New Lessons

Five Weeks/Saturday/October 31
Today the surgeon said that Andrew could move out of the PICU. Andrew's pancreas' numbers are high so they will take an ultrasound monday. They want to be sure that he does not have a cyst. So no liquids or foods right now. The two wounds are healing nicely. They may not have to do surgery. They will wait and see. Later in the afternoon, the attending doctor decided not to move Andrew today. Over the weekends they are shorter staffed. So they will move him to the NTU Monday, if all goes well. Andrew held himself upright, for a moment, in his chair today. Alex spent a lot of time visiting Andrew and was very motivational for him. The worst thing right now is that sometimes Andrew doesn't know where he is. He can get angry too. He slammed his fist on the arm of the chair. I am realizing that until the meds leave his system, he gets reoriented in his nights, and he overcomes the ICU sickness, it is going to be rough. We tried to keep him awake most of the day. We are hoping that he will get some sleep tonight. We also correct him if he thinks that he is fishing in a boat with Desiree. "No, you are in the hospital". It is a new ball game now. I am going to have to get "thicker skin" to handle him by myself when others can't be around. It is hard beacuse he is still really strong. He is still trying to pull out things. There is no set time for this to pass. Each patient is different. Grandpa S. gave Andrew a Jazz blanket that he really likes. Grandma M. was able to sit with him for a time. He asked her to say a prayer and then he gave her a kiss on the cheek. We are being more careful about the hospital rules, only two in the room at a time including parents. It really makes it hard but that's how it goes! When you become a hospital parent you are a slave to the rules too! I really miss Kaysville! I really miss the old rythmn of life! Randall reminded me that God is teaching us. We just have to learn to be good students. Just when you think you've got it, there is something else to learn.

New Hospital Rules

Hey Guys,

There are new hospital rules in place as of today October 30. Andrew can no longer have any visitors other than immediate family (brothers, sisters and parents) due to H1N1 and only 2 family members of the immediate family in the hospital at a time. This is for Andrew's and all the other patients safety. Please leave a comment on the blog if you have a message for Andrew. Sorry for the inconvenience!!!

A Medal for Andrew

Friday-Today was the day Andrew has been looking forward to for three days. Andrew came knocking at the trailer with Julie. We were so excited for him to see the new and improved Andrew. Alex found Andrew awake but in bed. He had been sitting up earlier. Alex pulled out his medal for service in Iraq. He told Andrew that he wanted him to have it! Andrew looked at it with surprise and then said, "Alex, you are the best brother ever!" It was an amazing moment. Andrew stood with Randall supporting him and Andrew moved each of his feet a little. They revoked his gatorade privileges. He can only have water right now. His pancreas is a little inflamed. Rick McGurk came to visit. Andrew was so excited to see him. Ariel and Aaron spent some time with him too. The brightest spot in my day is when Ashley brings baby Harper to see me. Babies are a joy. You have to smile when you see one. Ashley asked Andrew if he remembered the baby. "Yes" "What is his name" "Phillip". "No it is Harper!" Then Trevor came in with a leg cast. Andrew said "What happened to you?" "I was playing goalie for you!" Andrew was much calmer today, much more coherent too. Andrew painted a pumpkin and wrote "I love you all" on it. Andrew is beginning to realize how many people have cared for him. We want to recognize the Fullmer family. They are our son-in-law's family. They have helped in so many ways, i.e., prayer at Mass, tending and personal prayer. They are a great bunch of people!

Pals with Paws

Thursday, October 29, Andrew took a trip to radiology for x-rays of his spine. Everything looked great. Then they had to insert a new pic line because he pulled it out last night. He has become quite the hand full. Patient who are in the icu for long periods of time can go through several things. There is an icu narcosis and sundowners (getting night and day mixed up). So he is going through both and withdrawal from the meds. Today he sat in a chair two times. I asked him to squeeze my hands as tight as he could. Ouch! He is really strong. Randall also had him us his own strength to stand up while supporting him. As I was entering the icu I noticed a lady who had a dog. At this hospital, they allow certain dogs to visit the children. So I asked her if she'd let Andrew see the dog. Andrew was in the chair, so we put a cover on the bed and let the dog jump up. The dog was so calm and gentle. He set his paw in Andrew's hand. Andrew loved it! A little later, another dog came through the icu. It was a giant poodle. It had a mohawk that was painted pink. It went over and licked Andrew's hand. It is amazing how dogs can comfort and make someone happy. People just volunteer their time. Corinne, Desire, and Kristin came to see Andrew. He wanted to know where Uncle Jo was. As we walked through the lobby we ran into Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, of the Seventy. Elder Neuenschwander was donating several boxes of stuff animals that his wife had purchased in Germany. We chatted with him for a minute and he gave us an animal for Andrew. It was an animal that they often see in Germany. As the sun went down, Andrew said, "unchain me I want to go sleep with mom." At sunset, Andrew tends to get even more agitated. So I laid next to him to calm him. It seemed to work. Ariel was able to assist the nurse from wound care in cleaning and changing his dressings. Aaron, Kortny, John and Matt are with him now. Sometimes they enforce the two visitors rule and other times we sneak by. John did the "flying bird" demonstration for Andrew. He laughed. The third time he said, "John, you've gained weight." They told him they were leaving so he whispered to them, "don't leave, they try to tie me to the chair!" So he says some funny things. Today they took us on a tour of the NTU, his next unit. They have a nice gym, spa, and very nice rooms. One thing that I have noticed since being here is that everyday people drop quilts off. People from the valley donate quilts for the children. As Andrew went to x-ray, he didn't have a cover. A lady walked by and gave him a blue fleece blanket. It really meant a lot to him. We have decided that Andrew's eagle project will be for PCMC.

A Gatorade Emergency

Last night was really tough. We sat with Andrew for a long time. He was having bad withdrawals from the meds. He kept trying to pull out stuff. We had to restrain him. It was hard for me. Even after all this time, he is still quite strong. Finally, I was exhausted and told the nurse to tie him up! We slept in a little this morning and when we called his room, we learned that he had been sitting in a chair by his window for 2 hours. We ran upstairs to see him sitting there. First, he gave Randall a hug. Then I got a hug from him. This was the moment I have been waiting for, for so long. Next, he asked for some gatorade. They had to take him to radiology to check his swallowing. They gave him different textures with barium in it. What we saw on the screen was his skeletal image and the fluids going down his throat. It reminded me of that scene from Pirates of the Caribbean. So he got the go ahead to drink a small amount every hour. The surgical team changed his wound vac's this afternoon. He was so tired that they only gave him 5 ml of medicine while doing so. Everything looked great! The surgeon is really happy. When they were done, we sat with him again. I walked in with a drink. He asked me to bring it to him. I said "it's diet". Yuck. Then he said, I want a slurpie. We weren't sure that he could have one. So Andrew said, "bring me your phone." I said, "who do you want to call?" I called Ashley for him. The first thing he said to her is "bring me a slurpie!" Ian, Andrew's wonderful nurse, went and found one for him. Next, they took an ultrasound of his leg. The leg had previously had the canula in it. They were checking blood flow. Andrew became concerned when they were conversing about the results. He said, "oh, no! I am paralyzed!" We all started laughing and told him "no, you're not!" Andrew said to Randall "look in my mouth" so Randall looked in it. Andrew said "I want a drink." Grandma S. put lotion on his hands. Grandpa talked to Andrew about the Jazz game. Tracy Webb, our friend from Germany, came by and told Andrew that soon she will play him in basketball. She told him that she won't give him any sympathy just because he's been in the hospital. She said, "I'll take ya!" Andrew reached up and took her hand in a grip and pulled her toward him to show her that he's still got it! Then Andrew decided that he doesn't like pink or red gatorade. He wants blue! So I called Ashley and told her that we were having a gatorade emergency. She and Dustin ran up some blue gatorade to Andrew. Randall had Andrew count while he stretched his leg out. Then they talked about what Andrew can do when he is not feeling well i.e., relax, breath, stretch, and pray. So Randall said, "should we have a prayer?" "Yes!" "Who do you want to say it?" "Dustin". So Dustin proceeded to pray and Andrew said amen before it was over. Then he said "that was the best prayer ever!" It has been wonderful to interact with Andrew again. We want to thank Randall's work for the help and cooperation with Randall's work schedule. So many wonderful people are helping us to be able to be there for Andrew. We appreciate Grandpa Spilker letting us have access to the trailer. He is awesome! Andrew sat in a chair for nearly 4 hours today. He brushed his own teeth. He started eating and drinking. I used to take small, simple things for granted. We sat there and got all excited over Andrew taking a sip of Gatorade. We are so grateful!!! Just a note: we received word that people out of state are unable to access the donation account for Andrew. Randall is working on a solution. We will let you know when we have it. Right now, it is only possible to access it locally.

Angels Watch Over the Children

A little over a month ago, a 50 cal. bullet tore through Andrew's body. Among other things, it knicked the vena cava vein, the largest vein in the body. Andrew has been on a ventilator since then and even ECMO (lung machine). Today they took him off of the ventilator. Then they took out one of the tubes placed in the plural space to drain fluid. The first thing that Andrew said was "I'm cold". He hasn't stopped talking since. Alex called from Fort Lewis to talk to Andrew. He also talked to Aaron and Amanda on the phone. Andrew really likes his blanket. It is the first thing that he has been able to control since this happened. I went to adjust it and he got mad at me. He is still having trouble with pulling important tubes out. Randall and I will be watching over him a lot for the next several days. He has been on so many different medications that he will have to go through a withdrawal. Today they also sat Andrew up over the side of his bed two times. Andrew has an amazing amount of strength left. We are exhausted but are able to carry on because we feel so grateful. You can imagine how I felt when he said "I love you mommy". The Kaysville 11th ward held a fast for the sick in our ward, Andrew being among them. They went without food for a day. Then at the end of the fast they had a special prayer. We are so humbled by the faith that has been placed in God on his behalf. When we serve someone else we are, in fact, serving our Heavenly Father. There are so many sick children up at this hospital. It is said that angels walk the halls here. I really believe that to be true. Just think how Jesus loves the children. Yesterday, another boy returned to Heavenly Father. We spoke with the family. It is a very tender, difficult thing. I am sure that there are angels watching over the children.

It is a Climb

Today the surgeon was able to close Andrew's abdomen down to about 4x3. He then filled the remainder with Aladerm, and put a vac over that. This was really good news. They also changed the back vac and saw that his back wound looks really good. The back wound is about 8x6, a star shape. He was in surgery for about four hours. After surgery he was extremely agitated and we discovered that he was sick from the anesthesia. They have to restrain his arms because if no one is watching, he tries to pull things out. Tomorrow they will test his lungs to see if he is getting strong enough to be off of the respirator. They would also like to sit him up for a bit. At this point in his recovery, it is difficult because Andrew is awake a lot more. It is hard to watch a loved one struggle. Today Uncle Scott/Aunt Robyn/Grandma M./Zac/Joe/Courtney came to visit. We truly appreciate all of the support in so many different ways. Wittwers have been a great support to our family. As I contemplate the climb that Andrew has to make, I realize that it is through prayer, priesthood blessings, and loving support that an individual can climb. But most importantly, it is with the help of the Savior, Jesus Christ, that we get to the top of a mountain.

Slow and Steady

Slow and Steady Wins the Race... Andrew makes improvements each day. Today he was able to breath on his own, twice, for a couple hours. They are working to be able to get him off of the respirator. Tomorrow they will close his abdomen again. They have been able to get rid of any swelling through the use of lasiks. This will enable them to close the abdomen tighter. Andrew's lung x-ray looked completely clear today. They are amazed. Andrew is able to communicate to us by nodding. It would drive me crazy not to be able to talk. I can't wait until we cross that bridge. Randall is good at reading him. Sometimes he has an itch. Sometimes his legs hurt. Connor and Mike, the Barkers, and family came to see him today. At the hospital they have cracked down on visiting rules. Only two beside the parents. They canceled any gatherings too because of the H1N1. Andrew has a nice corner room. They want him to get his days and nights straightened out. He has a window and the sun shines in brightly. It really helps. Andrew has had extraordinary people working to get him healed. We have really appreciated their skill and compassion. We have come a long way. We have a long way yet to go. I feel optimistic that we can meet each day as it comes. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Four Weeks Today

Saturday Andrew made some progress in his recovery. They were able to start his feeding tube. The surgeon stopped by to see Andrew. He is amazed with Andrew's progress. They are getting closer to closing his abdomen. They will work on his back when then feel that Andrew is ready for it. They turned down the respirator and let his lungs do the work for about an hour. When he got tired, they turned the respirator back up. Andrew enjoyed a short visit from the Badgers. Mike and Joy had put together a photo album of Andrew/Connor photos. He enjoyed looking at it. Ariel got Andrew to do a "smile" around his breathing tube. Andrew has come a long way. We believe that he will continued to improve. They control his pain with morphine. They have been able to reduce the different meds that he was on. Andrew can't talk because of the tube but he can nod to our questions. When he gets angry, he ignores us! He always had a little temper in there. Today I talked to Andrew about not feeling sorry for oneself. It is important to have a positive attitude in order to achieve your goals. I reminded him of the many people who are concerned and praying for him. He responded by nodding four times. Today is the four-week anniversary of his accident.

So Many To Thank

Today Andrew had another good day. The surgeon invited Randall to stay and observe the procedure of closing his abdomen. Randall did watch. They were able to close it some more. One or two more times should do it. Andrew's back wound looks really good. The plastic surgeon had a look at it today. This evening, Andrew was really awake. Randall and I talked to him for a while. Andrew likes to have his arms up with his hands under his head. He moves all of his arms and legs now. He answers with a nod of his head. I gave him a pep talk. I reminded him that we will get through this together! We have had so many kind deeds by people. Visits, cookies, books, laundry and prayers. We even had our leaky roof caulked and our oven problem solved. How can you thank so many people for so many things? Andrew was feeling sad tonight. I read a couple of get well wishes from one of his posters. I reminded him that there are a ton of people praying for him. Prayer can see you through anything.

Simple Gratitude

Today was a rest day for Andrew. He had a good day. His numbers look good. Randall got him to open his eyes and respond to a few questions with a nod. He also moved his legs and arm. Randall asked him if he knew that he is getting better every day? He nodded yes. They are taking him off of a couple of the harder drugs that he was on. He looks very good. We are so happy to be headed in the right direction. Andrew has become the "wonder" boy in the PICU. It seems that everyone knows about him. Wherever we go we receive good wishes for him. Once again we must thank our family, neighbors and others who have given us help in our time of need. There is power in prayer. My sister, Linda, told me to try a gratitude prayer. To do this you don't ask for anything. She indicated that you really have to concentrate. It is easy to ask for things like a kid in a candy shop. I'm sure that Heavenly Father, like any parent, appreciates hearing what we are thankful for. We have so much to be thankful for. Today, I noticed how wonderful the sunshine was as it streamed into Andrew's room. A simple thing, yet important.

The Happy Dance!

Okay, I wish you could all see me doing the happy dance!! Andrew is off of ECMO. Then they took him into the OR to remove the ECMO connections called canulas. They had to sew up his femoral artery and two spots on his neck. That went well. Then they closed his front some more. He is doing very well. Everyone here is amazed at Andrew's strength. We are so happy and feel so blessed with his progress. What can I say except that we believe in the power of prayer. I realize that first you need to find out God's will and then work hard to achieve the goal. We must give God all of our heart. We can't hold any of it back. Then He can lead and teach you. We have learned so many things through this difficult experience. Our prayers are longer, more sincere and thoughtful. We want to become better people. There is always room for improvement. We will strive to spend more time with our children. We will listen more, speak more softly. We are thankful for the things that we have learned. We are thankful that we have Andrew. I can't wait to hug him!!!

God Answers Prayers

Last night after I finished the blog. Andrew's numbers continued to improve. They also woke him up enough to get responses from him. This morning we woke up to a call from the surgeon. He decided to place a drainage tube in each side of his chest. He also wanted to suction out his lungs through the ventilator. These procedures went really well. They were able to get 2 liters of fluid out. They let Andrew rest a couple hours. Next they had to turn him. This was very dangerous because of the tubes that run to the lung machine. The tubes hold his life's blood. It took 14 people and one nurse had to climb in the bed to hold some of the lines still. His wounds looked really good which was a great blessing. They hadn't looked at them for a week. They also changed the top dressing. Tonight, his numbers still look good and they are weaning him off of the lung machine. They will see if he can be removed for ECMO tomorrow. We saw his chest x-ray, it looked so much clearer than last night. This x-ray was from 2:30 so it has probably improved more since then. We feel incredibly blessed. The doctors, nurses and techs have worked so long and hard in Andrew's behalf. After the test of faith come the blessings. Blessings do not always come in the way that we would want. We recognize God's hand in everything that has occurred. We are so thankful for all the of the prayers in Andrew's behalf. We have talk to people who are praying for the very first time. We know God does answer prayers! We believe that God has a plan for Andrew just as He has for all of his children. This was a really good day!

Making Progress

Today was a good day for Andrew. The new line that was placed yesterday has really helped to bring his SAT numbers up. SAT is the oxygen in your blood. The goal is that the lungs can rest in order to heal. This morning his lung x-ray was completely cloudy. Tonight, there are black areas. This indicates healing. In addition, his chest is beginning to move again. It is not as tight. Kidney function is working really well too. The swelling from third spacing has gone down. Yesterday, after I wrote the blog, we had a moment of concern about his numbers. I just told myself that I would not feel fear. I would choose faith. I remembered his priesthood blessings. The med team figured out a way to bring his numbers up as we watched. I realized that life is a test of faith. How we respond, is up to us. We are so grateful for the medical team that is working on Andrew. Technology that allows this process to happen is simply a miracle. Every night we have a family prayer with Andrew. Randall always mentions the countless people who are praying for Andrew. Andrew can hear us. I believe that prayer is a key element in his recovery. Thank you so much.

Faith and Hope

Today Andrew had another surgical procedure. They added another line to the ECMO machine. They want to get more oxygen circulating. This will help his lungs heal faster. Randall, Amanda and I went to the church meeting they have at the hospital. The song that really hit me was "Lead Kindly Light". The words talked about how when things are going smooth, that we don't ask for direction. But then, in a moment, we suddenly have to rely on the Lord completely. The song said something to the effect that I do not ask to see the step in front of me. This is where we are at. We can't possibly know what is best for Andrew. We have turned it over to the Lord. To lead us on. The speaker talked about faith and hope. I was really touched by his words. They seemed to be speaking to me. I realized that we are doing everything that we can. All that is left is to have faith and hope. I went to sit with him this morning. It is funny, but I had trouble finding the words that I wanted to say to him. So I ended up just holding his foot in my hand. There are so many lines that you don't want to disturb. I felt that he could at least feel my spirit reaching out to his. Randall and Aaron (nurse) gave Andrew a blessing. All the blessings that he has received have pointed to his healing. It is hard to imagine how can we can get from a to z? It seems so ominous. Faith is believing in things that are not seen but that are true. No matter how this turns, we know that our Heavenly Father is aware of Andrew. He loves him. We are so thankful for the support that we continue to receive. We are humbled by the outpouring of love. Thank you so much.

A Beautiful Fall Day

Andrew's night was uneventful. Throughout the day the highly-skilled medical personnel work on the ECMO machine and with Andrew to do the work of his lungs. This gives the lungs the opportunity to heal. I just left Andrew's bedside. Two nurses are constantly watching over him. Many of the nurses call in on their day off to see how he is doing. We are so blessed to have these folks watching over our son. Now it is a wait and see situation. It takes time for the lung to heal. Sometimes it is overwelming to watch a loved one in a dire situation. This morning we sat in the meditation room for a time. We felt upset until we remembered that we have placed him in the best hands. The hands of the Savior Jesus Christ. We know that God's will is the best thing for us. We trust in His plan. Alex left for Washington today. Grandpa Spilker bought him an airline ticket so that he wouldn't have to drive. We appreciated it very much. It was a tough day yesterday. It was hard for Alex to leave his little brother. But we trust that there will be a time when we are together again. Amanda and the rest of the group stayed the day and we sang Andrew a song by his bed. I am a Child of God. My sister, Marsha, from Arkansas was in town for three days. It was so good to feel of her sweet spirit and feel her strength. The entire Spilker and Martin family have been so wonderful to us. As a family, we still believe in Andrew's recovery. Andrew has had many miracles. We have now been here three weeks.

Inspired Blessings

The phone rang at 5:00 a.m. Andrew had taken a turn for the worst. We all gathered at the hospital. Some time around 4:00 a.m. Andrew's lungs quit doing their job. When we went to his beside several residents and nurses were crying. They do not want to lose Andrew. We had a few moments to talk to him and tell him of our love. The surgical team came up with a procedure that can buy him time while his lungs heal. The lungs may have collapsed or had blood clots, and infection. They weren't sure. As a last resort, they decided to put him on an artifical heart/lung machine. They put tubes into his coratid arterties and in his femoral arterty. The blood circulates out of his body, goes through the machine to get rid of carbon dioxide, then adding in oxygen to the blood. Andrew received a blessing from a resident and Uncle Byron. He was blessed that it is not his time to go. We all gathered on the 3rd floor to wait. Our good friend Tracy, from Germany, was on the case. We were so impressed with her professionalism. She said to me as I walked out, "Not on my Watch". While we waited, the Parks came to comfort us. They were on the way to their daughters wedding but found the time to stop by and see the Spilkers. The Parks are so Christ-like. We love them. After an hour or so, we talked to the doctor. The machine was installed. It is a very technical thing. They call it a balancing act. Every number has to be just so. We were able to see Andrew. He is under morphine. It will be as long 7-10 days to know what's up. They can do tests to see if his lungs have healed and if they can handle breathing. The life-support maching was not even working when this occured. So this was our last option. Tracy came out later and let us know that we can keep hope alive. She said that we must have prayed for the doctors. She had never seen the procedure go so smoothly. As you can imagine this set-back was discouraging and worrisome. Alex will leave to Washington tomorrow. We had hoped that he could leave under better circumstances. What I do want you to know is that we had a very spiritual experience today. Too sacred to tell in detail. However, we felt peace during this crisis. We believe that it is, in fact, not yet Andrew's time to go. The odds seem overwelming. It will be three weeks tomorrow. Although this is a big setback, we reaffirm that God is watching over us. All thing move according to his time and according to his will. Andrew's priesthood blessings have indicated that there will be a recovery. Please help us by increasing your prayers. We love you and are thankful for your support! The Spilker and Martin Family have lifted us up and held our hands. What a great family we have. G-pa Spilker brought Andrew a mini Jazz ball. He was squeezing it last night. We believe in Miracles!!

God has a Plan

Today was a little more difficult day for Andrew. He had a slight fever and he would wake up and be disoriented and aggitated. This is common for patients who are on so many medicines for long periods of time. We took turns reassuring Andrew. We could usually get him resting again. If not, the nurse would give him a bolster of meds. The surgeon stopped by. He is pleased with Andrew's progress. The surgeon likes to remind us how miraculous it is that Andrew is still with us. He told Randall that if the bullet had gone just a little bit to the left, Andrew would be paralyzed. If the bullet had gone just a little to the right, Andrew wouldn't have made it. We recognize God's hand in Andrew's miracle. God has brought Andrew this far. We have accepted that God has a plan for Andrew. Andrew's friends came by tonight and brought a beautiful quilt that they had made for him. It had squares with messages of hope and friendship. Andrew is lucky to have such great friends. We have been so impressed by the kindness and support from the students at KJH. Everyday people tell us that they are praying for Andrew. We really appreciate this act of faith and support. We love Andrew so much. He is a joy to our lives. We remembered a funny thing that Andrew did when he was in grade school. He decided that he needed a day off of school. So he put on his backpack and walked out the front door. A little later I get a phone call from school informing me that they have Andrew absent. I said "really? I sent him?" "No, he's not here." "Are you sure?" "Yes." So I start looking around the house. No Andrew. I walked around the yard. Just as I was passing our trailer, I hear laughing. I open the door. Andrew was sitting in the trailer playing with a toy. He had opened some food that we had left in the trailer. I wanted to be angry, I really did. But I had to laugh. He did make up the school work!

Hope for a Cynic

Tuesday was a quiet restful day for Andrew. Wednesday they operated at his bedside and were able to close his abdomen 1 1/2" tighter using the device they had previously inserted. The surgeon was really pleased. The back wound looked good. The special skin insert looked pink. It appears that his body is accepting the piece. Andrew's vital are good and everything is moving forward a little each day. We feel so blessed. Friday they will operate and tighten his stomach again. They originally had to open his abdomen becuase of swelling. It was a preventive measure to protect the vital organs. I spent the last two days at home. It is a tricky thing to take care of everything that needs watching over. When I am at home, I wish I was at the hospital. When I am at the hospital, I worry about being home. Oh well, I am learning to delegate. We had a nice family dinner at Ashley's home. Alex will be leaving on saturday to go back to the army. It is diffficult for him to leave Andrew and home right now. We agreed that we will bring Andrew to him for a fishing trip up in Washington when he's better! Just a word about the great people out there. Somtimes it is easy to be cynical in this world. Let me tell you how wonderful people are. Service is someone mowing a lawn, mopping floors, ironing white shirts, doing some laundry, bringing meals, setting up a blog, printing t-shirts, sketching a picture, or giving hair cuts just to name a few. Yesterday, I was able to get the this year's school picture of Andrew. As I talked to the lady at Lifetouch, she sent me the entire package. I said "here's my credit card number." She wouldn't take it. I was really amazed. She doesn't even know us but, she wanted to help! We are pretty ordinary people, nothin' special. I have learned that it doesn't matter. People care and they really want to help!! Last night as Randall and I tried to go to sleep, we discussed that we wished that we could take the bullet for Andrew. As a parent, if we had the power, we would step in front of him and take the bullet. Then it hit me so clearly. This is exactly what Jesus Christ did for mankind. He had the power. He took the bullet, by hanging on the cross, atoning for each "one". Jesus did this so that we wouldn't have to suffer eternally with death, spiritual and temporal.

Faith vs Fear

At 9:00 a.m. we received a call that Andrew was headed into surgery. They had a cancellation so his surgery was moved up. We arrived at the hospital when the surgery was underway. He was in there for a long time. When the surgeon finally came out, it was with good news. They were able to apply the device that will move his abdomen back together. It will take from 3-7 days. The device as it was described to me, sounded like a fabric corset. Every two days they will remove the black suction sponge thing off and tighten the corset. Then it took a 1/2 hour to turn him over to operate on his back wound. They were able to suture up some of his wound. Then they placed a piece of special stuff (it is like human skin that has been treated and looks like leather) over the exit wound. The hope is that it will become part of his body. The surgeon and his team are excellent. He told me that he thinks about Andrew every night. Then he always says "He's still here"! We took turns holding his hand as he recovered from surgery. He is kept under anesthesia heavily because he is so strong and fidgety. Today it felt good to move to improvement instead of just damage control. Bishop and Sister Quist came up and brought us some food. We had a nice chat. Later as I reflected on today in comparison to yesterday. I recognized the difference between faith and fear. Our children recognized that we were feeling down yesterday. They expressed their feelings of faith and hope. I feel very blessed to be lifted by my children in a time of need. I feel very blessed knowing that God is aware of each one of us!

Bits and Pieces

It became clear that Andrew was moving around too much. He is really sneaky for someone on like eight drips of different stuff. He almost snagged out his pic line (iv) that goes to his heart. He was also really drugged out and saying some funny things i.e. Ashley, get a wheel chair lets go! I want a sprite, give me a football etc. Randall sat by Andrew's bed all night. Randall woke me up at 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning. The doctors decided to put the life-support breathing tube back in. He can breathe on his own but it was wearing him out too much. This was a real heart breaker for us. I had been up late the night before and was on a short temper. I felt that things weren't going well. So I kind of got after a few resident doctors. Within an hour the surgeon came to meet with us. He layed out his plan for Andrew. We felt much better having the surgeon communicate a clear path for us. I was fryed, so we had Ariel stay and watch over Andrew while we went to sleep at home the rest of the day and night. I decided to sleep in Andrews room. To tell the truth, I was feeling sorry for us. I wondered what the Lord's plan could be? After a long nap, I began looking for some bits and pieces that reminded me of Andrew. I found his home evening, general conference journal. He had taken notes on two talks. One was about eternal families, the other was about finding happiness in life. Ironic? Next, I realized that I didn't have a current, nice picture of Andrew. We were going to do pictures that very week. I felt bad but realized that I might be able to get them from the school. I hope so. It is amazing what becomes important to you when a tragedy strikes. So I recommend that you get that family picture taken. Don't delay!

Great Friends, Great Examples

Today we were honored to be in attendance at Jacob's funeral service. What a great family! What a great young man! What a great ward! We continue to learn from Robert and Cher. How grateful we are for their sweet spirits. With reluctance, we spent the night and morning away from the hospital. Near the end of the service, Randall's phone rang. It was our daughter lettting us know that they had removed the respirator tube because he was breathing on his own. This was wonderful news. We rushed up to PCMC. Andrew was very energetic. He was coming off of some heavy medicines. He asked for a wheel chair so his sister could take him out of here. He asked for a football and a sprite. We did our best to help him rest. It was a family/nurse effort. At one point, we let him hug the soccer ball that the Thunder had brought to him. It calmed him for a bit. He is so strong and so energetic that I'm afraid that he is going to start swinging from the rafters! Andrew will have a lot of surgerys in store for him, but he has truly been blessed with healing. We received a poster from KJH students and a fantastic drawing of him by...shoot I forget her name. Please forgive me I am so tired tonight. Anyway, Andrew continues to be blessed. We think his next surgery will be monday??? Thanks to K11 for your help! We live in a great place!

Life is a Trek

Andrew had his fifth surgery today. Things looked really good. He will have another surgery on Monday. Today I thought to myself that we have begun a trek. Kind of like crossing the U.S. on foot. We will need perserverance, patience, and faith. The nurse informed me that it is like going from L.A. to N.Y. then back again. I really enjoyed her lengthened version of my visualized trek. Oh well, no good dwelling on the entire journey. One step, one day at a time. I reminded Andrew that he belongs to the A team (Alex, Ashley, Ariel, Aaron, and Amanda) and that we are going to accomplish this together. Andrew communicates through expressions and nodding. He nodded yes to this! He wanted to write a note to us but he fell asleep before we got the paper to him. Infection is just one of the great dangers to him at this point. But he keeps plugging away against all odds. I have never personally seen such strength as he has shown. We are proud of his courage! Thanks for all the help that we receive on a daily basis!!!

A New KinAir Bed

Today was a rest day for Andrew...well as much as you can rest at a hospital. They gave him a special bed that has air in it. It helps eleminate pressure points to his body. Andrew also received some physical therapy to start moving and stretching his legs as he lays there. Most patients in the PICU wear high-topped shoes. Ashley bought him some nice red and white Converse. This helps to keep their feet in a correct position. Andrew had visits from Alex, Aaron, Ariel, Ashley and Courtney. He is definiately adored by his family and friends!! Funny thing is that his blood pressure seems to go down when there is a little more talking in the room. I guess he is used to our busy home. Ariel and a new friend from Utah Opera came up to PCMC today to practice a number that they will be doing at Jacob's funeral. They recevied an ovation from the bystanders. I just hope they can keep their composure on saturday. It will be a very special, spiritual occasion. We had another visit from the Parks last night. They were delivering t-shirts that a very kind soul in their ward had made. I'm sorry that I don't know their name. The shirts say "I Believe in Miracles-Jacob Park & Andrew Spilker" and on the back "Your Miracle's Not Over October 4" in honor of Jacob. We would also like to thank the Cluffs for putting this blog together for us. We are so grateful for the kindess and well wishes of so many people. Our nurses at PCMC are awesome. Most of all we are grateful to the Lord that Andrew is still with us. Andrew will have another surgery tomorrow. Your continued prayers and faith are a great blessing to Andrew and our family. We feel the spirit of the Lord each day. As we sit and watch by his bedside, we reflect on our life. We have been so blessed, To have a loving family, what could be better!

Answered Prayers

My day began at 6:00 a.m. I woke up like there was a fire alarm! The nurse had felt that today would tell us a lot about Andrew's recovery. I was able to sit with Andrew. He was awake and responsive. We had a conversation. I did all the talking. We talked about motivation to get well. Faith to believe that you can get well. Strength to move forward. Testimony that Christ will walk the path with you. Then I sang him a silly song to make his heart feel happier. Our bishop came up and he and Randall gave Andrew a priesthood blessing. Andrew then had his fourth surgery. It was difficult for me because I had to leave to Layton for a doctor's appointment myself. I finally saw a doc for my over-achieving thyroid. Ashley, Andrew's sister, felt very confident and peaceful about his surgery. We arrived back to the hospital about the time he came out of recovery. The surgeon let us know that everything looked great! We were so grateful. Our prayers for Andrew had been answered in a way that made us very happy. My good friend, Cher, called and rejoiced with us in our good report from the doctor. We have had so many kind acts of service that it is humbling. "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17 p.s. Stephanie thanks for your insight! You are wise.

A new room for Andrew

Well it is true, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. After our "little" discussion with the staff last night, Andrew got a new room. It is much more quiet and will aid in his recovery. We also have had two fabulous nurses, Ian and Brian. We are asking that prayers for Andrew focus on his body overcoming infection and bad tissue. Maybe a more simple way would be to ask our Heavenly Father that his body will respond to the antibiotics and treatments. His back wound is quiet large because they had to remove bad tissue. Once they get the fever and infection under control, they can begin plastic surgery. Modern medicine is such a blessing. Our thanks to the many priesthood holders for the blessings that have surely been a comfort and strength to Andrew. The lot we drew out tonight is to sleep on the couches in the waiting rooms. We don't mind, we simply want to be close by Andrew. I was looking through some pics of Andrew. I was remembering the time he gave our golden retriever a bubble bath in his kiddy pool. Or the time he was in Fiddler on the Roof and starred in Oliver. I mentioned to Randall that we have had a wonderful life thus far. We feel blessed to be Andrew's parents.

Mama Bear

They say the the most dangerous animal in the wild is a mother protecting her child...
First thing his CT scan was good, they cleared Andrew of any spinal problems. He is now able to have his bed in a better sitting position. They took Andrew in for another surgery yesterday. They had to get rid of bad tissue. It is important that they have good tissue to work with in order to put things back together. They brought him back from surgery and first thing we notice, he is missing his hair. We have been so careful about keeping it cleaned and brushed. No, they didn't ask permission. He doesn't have a head wound???? There must be a wild barber on the loose. Then we had a caregiver for the last two days that we weren't thrilled about. Andrew must not have been impressed either...he bite him. Then we had a shift change. Before we left to eat, everthing was fine. We came back and I could tell things weren't good. His temperature was high. That's when instinct kicked in. I asked why we hadn't been contacted. The resident doctor said that they couldn't tell us "every time" something came up. So I let him know that it was our right as parents to know what was up and that they had darn well keep us informed. I called the charge nurse at home, she was in our Germany ward. She let us know that things were ok and that she would shape things up. Then we had a meeting with the charge nurse on duty and let her know how displeased we were. When we checked him again he was much better. Measures had been taken for his benefit. What is the saying, when mom isn't happy...no one is happy!

Families are Forever

Today our good friend's son, Jacob, left behind the difficulties of this mortal world. At this time we mourn his departure, his absence, his sweet spirit. Our hearts are heavy for the Park family. They are a beacon of strength, testimony and Christlike love. Anyone who knew them in the PICU was lifted by them. There is a silence here out of respect for these great people. I know that the peace of the Lord's spirit will abide with them in the coming days.

First we must begin with gratitude. We seriously have the best family, friends, and wardies. We love you guys. Now as to Andrew's condition. He had a relatively uneventful day. Although he is so strong that the nurse had difficulty keeping his arms where they needed to be. He rested a lot. His blood pressure was somewhat elevated. He had a cat scan today. He is fighting a slight fever and infection. This is pretty typical for this injury. He lifted and noded his head in respone to questioning, even wiggled a toe. His strength is a blessing though, it will help him through this process. We love our children and are thankful to our Heavenly Father for all he blesses us with.

I Believe in Christ

God bless all of you. Your faith and prayers are helping Andrew. He has progressed into a more stable situation. We don't know Gods plan but these things happen to remind us that he is over all. The creator of this world, the King of Kings. Andrew has progressed so that they could take the cord that was monitoring his brain pressure off. They also took the neck brace off. There was some fluid in the space by his lung so they put a drain in. This will help his right lung have as much oxygen as the left. Andrew is now responding to questions, moving and aware of the goings on around him. We turned on the LDS conference that was on tv. This is a time when we can have our faith bolstered. We were unable to listen to much but the mo-tab arrangement of "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" really touched us. (Thanks Brent A.) Our dear friends in the PICU have had several days of difficult news. We love and add our faith to the multitude praying for him. Both families reconize God's love and that His will, will be done. Several angels to thank, Ian, Ben, and Cody.

Small Blessings

Tonight Andrew opened his eyes as the nurse was bugging him. ha ha The medical care he has received is top notch. We are not only concerned with his progress, but with the progress of the other children here. One cannot be here long without reaching out to others in need. Many people believe that angels walk the halls of this children's hospital. Last night a sweet little child of God passed to the other side. We had spent the prior evening visiting with her mother. It was this child's time to return to Heavenly Father. We have been so blessed that Andrew is doing well. He approaches this as he did sports...a real fighter!

Update on Andrew's Condition

Since his arrival, Andrew has been doing fantastic. He has had two major surgeries and has lost one kidney and a portion of his large intestine. He is currently stable and not in a medically induced coma. We are now just waiting for him to wake up. This is not a speedy process. BUT! He is already making small movements with his eyes and shoulders. He is taking his time, but we are patient.
The Doctors feel that it would be best for Andrew if we didn't have any visitors today, except for family.
We would like to thank everyone for your prayers and fasting in behalf of Andrew and Our family. The nurses are giving him a lot of attention, we think it's his good looks and charm :)

We keep seeing Miracles all around us, Keep Believing.

Update on Andrew's Condition

Andrew has had a good week. As results of his two surgeries, he has lost one kidney and a portion of his large intestine. He is currently in stable condition and is no longer in a medically induced coma. We are still waiting for him to wake up. This is not a quick process. Today the Doctors feel it would benefit him the most if he did not have any visitors. We are very grateful for everyones prayers and fasting for all of us. He is getting a lot of attention from the nurses, we think its his good looks and charm :)

We keep looking and finding miracles everywhere. Keep Believing.

Andrew's recovery