surprisingly the time passed very quickly.  I know the Lord's guiding spirit was with us, the blessings continually flowed into our hearts and into the hands of Jeff's caretakers.  My youngest son, Randy, called each day to follow his brother's progress and make sure his mom was holding up.  On Friday, he asked if we were taking the opportunity to be missionaries.  At the moment I was typing on Jeff's laptop his testimony of the opportunities he experienced  with every nurse, inquiring of their beliefs, receiving their responses of yes; they all believed in a higher power.  The door would open and Jeff shared his belief in Heavenly Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost.  Annette and I also were able to be disciples of Jesus Christ  showing  gratitude and kindness in their care for Jeff.  We exchanged information about our personal lives as did they with us, creating a bond of trust and respect.  On Friday night as Annette, Jay and I left for the night, we once again expressed our gratitude for the tremendous care Jeff received to Nurse Kate, she replied, " You know it is reciprocal, as our entire staff feel the same way for you.  Jeff is our very favorite patient/family.  We go home with happiness and look forward to another day to spend at work, hoping we were assigned to Jeff."  We cried, we laughed, we bantered about, we questioned, we were instructed ,we were encouraged, and hugs were always available.  Yes, Randy, we are missionaries.

As I unpacked and settled in last night, I noticed one of my favorite houseplants was totally drooping, obviously suffering from lack of water.  It is located in my bathroom, yes, I keep a houseplant in the bathroom.  I doubted it would come back, but with hope, water and a few drops of Miracle Grow, I gave it the test.  During the night I checked on it at least two times, still drooped.  I turned on KBYU very early this morning to listen to previous talks, given on different occasions at BYU, to take my mind in a positive direction.  I listened to two talks before I fell back to sleep.  When I woke up I heard a reference to a scripture, so I jotted it down.  As I walked into my bathroom, my houseplant had returned to its previous height, which delighted my plant-loving soul.  There was a combined message for me to find this morning.  In the Book of Mormon, Alma 5:14-16, And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?  Do you look forward with an eye to faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto to me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

         

Yes, my firstborn son Jeff, can answer ,"Yes."  Yes his body will in time  serve him to equal his needs and desires in righteousness.  He will, like my favorite houseplant, the Peace Lily with its White Sails, regain his rise to meet his potential with his own God given Miracle . 

Day 13 - September 5, 2015

Our hearts are full of gratitude for the blessings we have been given. Jeff, Annette, Jay, and Peggy have made it back to Utah safely! So many prayers have been answered this day, it's difficult to express the many emotions we're experiencing. The joy and relief of having our mom and dad back with us is overwhelming.

We only have a quick review for you tonight of today's events, but will get you more details in the future. Feel free to post any questions you have in the comments and we'll do our best to answer them.

Annette and Jeff left the hospital in Denver at 9:30am this morning. They say it was like leaving family. They were truly cared for and our family will be forever grateful for every person who took part in making their stay at the Denver Health SICU such a positive one. We have now seen with our own eyes that while our dad might be paralyzed at this time, his spirit isn't broken! We know the people who were involved in his care played a big part in that and we know that blessing is one we will never forget. 

 

They were taken by ambulance to the airport where they were loaded into a small medical plane.

 

The crew included the pilot, Co pilot, and two nurses.

 

 

At the back Annette sat with luggage as her companion on one side and windows on the other.

 

 

Since Jeff couldn't see much Annette took pictures out her window to show him the view.

 

Jeff says he really enjoyed when they hit turbulence! Annette got a picture of when they went through a cloud and says that is when the turbulence got really bad. Jeff loved it!

 

When they made it to Utah they were taken by ambulance to Intermountain Medical Center (IMC) in Murray, UT.

 

 

An address for IMC will be posted later for anyone who wishes to send a letter or card.

 

As far as visitors go, Annette & Jeff ask that if you would like to visit that you please call Annette's cell phone before coming over to make sure it's okay to come (not in the middle of therapy, etc.) and to make sure that there aren't any other visitors with them.  Because Jeff is still in the ICU he is only allowed two visitors at a time and the waiting room is very small. If you don't have Annette's cell phone number you can private message one of us kids on Facebook/Google+ or call our grandparents and they can give it to you.

Upon arrival at IMC, the staff was stretched thin and it was a rocky start, but things smoothed out and we are grateful our dad is settled in and so close to home. If we are being honest, the Denver Health SICU set the bar extremely high from the medical care to the staff themselves.  Because they set the bar so high, we are praying for another great experience.

Annette met all of us kids and the grandkids for dinner across the street from the hospital at Chick-Fil-A. She chose it because you can see it from Jeff's window and the cafeteria in the hospital was closed.

We can't tell you how amazing it was to reunite with our mom. She has been sorely missed by everyone! We are grateful for her strength and optimism; she is an incredible example of faith, love, adaptability, and endurance.

After dinner we went to the waiting room where we took turns visiting Jeff. No children under twelve are allowed in the unit, so none of the grandkids can see grandpa yet. We think just knowing he is there is a comfort.

 

In the waiting room, when Sierra was told that she couldn't go see Grandpa she asked, "will they bring him to me?".  She figured if she couldn't go in the hospital room then Grandpa would just have to come see her in the waiting room.

Bitter sweet reunion with dad. We've missed him and just seeing him and getting a first hand account of how he is doing is comforting.

Ryan showed Jeff his beat up helmet and Jeff's response was that it was under warranty and we needed to get a new one! He also expressed the desire to know what happened when he crashed. It still bothers him that he doesn't know.

We didn't stay long because both he and Annette are exhausted from the day's events.

Jay and Peggy will hopefully have a few words about their adventures getting home in our next update. We are so grateful for their presence during this trial, we know it made all the difference to Jeff and Annette. We hope they sleep well in their own home tonight!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support, the Lord hears His children and blesses them according to their faith! We love you all!

Day 12 - September 4, 2015 - From Jeff

Dear Family, Old and New Friends,

                Thank you so much for all your prayers and financial support.  This has been quite the experience being on the receiving end of so much support, love and concern.  I never wanted to be on the receiving end and I always wanted to be on the giving end. 
                Many thanks and appreciation to Josh Lloyd for the major contribution of his time and effort in getting the help needed, helping Annette, my parents and the Bowen's. The efforts made by the Steamboat Springs Mountain Rescue Team was greatly appreciated by their efforts to get me loaded on a gurney with a wheel, pushed me up the mountain to get to a location where the Life Flight Helicopter could pick me up for transfer to the Denver Health Trauma Center.
                The next person who helped me with my needs for a blessing prior to surgery was the hospital chaplain, who is a Mennonite Minister. He worked tirelessly to locate the LDS Priesthood to give me a blessing, because I refused to go into surgery without it. A Bishop and his Elders Quorum President came as fast as they could to give me my blessing, I needed the Lord's Spirit and guidance to be with me and the surgeons.
                To Dr. Harasaki and his team who did the surgery, I'm greatly appreciative for their time and talents. I'm grateful for the trauma nurse who took care of Annette, my parents, and Josh keeping them informed of everything that was going on. She came in every 2 hours to talk with them while I was in surgery which lasted until 4:00AM. 
                The staff at Denver Health have been over the top. The relationships I've been able to make with so many of the nurses have been personally and spiritually rewarding for all of us as we converse. One relationship that has been particularly rewarding is that of David Fairchild, who showed how much we had in common. Although all the nurses are spiritual people, David is an inactive member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. He has been my night nurse for 3 nights and it's amazing how close our life's stories as teenagers and young adults are alike. As I have chosen from 1988 to live the gospel, after I gained my own personal testimony, David chose to leave the Church behind. His family, especially his mother, has been working with him hoping that he would get more interested and becoming active along with his young family. He appreciated our nightly conversations, gaining a desire to start with taking his 2 young children to church. I want others to have the knowledge and understanding of the blessings I have in mine and my family's life. It is a greater personal accomplishment and enjoyment to have been able to positively influence individuals to feel of the spirit and have a desire to know more about the gospel. I enjoy being a tool in God's hands in helping others to understand more of the blessings that the church will bring them. This is something I had the opportunity to do during this hospital stay. This is something I can continue to do even though I am paralyzed. I continue to look forward to the joy it brings me.
                I am so thankful for Annette for being my wife and companion and especially for her endless care of our family and now for being by my side and learning each day what she will be required to do in her caring for me. I am so thankful for my parents and their example throughout my life, for all their support and love they give me. Not just me and mine, but for all of their children they have always been counted on as the needs of their family have occurred to be the example for all of us. They have been here when I needed them so much.
                I'm thankful for my three children and their spouses and my 6 little grandchildren for being so supportive and encouraging and involved in my well being, it's amazingly comforting to me.
                Many thanks and appreciation go to Ron Magera, my present employee, and Steve Moffitt, a main customer and friend for their willingness to keep the shop running not just this round, but throughout the many times I've taken some time off.
                I am so thankful for my daughter, Brandi and Julee, my daughter-in-law for setting up this blog spot. I would never have thought of doing something like this. Thanks to mom for keeping notes on the day's events to send to the girls to put each days blog spot together.