Day 190 to 196, Mar. 7-13

Day 190 to 196, Mar. 7-13

This week was pretty good with a lot of little things to keep Jeff and Annette busy. They went outside every day except Wednesday so Jeff could ride around the subdivision. He went around 3 times to equal a mile each time. The muscle spasms in his legs have gotten worse and can be very frustrating at times. Some of his fingers have also started to spasm. The pain in Jeff's neck is getting better. He wakes up feeling okay and goes to bed very sore. 

On Monday they went to a follow up appointment with Dr. Dodds and it was an in and out visit. We count this as a good thing. It probably would have been much different had he been more seriously injured in his fall. We are very grateful for small mercies. His next follow up will be in 2 months. 

Later Kasey came from TOSH and drilled holes in the ramp for the manual wheelchair so it isn't so heavy for Annette to lift. Even though it helped tremendously, the ramp (which is really 2 separate parts) is still really heavy. We are grateful for Kasey's dedication not only to our dad, but also to our mom. He really cares about how they are both doing through this whole process. 

These show the plastic they installed in the bed to help it be more slick and also how the ramp fits. Annette uses the long and thin piece of wood to push it back in the bed so she can fit the wheelchair. 

On Tuesday Jeff and Annette went to an appointment to see Jeff's urologist, Dr. Bishoff. His suprapubic catheter has been a real struggle with it clogging and having a lot of sediment. He learned from another patient at Neuroworx that theirs doesn't do that so he decided to find out what he can do to help the problem.

They started him on a pill to help the acidity levels in his stomach and was given directions to drink more acidic things. The acidity is supposed to decrease the amount of sediment in the bladder and prevent clogging. So Annette is now putting orange juice in Jeff's protein shakes instead of milk, giving him lemonade with lunch, and grape juice with dinner. He still drinks cranberry juice daily. He was also instructed to drink more to help flush his bladder out. The more fluids the better!

Peggy came in the afternoon and brought Jeff lunch while Annette went with her good friend Julie Oldham. They both have birthdays in February, but due to illness their birthday lunch date was delayed. We are grateful Julie is doing better! After lunch Julie treated Annette to a pedicure and we want to thank her for being such a wonderful friend. Annette needed to be pampered!

On Wednesday Julee and Tylee spent the day with Jeff and Annette. They dropped Jeff off at Neuroworx and then went to the mall to browse.

This is what the ramp looks like when it's pulled out. Annette's arms are very sore from doing so much lifting the past few days to get it in and out of the truck. 

This picture shows the new wheely bars that were put on last week. The old ones were 3 inches too short and that's why they weren't able to stop his fall backwards. 

This is getting back in the truck. We are grateful for the sunshine!

They then had salad for lunch. Jeff was weighed at Neuroworx and is disappointed by the few pounds he's put on since the accident. Considering that he only has about a quarter of the muscles in his body to burn calories he's doing pretty good! To save the time of getting Jeff in and out of the truck they ate in the parking lot. 

Then it was onward to the wound clinic at IMC. While one of the open sores looks significantly better, the other two have opened up more. They believe it's because there was already tissue damage under the skin and it just hadn't broken the surface yet. After the debridement they put a new ointment on the sores in the hopes of getting better results. The other two red spots they were watching look great and have responded well to the ointment Annette is putting on them. 

On Thursday Clifton and Joyce came to the house to help out. Clifton did work outside to help prepare for spring, like trimming the roses. Joyce helped Annette around the house. We are so grateful for their loving service! 

On Friday Annette went to work and Cherie and Aliyah stayed home with Jeff. Ron came to the house and replaced the wheely bar wheels for Jeff's manual wheelchair. He put on the smallest roller blade wheels he could find, but they are larger than the stock wheels and will give more support and greater peace of mind. 

Saturday was more relaxing. Jeff did book work and hung out at home. He made it outside right as the sun went behind the clouds. We are so grateful the weather has been so nice this week!

Jeff and Annette are going to St. George with Ryan's family later this week and to help decrease pressure to Jeff's butt for the long ride he got a one inch thick water pad with a sheepskin cover to go on his seat. Blake got it put in place for him today. 

On Sunday Jeff and Annette went to church. It helps a lot to get that spiritual uplifting and we are grateful he was feeling well enough to go. They had spaghetti dinner with the family and then celebrated Zach's birthday that is this coming Thursday. We are so grateful to have him as a part of our family and want him to know how much we love him!

The number 3 is really for 33, we promise! ;)

Look at that cute belly! Little Aspen is growing! 

Zoom in between Jeff and Zach to see cute little Sierra with her diva sunglasses on! Ha!

Annette and Julee changed out Jeff's suprapubic catheter again. They noticed a slight improvement in how much sediment and blood were present. We are hoping the changes that were made to increase the acidity in Jeff's bladder will continue to improve this. Also, Annette reports that the new ointment they are using on Jeff's sores every day has already helped them to look better. We'll take whatever improvements we can get!

Funny story for the week that had us all dying with laugher... After an appointment at IMC last week Jeff and Annette decided to go to Costco to pick up a few things. To save the trouble of loading and unloading Jeff he just drove his power chair across the street while Annette drove the truck. When he arrived he parked himself at the entrance where the warm air blows to wait for Annette. It took almost a half hour for Annette to find a parking spot out in the boonies where she could load Jeff because the parking lot was so full! In the meantime people started showing Jeff their membership cards to enter the store! The actual Costco greeter just smiled as he nodded and let them pass. Jeff was an honorary Costco greeter for a half hour! Ha!

We are so thankful for all of the love and support we've been given. We are grateful for the concern, kind words of encouragement, and prayers on our behalf. Some days can be so difficult, overwhelming, and discouraging. The efforts of those around us to lift us up are more important than anyone could possibly know. They are answers to our prayers and sometimes the only thing that keeps us going on the hard days. 

Day 183 to 189, Feb. 29- Mar. 6

Day 183 to 189, Feb. 29- Mar. 6

It was a pretty good week despite the bad news Jeff received about his neck. He's making the best of it and trying to find other ways to stay active besides therapy. 

Monday was spent relaxing. Jeff is still in more pain than we'd like and he tires easily. They called twice to find out the results of the CT scan and no one called back. 

Tuesday they finally got the call. In a nutshell Jeff broke not one, but two bones above the hardware in his neck. The nub you can feel was broken off the back of the C3. It's still attached to the muscle so it's just floating there. The doctor doesn't seem to think surgery to pin it back in place would be worth it so it will just be in limbo from now on. He also cracked the front of the C4. 

This means 5 more weeks in the neck brace and another x-ray after to make sure it's healing properly. As far as therapy goes, none this week and then he can go back with limitations. Nothing that involves the neck, obviously, and nothing that uses the stomach muscles. A frustrating delay. 

Tuesday was also Tylee's first birthday! Annette went with Julee in the morning to choose out Tylee's birthday present and Jeff was left home alone. Before they left he was set up with his laptop, phone, and tv remote. 

Annette mentioned him several times and worried over him being alone even though they were only gone a couple of hours. Her love and dedication to Jeff truly is incredible! She hates to leave him, especially with no one there with him. The "what if's" plague her. 

They brought back lunch to find Jeff had spent over an hour on the phone with his good friend Steve Fredrickson who is out of the country right now in Dubai! He really enjoyed their conversation and was uplifted by it, not quite as down as when they left him earlier. 

The rest of the day was pretty busy. Annette showered Jeff and then did his wound care, a process that seems to take forever. Afterward they went outside and around the neighborhood, Annette walking behind the manual wheelchair. By the evening Jeff was worn out. Cherie, Blake, and Aliyah went to Tylee's little party while Jeff and Annette called it a night early.

Brandi's family wasn't on the mend yet and so they went to the doctor and discovered that Zach has Influenza B and Sierra has an ear infection. We are praying they get well soon and Brandi stays healthy for both her and their baby girl! 

On Wednesday Annette and Jeff went to pick up Annette's new glasses. The first time they got them after they were ordered the distance between the lenses was incorrect and it gave her headaches. We are grateful they are finally right. 

They then went to the shop and Ron cut out the plastic for the bed of the truck. It will be helpful when they start taking the manual wheelchair and ramp places. 

The wheelchair rep, Brian, also came today to fit new wheely bars on the manual wheelchair. While it will be difficult for any of us to ever trust them again, it will be good to know they were fitted, tested, and proven safe. In the afternoon Jeff went on another ride around the neighborhood with Annette.

On Thursday Clifton and Joyce spent time with Jeff and Annette. They made chili and sandwiches. Jeff went around the neighborhood again, soaking up the sun. 

On Friday Peggy came to stay with Jeff while Annette went to work. She brought Jeff Jimmy John's for lunch. We are grateful for the time she sacrifices to be with him when needed!

On Saturday Jeff went to the car show with Ryan, Jaxon, Talon, Zach, and Blake. Jeff pushed himself in the manual wheelchair and said, "I enjoyed it because it was even, smooth concrete and the wheelchair went effortlessly with the power assist. I could go where I wanted and do what I wanted."

Unfortunately the only pictures they took were of cars. Julee was sleeping after a night shift and didn't get the chance to harass them about it. Haha

That night Jeff and Annette went to the adult session of their Stake Conference. We are grateful they had the opportunity and Jeff felt well enough to attend. 

Sunday was a relaxing day. The whole family came in the afternoon and had spaghetti dinner. After 4 days of being wiped out Zach is finally feeling better! After dinner everyone got cozy and watched The Good Dinosaur. 

Joyce and Clifton came to help celebrate Tylee's birthday with the family. Brownies and ice cream were served. 

We are so grateful for all the prayers said on behalf of our dad and family. We feel them working each and every day! 

The delay in Jeff's progress is still frustrating and we wish he hadn't broken bones, but we are grateful he doesn't need surgery again and will get back to therapy next week. The little triumphs are where our focus is right now.

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.