Day 176 to 182, Feb. 22-28

Day 176 to 182, Feb. 22-28

Unfortunately this was a very hard week and it's been difficult to find positivity. With progress being so slow already, any delay is a frustration. The accident last Saturday has caused a big delay in rehab and at home. 

On Monday Jay came in the morning to sit with Jeff because Annette had to work. She had to trade to get Friday off for Jeff's first wound clinic appointment. Peggy had physical therapy in the morning, but afterward she brought Arby's for lunch and then stayed with Jeff. She organized his desk drawers. Like mother, like son... They always like to be doing something constructive. We are grateful for her attention to the things that fall through the cracks with such a busy daily routine. 

On Tuesday Jeff went to Neuroworx. He told them about his fall and they decided to limit his therapy for the day. It was a very light session that only lasted about an hour. Afterward he was told that they needed a note from his doctor before he could come back. 

On Wednesday Jeff's good friend Max Nielsen brought him Olive Garden for lunch. We are grateful for his visit and the distraction it gave Jeff. He really enjoyed the time he got to spend with Max and it gave him much needed uplifting. Annette went to run errands and had lunch with her parents, Clifton and Joyce. Peggy returned to work on organizing Jeff's desk some more. We are grateful for all she does to help!

On Thursday Jeff and Annette went on a date to Archibald's for dinner to celebrate Annette's birthday. Jeff said the menu recently changed and everything was really good. He did not have therapy because the doctor wanted him to get an x-ray on Friday after his wound clinic appointment. 

Friday was a busy, busy day. Julee and Tylee spent the day with Jeff and Annette. First they went to the wound clinic where they had a two hour long appointment. Only three of the five sores are open and they were very impressed with the care Annette has been giving. They are shallow wounds and expected to heal without problems. 

They did wound debridement where they clean the sores out and scrape off all the dead tissue and scabs. Then they used a paste that helps the sores heal faster. They then covered them with bulky dressings to help reduce the pressure to the sites. 

After that Jeff had an x-ray done of his neck. Thankfully it was at the same hospital as the wound clinic. Afterward, they drove downtown to pick up a sheet of plastic Jeff had ordered for the back of the truck. It will make the bed slippery so it's easier for Annette to get the wheelchair ramp in and out. 

On the way home Jeff got a call saying his neck is fractured above the hardware and his doctor wanted him to go back to the hospital for a CT scan for a better look. They picked up lunch, went home to eat with Cherie, and then went back to the hospital. 

It was very frustrating that no one was available to read the results and tell Jeff what to do because it was just after their business hours when the scan was finished. To play it safe Jeff decided to put his neck brace on when out of bed. They will have to wait until Monday to get the actual results and instructions. 

With the injury has come more pain and more numbness. Jeff's arms were only numb on the bottom half before, but now he's experiencing numbness on the tops also. We don't know what this means or how long it will last.

That night Jeff and Annette had a movie night with Cherie and Blake. They watched The Intern and really enjoyed it.

On Saturday Annette spent time with her card group while Jeff spent time with Roxane, Elise, and Olivia. It was a great visit and we are so grateful for them and the time they spent with him. More and more we are reminded how important family is and are so thankful for our extended family and all they do for us. 

Sunday was a day to relax. Jeff is still struggling with a lot of pain to his neck and shoulders. Church went surprisingly well despite his discomfort. They ate spaghetti dinner as usual, but Brandi's family wasn't able to make it because of sick kids. We are praying they will get better quick! 

Annette and Julee changed out Jeff's suprapubic catheter again and then it was relaxing time with dessert to follow. 

Funny moment of the week... Jaxon made a loud farting noise behind Jeff on Sunday and Jeff's eyes got all big as he asked, "Was that me?!" We had a very therapeutic, long laugh from that!

We ask at this time that you pray for Jeff again. Not only that he can heal quickly from this newest injury, but also that he might be uplifted on the hard days and reminded of the joy this life can give him. It's hard for us to see him become quiet again. If you've been wanting to visit, please set up a time with Jeff and Annette. It's good for the soul to have company and distraction! With therapy on hold he'll need even more of each. 

Day 169 to 175, Feb. 15-21

Day 169 to 175, Feb. 15-21

This was a pretty good week with an awful ordeal toward the end. Life's lessons seem to be almost cruel at times, but that's when we really have to rely on our faith that these things do happen for our own good, somehow. 

On Monday Jeff, Annette, Cherie, Blake, and Aliyah came home from St. George. As far as traffic goes they got pretty lucky until the Provo/Orem area and then the masses seemed to be on the freeway. 

When they finally did make it home Brandi, Zach, and the girls surprised them with Pizza Hut so they wouldn't have to worry about dinner and unpacking. Their breadsticks are Annette's favorite and they haven't had Pizza Hut in ages so it was a special treat. Before leaving Zach helped Blake unpack a few things. 

Again we want to let Blake know how much we appreciate all he does for our mom and dad, and our whole family. We are grateful he is a part of our family and are blessed because of it. 

Annette made the comment that it was hard to come back to the cold and the bad air. A small storm blew some of the garbage out of the valley, but not all of it. We found this picture that sums it up pretty well and made us laugh. 

They went to Neuroworx on Tuesday, stayed home and relaxed Wednesday, and then went back to Neuroworx on Thursday. Everything is going well in therapy and while progress is slow, it's still progress. On Friday Kasey came to the house and they planned future visits. 

While it might seem boring, we are thankful when there isn't much to report. In general it means things are going how they should be. Well, Saturday completely ruined that. 

Ryan's family brought lunch over and ended up staying so Ryan could help work on Jeff's computer. 

The longer it took the more Jaxon begged to ride his bike. It was such a nice day that Jeff decided to go around the neighborhood and get some exercise in his manual wheelchair. We made it a family outing. Ryan filled Jeff's tires to the proper amount of pressure and he was off. 

We all had a good time outside, but the wind was a little chilly. Blake and Jaxon rode bikes while the rest of the clan walked. Jeff went around the subdivision twice before we all decided to go inside. 

On the way up the ramp onto the lift in the garage Jeff tipped backwards. Ryan was close by holding Tylee on his shoulders and  Julee was standing next to him. Blake was above Jeff, just inside the door, and holding Aliyah. While we all cringed when it started to happen, we trusted that the wheely bars on the back of his chair would stop him. But they didn't. 

Jeff paused for a second before he continued to fall back, faster than any of us could move. Ryan jerked forward so hard in order to stop the fall that Tylee fell backward. Thankfully he had her leg tight enough that she didn't fall to the ground. It was her sudden crying that alerted Annette and Cherie that something was wrong. 

The back of Jeff's head slammed into the side of the truck, wrenching his neck and forcing his chin into his chest, and then he continued to slide down the side of the truck until he cleared the bottom. Bits of his hair even got caught in the trim molding. Then his head slammed onto the garage floor. His colorful language was much justified as we scrambled to help him up and assess the damage. 

Annette helped support his head as Julee and Blake lifted the chair back to a sitting position. During the debate of whether we should go straight to the hospital or wait and see how things went Cherie gave him some Tylenol and ibuprofen and Annette and Julee looked over his scalp for any obvious injury. In the end Jeff won and we got him inside. Ryan and Blake gave him a blessing and then we got him in bed with an ice pack behind his head and neck. 

Annette called his doctor's answering service while Julee assessed for a concussion. Thankfully everything looked okay, he was just in pain and stiff. It wasn't long before Brandi and Zach arrived (Cherie let them know what had happened). We want to thank their neighbors for helping to watch Kaisy and Sierra! 

The on call doctor returned our call and spoke with Jeff on speaker phone so we could all hear. She was very thorough, listened carefully, and gave specific directions of what to watch for and what to do. Ryan later made the comment, "That could have been an office visit. She actually took the time to talk to him instead of just telling him to go to the ER so she wouldn't have to deal with it." We are so grateful for her caring and professional advice!

Roxane came just minutes later to check on Jeff. Brandi had informed Peggy of the accident and she was very worried. We are so grateful Roxane is so close and always willing to be there when needed! After we explained what had happened Ryan pointed out that one of the first things Jeff asked after he fell was if the truck was okay. It made us all laugh and broke some of the tension. 

With lots of tears and plenty of frustration we soaked in what had happened. First fear, unsure of how severe his injuries would be. Then anger... Why did this have to happen? Hasn't he been through enough? It's difficult enough as it is every day of his life without adding more pain to the mix! How much more can a person take??

Then we began speculating. What if it had happened when only Annette was there? It took two people to get him up. If he hadn't hit the truck would the momentum have been enough to crack his head open? Probably. A combination of both? We decided not to even think on that. 

And this led to gratitude. We are grateful this happened when so many family members were present. We are grateful we learned of the faulty wheely bars in such a way that didn't include serious injury even though he is suffering because of it. We are grateful for the priesthood in our family. While this never should have happened, we are grateful it wasn't worse. 

The evening was spent alternating the ice with heat and hanging out as a family. The stress and worry were still present, but together, and with the Lord's help, we can handle anything. 

While Jeff expressed his desire to go to church in the morning, his neck was too stiff and sore when he woke up so he wasn't able to make it. He also has two knots on the back of his head. We are grateful he was able to rest. 

Sunday was Brandi's birthday! We want her to know how much we love her and how grateful we are for all she does for our family! After spaghetti dinner Clifton and Joyce came and we were able to celebrate Annette and Brandi's birthdays. 

Brandi had the opportunity of teaching the Relief Society lesson today at church. It was on adversity and help from on high. It was a reminder that we all needed and she graciously agreed to share some of her thoughts with the family before we left for the evening. 

We will be posting a copy of what she put together in the hopes that everyone who reads it will be as uplifted as we all were. We are thankful for her insight and willingness to share. 

It's difficult every time something negative happens. It feels as if we've had enough negative to last us a lifetime. It's not fair. And yet, when everything is said and done we see the little blessings, the many small things, that we have to be grateful for. 

This is the purpose of this life. Not to live without adversity, but to aim your focus on how we are blessed through adversity. Sometimes it's harder to count your blessings than other times, but start small and you'll find light even on the darkest of days. 

Day 155 to 168, Feb. 1-14

Day 155 to 168, Feb. 1-14

It was a busy two weeks! We apologize for the delay in updating the blog, there was so much going on it was difficult to find time to gather updates. We will be brief in our update for the first week of February. 

This week had the usual trips to Neuroworx and for the most part Jeff and Annette stuck to their routine. On Monday Julee had surgery and opted to go home early and recover in the comfort of her own home. She is doing well. 

On Wednesday Jeff's good friend Max brought him lunch. Jeff really enjoyed the visit! While they spent time catching up, Annette went to lunch with Clifton and Joyce for her upcoming birthday.  

On Saturday Jeff and Blake went to Kasey's house for occupational therapy where they built a ramp for Jeff's manual wheelchair. It will allow easier transfers into the truck from the manual wheelchair. We are so grateful to Kasey and his student for taking the time to do this and Blake for helping them. 

As far as the actual transfers go Annette said, " It will take some practice, but I'm sure I'll get there someday." We have complete faith that they will do great!

Blake put it perfectly when he described Kasey. "We are grateful for all the help that Kasey is providing for Jeff. And for his genuine concern about Jeff's future and health. He also was the one that got a hold of Dr. Dodds to talk to him about the pressure sores. Also, right now Kasey is trying to come up with ways that he might be able to do some trade things with Jeff so Jeff can get more days of therapy. He has such a loving personality and concern for jeff and wants to be able to work with Jeff more on teaching him things to help brighten his future." 

Because of Kasey's concern and persistence about the pressure sores Jeff will be going to a wound clinic. He's just too boney for his own good! Unfortunately, they can't fit him in for a few weeks, but we are looking forward to his appointment. 

We didn't have spaghetti dinner on Sunday because there was a baby blessing with a late lunch. Congrats to Cameron (Jeff's nephew) and Breann on their sweet little Libby! 

Monday and Tuesday were business as usual with therapy. They also started to prepare for their upcoming trip to St. George! On Tuesday Brent and Janet brought Jeff and Annette a homemade lunch to help celebrate Annette's birthday. We are so grateful to them for being such great friends! 

On Wednesday Annette had to change out Jeff's suprapubic catheter and did a great job all by herself! She then went with Julee to her follow up for after her surgery. Everything is good. It took longer than expected in the waiting room and then only a few minutes in the actual office. It reminded them of Jeff's last follow up.

Then Jeff and Annette went to the shop for Ron to work on the suspension in the back of the truck. Annette said, "One side slid right in, but the other side... Not so much." In the end Ron got the job done and the back of the truck was lifted another inch to help keep the wheelchair from dragging on the ground. 

We are so blessed to have the shop and Ron's help when we need it and we are grateful for all he does to help out!

Unfortunately the delays in the morning caused Jeff to miss his Neuroworx appointment. There were just too many things to get done before they could leave on their trip. 

Thursday was Annette's birthday and a busy, busy day getting loaded up and heading to St. George. We want our mom to know how much we love her and how grateful we are to get the chance to celebrate her!

Peggy very graciously took the time to catalog their trip for us. Jeff, Annette, Cherie, Blake, Aliyah, Jay, and Peggy had quite the adventure on Jeff's first trip since being paralyzed. 

"It has been a long winter this year for our family. Not just the amount of snow and cold weather, which is  really what our winters in northern Utah should be, but we find ourselves very involved in daily living.  Finding the time to head south to our home away from home in St. George has been disappointing for those of us who normally break up the winter with the warmer and sunnier climes of Dixie. Finally this past week Jay and I were able to break away. Jeff, Annette, Cherie, Blake and baby Aliyah joined us with enough "equipment" to make for a good and active 4 day stay. Cherie made the optimum comment, "I'm not sure I want to try this again, taking enough stuff to take care of a baby and a handicapped person away from home was challenging." They brought down Jeff and Annette's king size mattress and box springs, 2 wheelchairs, and the single hoist to make it all work, which it did very well. Next round everything is in place without all the hassle.

 

The first thing they did was go to their favorite restaurant, the Pizza & Pasta Factory, to celebrate Annette's birthday. With some grunting, lifting and assembling, the bed was put in place, as well as the hoist poles. Everyone got unpacked and settled in as we all absorbed the sun and breathed in air from the blue skies. We couldn't have picked a better time to be in St. George when the other end of the state was in a terrible inversion combined with smog and fog. The daily routines were set with time for shopping and trail walking, riding bikes or in Jeff's case trying out his almost manual wheelchair. They tried out 3 different trails, with finding the last one was easiest for Jeff to maneuver on as it was more flat and didn't involve as many slopes from one side to the other. Sore arms and shoulders let Jeff know he needs more workouts; but he didn't complain because it was so great being outside and enjoying the experience after a long 6 months.

 

Jeff was able to get Jay's laptop running better and he installed Windows 10 on Jay's as well as on his own laptop. Jeff had to put up with commercials on the TV, because we do not have DVR. So he took the challenge to arrange what he wanted to watch, doing the channel switcheroo. He never watches live TV at home, only prerecorded with the remote button pressed down on forward. This was another experience in developing stronger patience, not just for Jeff, but the rest of us who didn't have control of a remote. Meal times were enjoyable to be with family and cute Aliyah in her booster chair entertaining us. We tried to prepare Jeff's favorite foods with emphasis on cherries which he enjoyed in the form of juices, jam, pie and candy, scattered in with good healthy tasty meals.

 

Sunday night we were joined by biking friends for an evening of sharing past and present times they had spent together. Brent and Josh Lloyd came first, sharing their bike riding events for the weekend. Brent took a pretty good fall, leaving him with a good bruise on his rear end and sore muscles. After an hour we were joined by 5 more of Jeff's friends. The family from Michigan, Mike Lyon, his wife  Laura, and son Philip, used to live in Riverton. They came to ride the trails in the St. George area clear from Michigan. Their son is attending BYU Idaho in Ricks, ID, who drove down to join them for the weekend. Rod Lyon (Mike's brother) and his son, Nate, long time biking buddies from Sandy, added their stories. It was great to listen and to laugh with them and enjoy a good deal of their time with Jeff and Annette.

 

Monday came too soon for Jeff. He wished he could stay longer, but Blake and Cherie had to get back home to their jobs. So they packed back up, taking the original guest room bed back with them and delivered it to Roxane while they had Randy's trailer, which afforded getting Jeff's bed down to St. George in the first place.  

 

Jay and I put in a few hours taking care of business. Driving around the St. George area when 1/3 of northern Utahns are there for a 3 - 4 day weekend  takes a lot of patience. Why? Good clean warm air, soccer and baseball tournaments, St. George's famous Parade of Homes, outdoor recreation a bundle, along with shopping and eating out.

 

On Monday around noon, we had to go from St. George to the Hurricane exit and we could not believe the bumper to bumper traffic crawling up St. George Blvd. towards the freeway heading north. Even both the side roads along the freeway were crawling. It looked like a mass exodus, in reality it was. We are so glad we have our own home to stay in, without having to deal with all the crowds. Tuesday and Wednesday were just fine in taking care of our "get it done" items; the drive back to Salt Lake County was a breeze. After we take care of appointments and taxes we will be heading back south A.S.A.P. for another round of sun and clean air.

 

It was a good experience to spend a few days with Jeff, Annette, Cherie, Blake and Aliyah taking in their  willingness to serve and help each other without complaint, with determination and satisfaction working together, affording Jeff the opportunities to get "out and about." Jeff and Annette have scheduled two more trips for St. George, one in March with son Ryan and Julee, and again in April with Brent & Jan Lloyd. Each trip will become easier and more enjoyable for all concerned. Experience is a great teacher in all endeavors of life, so just enjoy the learning on your way."

Before we add in a few more thoughts about the trip, we need to give some shout outs to those who made it possible. In order to fit in one vehicle Blake's older brother's mother in law, Louise, allowed them to take her Tahoe. We are so grateful to her and want to recognize her for her help!

Also, we want to thank Randy for letting them borrow his trailer. There is no other way they could have gotten everything they needed down to St. George. In addition, Randy built the ramp that made it possible for Jeff to get into the house. He did a fantastic job and we are grateful for his talents and time! 

We are grateful to all of Jeff's biking friends, mentioned above, who took time out of their busy schedules to stop by the house and visit with Jeff. It meant a lot to all of us!

Last but not least, we all want Blake to know how much we appreciate all he does to help. It was a lot of work loading everything up and then unloading it all. He also did the transfers in and out of the Tahoe so it limited the time he and Cherie had to themselves. We are grateful for their sacrifice!

After going on the trails for the first time Cherie sent Brandi and Julee a text saying, "We took dad to the trail. It  was hard for me to see the bikers but I can only imagine how hard it was for him." 

We are proud of our dad for going back on the trails he loves so much. The exercise will help build up his strength and being outdoors in the sun is good for the soul. They went on different paths every day, alternating between Jeff pushing himself and the others taking turns to help. 

Annette said, "It was so nice down there. Nice to see the sun and nice to be warm."

They took the less expensive travel shower chair with them only to discover that it wouldn't fit in the bathroom. Instead, Jeff got in his power chair and leaned it all the way back so Annette could wash his hair. The first time they tried it Annette pulled the nozzle with the hose out and when she turned it on it sprayed her instead of him! She said her face and clothes were completely soaked, but the bathroom was spared. Ha!

We are so thankful Jeff's first trip away from home was a success. It was a lot of work for everyone involved and we appreciate all they did to make it work. 

We want to wish you all a happy Valentine's day and hope you got to spend time with your loved ones! While Jeff and Annette came home on Monday, we'll add that for next week's update. 

Thanks for reading!

Day 155 to 161, Jan 25-31

Day 155 to 161, Jan 25-31

It was a busy week, mostly good. 

Jeff's suprapubic catheter got clogged again on Monday morning. Skin cells growing where they shouldn't causes this problem which can't be fixed, only dealt with as needed. This time Julee assisted while Annette changed it out. She did a great job and passed with flying colors! 

Jay and Peggy brought fish and chips from Arctic Circle for lunch and Annette went with her good friend Janene for the afternoon. Kasey from TOSH came in the evening for occupational therapy.

This is a collage Peggy had made for Jeff's office. Isn't it beautiful?

On Tuesday Jeff and Annette went to see the newest Star Wars movie at the theater! Jeff said they both enjoyed it and, "It kept me entertained." They then went to Jeff's appointment at Neuroworx. 

On Wednesday Steve McGregor brought a cherry pie (Jeff's favorite) over from a bakery off of 39th S. and State St. They were impressed by the glass pan it came in. Even Annette, who isn't very fond of cherry pie at all, thought it was delicious. Thanks Steve! 

Clifton and Joyce Green brought Arby's for lunch and then Clifton helped put together Jeff's new filing cabinet. Blake finished it by putting the drawers together. 

On Thursday Jeff and Annette went to get their eyes tested and finally ordered new glasses for each of them. They missed their appointment with Neuroworx because Julee was in the hospital for serious tummy troubles. Annette spent the afternoon and evening with her. 

On Friday Kasey from TOSH came for more OT. In the evening Roxanne came over and cooked them a delicious dinner. Thanks Roxanne! 

They stayed home and relaxed on Saturday. 

On Sunday Cherie and Blake spoke in church. Roxanne even went with Jeff and Annette to listen and help with little Aliyah. After church Jeff, Annette, and Blake went to the hospital to visit Julee, Ryan, and their kids. 

Julee and Tylee catching up on snuggles at the hospital. 

There was no spaghetti this week because so many of the grandkids are sick with RSV and other viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. That's the last thing Jeff needs to have!

We are hoping everyone will be on the mend soon and things will get back to normal! It's always disappointing when we aren't able to get together on Sundays. 

Thank you to everyone who came to visit, made a phone call to let our parents know you are thinking about them, or even just said a prayer on our behalf. We feel your love and we feel our Father's love through your kind deeds!