Getting Better

Monday, Andrew had a slow start. He didn't sleep very well. But Dr. Black decided to clamp off his tubes and let him eat. Andrew's had to have a quick xray to make sure his tube was in the right place. The tape holding his tube had come off in the night. It was interesting. Before when we went down to radiology, Andrew would get right in. Today, we had to wait. I told him that it was an indication that he is getting better. He is climbing down the totem pole of urgency. Andrew ordered steamed shrimp and a salty pretzel. It went well. He ate again later. His major complaint now is some back spasms. We are using heat and tylenol on it. Alex called to check in. He had a good trip back to Washington. Today the doctor commented that he thinks it's time for Andrew to leave the hospital. Hopefully, tomorrow the tubes will come out and then... home. We have been so fortunate in his recovery. It was a great moment for me to watch him eat today!

One or Two Meatballs

Sunday started with a visit/lesson from Andrew's teacher's quroum from church. Chris and Adam Barker gave the lesson. Ariel sang in a Layton ward so I stayed with her. Dr. Black and Treasure came in this morning to visit with Andrew. Randall told the doctor it was time for Andrew to eat. Randall has being trying for weeks to have them let Andrew eat. The Doctor was not sure and Randall pressed him to explain why it would hurt. Andrew has already had issues with throwing up and Randall explained that what would it hurt to throw up the food he ate. The doctor thought about it and finally agreed and said "Andrew what do you want to eat?", of course Andrew wanted nachos but the deiticians said they could not make that low fat enough. Andrew settled for a roll. The roll went well and Randall convinced the Doctor to continue to let Andrew eat. So now Andrew can have four small meals a day. Later for dinner Andrew again wanted nachos, but he will just have to wait, so he settled for spaghetti. Later, the whole family met at the hospital to visit with Andrew. Cousin, Callie came by in time to see him walk a bit. She hadn't seen him since the PICU so it was a big change for her. We took him up to the third floor to visit. We had a sing-in until it was time for him to return to his room. We are hopeful that the eating continues to go well which means Andrew will be going home soon. If they can take out the suction tube, we could be going home. Alex is on his way back to Fort Lewis. It has been a pretty good weekend!

A True Blue Fan

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit friday night. Colby brought Andrew a remote control helecopter and flew it around his room. Saturday Ariel stayed wtih Andrew while we got our Christmas tree decorated. Andrew enjoyed the BYU v. UTAH game. We had a camera to make it big screen on his hospital room wall. We had Tyler and his dad from acrossed the hall watch with us. Most of the nurses and doctors were UTAH fans. Andrew is a BYU fan. He really enjoyed the game, especially the ending! During the game, I caught Andrew starring at Tyler's nachos. He smiled when I pointed it out. It is really hard when you are not supposed to eat! We tried a new pain med for Andrew and it seemed to work.

Ouch! It Hurts!

Friday Andrew had wound vacs changed. He got to have a shower. Then Ariel, Alex and Aaron hung out with Andrew. They watched a movie. It was a hard day for Andrew with lots of pain. His nurse, Nancy, realized that he needed better pain management. He really hasn't used anything but a little tylenol. She talked to the doc and came up with a better plan. Andrew will have to verbalize what type of pain he is having so that we can respond appropriatelty. I think that he has been flying solo in the pain department. I feel bad that we haven't understood his needs better! Now we have a better choice of drugs to help him. Ariel stayed over night with him.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Last night Andrew told me that Steve Greer had stopped by for a visit. Today Andrew had visits from Mike and Connor, McGurks, and the Parks. Andrew and Connor played ninetendo for a bit. We went to see a movie. Ariel stayed over with Andrew. When I arrived, I quickly ate a Thanksgiving dinner from the cafeteria. I ran up three flights of stairs to catch up with Ariel and Andrew. I watched the Dallas game with Andrew. The family went to grandpa Spilker's for dinner. Later Andrew met wtih his family in the cafeteria for pie. He announced, "I'm having pie!" We let him have a little bit. Uncle Scott, Aunt Robyn and Crystal brought the pie. Every year I have my kids write down what they are grateful for. It is fun to see what they are thinking about. Randall is thankful for home, family and that Andrew is still here. Michelle is thankful for the simple things. I am grateful to have Alex home and that Andrew is still with us. Alex is grateful for home, family, friends, and freedom. Ashley and Dustin are thankful for miracles, prayers, family, and that we still have Andrew. Harper is thankful for nee nee and Chesney. Ariel is grateful for educated people, Andrew's sweet spirit, Robert and Cher's wonderful testimonies, and family. Aaron is grateful for family, friends, Andrew, good health, and PCMC. Andrew is grateful to be here, family and friends. Amanda is grateful for family, friends, and that Andrew is still alive. This morning I was talking with Alex. He remembered that he hasn't been home for Thanksgiving for two years. Last year he was in Iraq and he ate alone. It wasn't turkey. The year before he was in Georgia at tech school. It is a stinker to be away from family during the holidays. We respect and appreciate the men and women of the military who sacrifice for our country. We hope and pray that Andrew will be home for Christmas. Santa, that is all that we want for Christmas!

Therapy Prison

Wednesday Andrew realized that he is in therapy prison. It is hard when other people tell you what, when, and how to do it! Andrew started walking last weekend. Now they have decided that they expect a lot more out of him. He walked all the way to the gym, climbed the stairs and walked a 1/4 of the way back. Then his therapist got after us about doing more. Then the occupational therapist got after him about dressing himself. He told her that he could but didn't want to. So she gave him a big lecture. Poor Andrew!! He can't wait to get released from hospital prison. Later in the day, Alex popped his head in the door. He was able to take an earlier flight. We all went to the 3rd floor lounge. Alex gave us a little concert with a guitar. Ariel showed up so we had a Christmas song family sing-in. I am keeping a log of all the time he spends out of bed. This will help him prove that he is trying to get stronger. A month ago, Michelle C. gave me a beautiful bracelet. Inside the dangling heart it says "trust the journey". This is an interesting concept. If we have faith in a higher being, then we should be able to trust the journey. This journey is a very steep climb but we are taking it one day at a time. I believe that in time we will look back to see many good things have come from this journey.

God is Love

Last night after I posted the blog, the Barker family came up to visit Andrew. We have been blessed with awesome neighbors!! Today started with a care conference about Andrew. These meetings allow everyone concerned to coordinate the best way possible for his care. The meeting turned to laughter when dad confessed that he had snuck Andrew a piece of donut. Then he told them not to worry if Andrew turns up missing on Thursday, he'll bring him back! He also wondered about putting some turkey juice in his feeding tube. Andrew is up and walking the hall now. He tires quickly but every day there is progress. At physical therapy he shot a bunch of baskets. I passed the ball back to him. My basketball skills are a little rusty! Every week the surgeons change duties. We met a new doctor. He was great. He came into Andrew's room and drew a picture of his insides and explained what he thinks is going on. When he finished he told Andrew that he must have a special reason for being here. Today I had three different occasions to bear witness to Andrew's miracle and of God's love. I was eating in the cafeteria when a person who works here asked if she could sit with me. She started crying and explained that she needed to see Andrew's miracle. She once knew God but had lost her way. She was so thankful to witness his experiences. She said that she had felt skeptical about his recovery and even the faith that was being shown. So when things turned around, she really felt God's love. She said she isn't sure where this knowledge will lead her but that she is grateful. So I added my thought to hers. I told her that I have always believed in God but now I know. I know! Later, I had a family of a neighboring patient stop me in the hall. The mother said, "do you mind if I ask you why your son is here?" So I explained about the accident. As I was telling the story, the dad starting crying. I told them that it is definately God's will that Andrew survived. There son is here due to a brain tumor. We compared our experiences and the things that we have learned. We both feel God's blessings upon our families. Later, a chaplain came to see Andrew. He was a really great man. We enjoyed talking about God's love for his children. He has noticed our family for some time. I asked him to pray for our family. He said the most beautiful prayer. I don't think that we are of the same denomination but we are definately of the same "faith" in God. Ariel came by and we took him for a walk. She spent the evening with Andrew. Tonight they are finally seeing an improvement in his bile issue. The volume that he is putting out is much less than it was. Once again, we are so grateful.

Smuggle Me Grandma's Bread

Monday Nov. 23, Andrew was exhausted from his weekend. Randall and Andrew did a lot of walking around the NTU. Andrew passed out on his last walk. He had been off of the feeding tube for five hours on sunday. That probably contributed. So today we took it easy. I woke up and looked out to see a lot of snow. When I went out the door to the trailer, I found that the snow removal man had brushed off my steps and salted them. It really made me happy!! First we went down to radiology for an ultrasound of his legs. They wanted to check his legs. When you are unable to move around for a long time, you can develop clots. Fortunately, his legs looked fine. Then it was time for a shower. After the wound team changed his wound vacs. It went really well. It looked like he is growing some new skin. They were shocked and amazed. They had never seen anything like it. Andrew took a nap. Later, Andrew's friends came. Connor, Taylor, Cody, Taylor and Camille. Taylors mom is so wonderful to bring them to the hospital on a regular basis. Today, Andrew was much more into visiting. It is so good to see him make expressions and talking like a regular teen. Tonight we watched some tv. Andrew wants to eat now. He wants me to smuggle food to him. Oh boy! He asked me if he could lick my food container. They will allow him some chicken broth. They started him on a new med to help with this problem. Hopefully, we will see things progress to him eating. He told me that he took a sip of my sprite when I wasn't looking. I am going to have to keep contraband out of his room!!

Real Soccer

Sunday I was able to go to our church for the first time since the accident. I really enjoyed being there. There is always such a good spirit and everyone was so caring. The coolest story I heard was from our neighbor Kathy Barnedt. The day that our ward was holding a special fast for Andrew, her son, Weston, did a very special thing. His buddies, Jason and Isaac, asked him if he was going to fast. Weston had forgotten so he decided to skip his regular school lunch. Weston is in fifth grade. I thought this was an amazing sacrifice made for Andrew. What a cool kid! It was very touching for me to hear the prayer at our meeting and the pleas for Andrew recovery. I also learned that the neighboring church group, called wards, Spencer Ward has also been praying for Andrew. There is a special benefit that people have put together for Andrew. It is on Dec. 7 at the Junior High. Thanks in advance to Bro. Griffin who is donating his time and talents for this event. Andrew had a CT scan today just to double check his stomach and intestines. He has had some pain. They are guessing a week to ten days for his escape from the hospital. We will know the results later. Tonight Randall's brother Byron brought up his projector so Andrew could watch the REAL game on his hospital room wall. It is big screen sized. Andrew's neighbor is going to hop in his wheel chair and watch the game with him. Andrew visited with Joy and Connor, Dustin and Kristin, Ashley and Dustin, Byron and Deon. I just want to end this blog with a thought about faith in God. This experience has brought out faith in people all over the world. People of so many different faiths have come together for one purpose, Andrew's well being. God has truly shown his mighty hand in Andrew's recovery.

Making Strides

Saturday Andrew and Randall hung out together. Andrew walked all the way to the gym from his room and back. It is quite amazing the progress that he is making. They watched the BYU game and a movie. Andrew is complaining about his stomach hurting. They think it is the new formula of liquid food that they are giving him. Dr. Downey, our surgeon, came by for a "social visit" before he leaves town. The surgical team has been extraordinary. Randall was standing in line to buy his breakfast and Dr. Scaff bought his food for him. At home, I caught up on a few things. I took Aaron shopping for clothes. He was wearing super holey pants. Aaron went with our church group to the BYU football game in Provo. After that he went to the Jazz game with Grandpa Spilker. Amanda and I put the Christmas lights on the tree. We got 2/3 of the way through before the remaining lights wouldn't work. Murphy's Law.

Enjoying a Mini Concert

Friday was a busy day. Andrew dressed himself first thing in the morning. He is doing so well with occupational therapy that they will visit him just a couple times a week now. In speech therapy he counted money and giving change back. He does very well. He was feeling sick so I let him rest a bit. Aaaron, Kortny, John and Matt came by just as the music therapist, Yosif, was playing a song for Andrew. So we broke the rules and let them all in his room. The boys borrowed two guitars and gave Andrew a mini concert. He really enjoyed it. After they started talking about remember when... . It has something to do with dry ice and destroying something. They had Andrew laughing. Kortny has lunch with me. It is so nice to have company for lunch. After lunch, it was time for physical therapy. The boys took him to the gym while I showered. Unfortunately, he felt too sick to do much. So we took him back to his room. We were able to get the Davis v Bingham game on the slingbox on our computer. Slingbox is great if you can't get it on your tv. We used it a lot when we were in Germany to get General Conference and the Superbowl. Andrew enjoyed the first half with Tony his friend in the NTU. Then he fell asleep for the rest. When he woke up he didn't feel well and was awnry. I tried to help but my helping didn't help. Oh well. Randall came up so that I could have a couple days at home. After I left, Randall motivated Andrew to get up and he walked to the elevator from his room. I was amazed when I heard that. So I decided that it is good to play the second string to give the first string a rest! Saturday will be 8 weeks.

Come Unto Me

Thursday started with a care conference for Andrew bright and early 8:00 a.m. Things are going well. The one thing that seems to be keeping Andrew in the hospital is that he needs to gain weight. His duodenum is getting pinched because of weight loss. This is causing bile to back up into his stomach. So they have the NG tube suctioning out the bile. He gained 5 pounds in four days. Hopefully he will continue to gain and the weight gain will solve the problem. So now the trick is to keep Andrew's spirit up! Today we finished the book that we have been reading together. Andrew did very well in his therapy classes. He sometimes feels sick to his stomach so it takes a lot of will to get up and go to PT. I am so please with his courage. It isn't easy so today we had a good cry together. Sometimes that does the trick. Afterwards we had a talk about the scripture "Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I shall give you rest". Because of Christ's atonement, we can literally ask the Savior to help us carry our burdens. You must ask and you must exercise faith. Andrew's big goal is to go home. We have to remember that there are small achievements to celebrate. Andrew would really like to go home by Thanksgiving. That may or may not happen. We are just thankful that he continues to progress. Tonight Ariel, Mckinsey, and I went to the Legacy rest-home in West Jordan to perform for their 10th anniversary. It is nice to be able to put a smile on someone's face just because you obeyed your mom and practiced the piano. It was a very nice place and we had a large group to perform for. When I got back to the hospital, Randall and Andrew were enjoying the Utah Jazz game that ended in a victory. All of the time people ask what they can do. I thought of something today. If anyone would like to send words of encouragement to Andrew that would be great. You can send a note to him through my email at spilkermm@hotmail.com Thank you so much for the love and support!

It's Just Window Dressing

Today Andrew had his wound vacs changed. It takes about an hour. He has to hold still so it feels longer to him. Everything is healing well. The wound team does a great job. The surgeon stopped in twice yesterday and twice today. He is a really great doctor. Andrew is his wonderboy so he likes to keep an eye on him. The NG tube is working well. Hopefully we will notice a difference in the next two days. They weigh him every two days. He has gained five pounds since the last time. Andrew tries to sit up as much as he can stand during the day. Ashley and Dustin spend the afternoon with Andrew. We took him outside to see baby Harper. I had Harper wrapped in a Ute's blanket. It was cold out so I decided to put a beanie on him. The only beanie that I had was a Y beanie. So I took him out like that knowing that his dad wouldn't appreciate that. Both Ashley and Dustin were in Ute sweat shirts. Pretty funny! We spent the evening watching a movie. I have enjoyed spending extra time with Andrew. We are looking forward to the big homecoming! Tomorrow we have the care conference. We will know better what our time table is. We are so thankful for the cards with words of encouragement. Andrew enjoys hearing from people. I know so many people at the hospital now. I can't go two steps without having to stop and talk to someone. "How's Andrew?" I even ran into a mom from Kaysville who is in our unit for swine flu. Andrew has come a long way but he still has a lot to conquer. We hope that he will have a good transition to home. The holidays are upon us. I usually worry about a lot of little stuff. This year I have learned that if you have your family around you, that is as good as it gets!! All the "stuff" is just window dressing. Open your eyes as see how much you have really been blessed. Some people get down at Christmas. Serving other people is the answer. There are people in real tough situations waiting for someone to care. We are so blessed to have love and support. Thanks to all!

A Prayer Shawl

Tuesday was a tough day. It started with Andrew hearing that he will leave on Friday. We take that with a grain of salt. There are a lot of different people who have to weigh in on that decision. He just didn't feel very good. He suffered through his therapy classes. His book worked looked so good today. His hand writing is as good as it ever was. So we were happy. I finally had a moment to dry my hair. I had finished half my head when Nicole W. came in and said that I have visitors. I reluctantly went out to see who it was. It was Andrew's principal, asst. principal and Mr. Brown, his counselor. We had a nice visit. Then I took them to visit Andrew. It is great to have so much support from the family, church, community and school. After classes he started to feel sick again. Dr. Downey came by to talk about a couple things. All along he has compared Andrew to a severe burn patient. His system has been through that kind of shock. He called it hyper metabolic. It takes a good amount of time for the body to settle down after a major shock. It kind of reminded me of my hyper thyroid. Your heart acts like it is on a treadmill 24/7. Later in the afternoon, Ariel came by. It was decided that they needed to put an NG tube in to suction out his stomach. It was not fun. So he was stuck to his bed for a time. Kristin came by to give his hair a spruce up. She did a great job and it made him happy. Wow! I can't believe the stories that I hear up here. The mother of the missionary who is next door to Andrew, shared a bit with me. They have had to quit their jobs for their son. They had jobs that required traveling. So she and her husband are basically unemployed. She has put it in God's hands. Someone said to me "how can you continue to do what you're doing?". What they don't understand is that when it is your child, you do what needs to be done. It is not a burden to serve a loved one. While I was at dinner, Trevor and his dad came by. They brought something really cool. It is a prayer shawl from St. Joan of Arc Church in Ohio. It came with a letter from the Women's Guild. They started doing this five years ago. Many prayers and blessings are knitted into every shawl. We thought it was a really nice gift. I showed it to a couple of PCMC chaplains. They really liked it too! So thank you so much. It was very thoughtful and useful. Tonight Andrew is pretty subdued. It is hard to rehabilitate when you stomach feels icky. Hopefully we will start to make headway on this problem. We know that he will recover and just have to be very patient. Andrew doesn't really get how far he has come. He is a little more impatient. Tonight, Dr. Downey came in to visit Andrew. I can't believe what wonderful doctors we have. He wanted to check on him before leaving. Then he got a call that will keep him here for some time. I found out that I have an 8:00 meeting with a home rehab group. I don't know who decided on 8:00 a.m.! Early to bed for me!! They will change Andrew's wound vacs tomorrow.

Pinch, Poke and Release

We had a nice day today. First thing this morning, Andrew said "so what do I have to do to get out of here?" I thought that showed the correct attitude. Basically, he has to get stronger and go to his classes for longer periods of time. The nurse came in and handed me the shot needle. She said "I heard you want to learn how". Ok. I thought. I usually close my eyes when I see shots on tv. They gave me a handout to read and then turned me lose. Andrew gave me a vote of confidence by saying "If you hurt me, I'll kill you". The paper was missing an important point. It said pinch the skin, poke, release the skin and empty the syringe. So I pinched, poked, and released the skin. Oops! The needle came out. You have to follow the skin back with the needle. I felt so bad. I had to do it again. This time it worked great. I never said I was nurse material. Grandma Spilker came up just in time for me to shower while Andrew went to his therapy classes. He is getting a little stronger every day. Sitting and standing is a big effort. Andrew climbed stairs again and shot a few basketballs. Today is shower day for Andrew. Afterwards, the wound team changed his wound vacs. Things looked great. He is healing nicely. Andrew went to a class this afternoon. It took a great effort but he did it. The hospital chaplains visit us every day. They are wonderful people who volunteer their time to spread hope and faith. They were praying with Andrew when I came up from picking up dinner. Andrew understands that prayer has been a huge factor in his recovery. This evening we watched a movie. Andrew chose "Waterboy" again. The goal is to get Andrew home in time for Thanksgiving. We are praying that things will come together for this to happen. Alex is coming home for the holiday. It would be the best thing ever!!

That's What Friends are For

Day 51- Sunday, Andrew got up and walked out his door around to a window. Then we took him for a ride around the hospital. The surgeon decided that he would solve his nausia problem today. They did a lower GI scan. It showed that because of weight loss there is bile backing up into his stomach. The long and short of it is that they can increase his feedings up to 3,000 calories / day. As he gains weight, it will correct itself. He also needs to sit up for longer periods. Sitting up is the hard part. Just think about how weak you get after you've been sick. It is quite a challenge for Andrew. Mike and Connor stopped in. Then John, Matt, Ethan, McKinsey, Adam and Josh took turns visiting. Then Taylor, Camille, and Cody came to cheer Andrew up. That's what friends are for! The hard part about rehabilitation is having the will to fight your weak body. Earlier today, we had the sacrament brought to us in Andrew's room. He wanted to take it but couldn't because of his eating restrictions. Right now he can only have enough water to get his pills down. It is hard for Andrew to feel happy at this point. We try to assure him that every day he is moving closer to his goal to get back to his life. Andrew loves his friends. He can't wait to get out of here. It is our hope that he will be home in time for Thanksgiving. I will learn how to give shots this week. I will practice on Aaron. Just kidding! We are so blessed in so many ways.

It is a Cold, Cruel World

Thursday night turned out to be loads of fun. I must admit that during this experience I felt truly sorry for myself. It was finally time to go back to the trailer, my little corner of the world. I have some new neighbors, a young couple. It was really cold in the trailer. I never get cold but I put the heat blanket on medium and jumped in. I was into the last 100 pages of my Dan Brown book. I started to notice that I was freezing. So I jumped out of bed to turn up the heat. The bathroom was particularly cold. I almost stuck to the seat. I jumped back into bed. Not getting warmer... I jumped back out to feel the air flow. Cold. So I took out a match to light a burner. By this time my hands are shaking violently. Nothing happen. Yep, I'm out of gas. I quickly made a hot cup of pero. I put on layers of clothes and grab the space heater. Luckily, grandma Spilker is extremely prepared. I found a big feather bed. I close the drapes in the back and pointed the space heater at the bed. I jumped in and turned the heat blanket up to the max. I covered my head and wondered, WHY!!! I had a really good pity party. I thought of Randall all snuggled and warm in our bed at home. I thought about crying but realized the tears would probably just freeze! I wondered if my frozen, lifeless body would be found in the morning. I had my prayers and then pretty soon I noticed that I was finally getting hot. Oh well, it felt real good! Friday was a pretty good day. The biggest complaint is the nausia that he is having. They believe it is related to the NJ feeding tube. Of course, it couldn't be all the meds that they are giving him??? I had the nurse print out everything that he is on. Funny, a lot of the side effects were listed as nausia. We have now come to the conclusion that it is in Andrew's best interest to get out of here as soon as possible. Once we get the go-a-head, he will be able to heal much better at home. No one wants to hang out in the hospital? Randall came up and refilled the gas bottles to the trailer. Andrew is getting up walking, sitting or riding throughout the day. Linda and Johann came to visit for a bit while we grabbed something to eat. Later on, I went with Ariel to the Lyric Opera Concert at the U. It was the first time that I have done anything fun since before the accident. The music was beautiful and I really enjoyed the break. We continue to be amazed and grateful for our wonderful neighbors. Their service is such a gift to our family. We are also thankful for the monetary contributions that we have received. Things are difficult for most people now days. It often takes part-time jobs to supplement the regular job to make ends meet. So I get what a sacrifice it is. For my part, it is a humbling thing to accept help. I wasn't thrilled with the idea. But, I am incredibly grateful. My new job will be "nurse mommy". The hospital is concerned that I have a team to help at home. Fortunately, my kids are very adept at learning new skills and very generous with their time. I also know that I can call on my ward (church group) for help. So I say "Bring it On!" Let's all pray that things come together so that Andrew can finally come home!

Climbing Stairs

In the last blog, I failed to mentioned that Maxine Hamblin came to visit. We love having Maxine as our neighbor. She is a great person. She was the first person to help when the accident happened. Friday started kind of yucky but once I got him going, he did great. Andrew had three therapy classes in a row. In PT, he climb four stairs. He didn't even pause. Right up and right down. We were amazed. Next he did some soccer kicks. He tried one standing up. That was a lot of effort. He even wheeled the wheel chair by himself. I push the pole behind him. He took a good nap. We tried having another PT session after his nap. Connor, Cody, Seth, Camille and Taylor came by. They went to PT with him. Unfortunately, it was cut short. Andrew got sick to his stomach. It is amazing how much effort it takes the body to recover its strength. We love Andrew's PT, Janine, she is an amazing person, very motivational. Connor wheeled him back. Then they took turns visiting. We try to obey the rules so that I don't get yelled at! Aaron and Kortny came by on their way to the Davis game. Kortny sat with me during my dinner. It get's lonely eating by yourself all the time. She was great company. Then Julie and her sister came by to visit. So Andrew had a few good visits. Afterwards, we watched the Jazz game on slingbox. Finally we turned on a movie. It was a good day. There is a lot of talk about getting Andrew home by Thanksgiving. We will see. He does need to cooperate with the psychology department. He told one of their reps to "go away"! I think that means he's getting better. He is tired of answering "dumb" questions. They keep him moving around here. His progress continues to amaze!

A One Pole Patient

Last night I attempted to sleep in Andrew's room on the couch. I ended up leaving at 2:00 a.m. It was the worst surface I have ever tried to sleep on. Then I couldn't go to sleep. So after a couple hours, it was time to go to the meeting. Randall was stuck in traffic so I had to give the parent's report. Things are proceeding really well. Today I watched the nurse change Andrew from a multiple iv pole to a single pole. All that hangs from it is his feeding tube stuff. Andrew had really good therapy classes today. He played three hands of UNO. A round of Jenga while standing three rounds, sitting three rounds. His physical strength is really helping him recover. He got to have a shower today. One of those luxuries that we all take for granted. He sat in the shower for a long time. Then it was time for him wound vac change. They also took out some sutures and staples. He endured it without any meds. He is very good at relaxation. Medicine is the culprate with his heart issue. So they are weaning those drugs off. But, in weaning off those drugs it brings up old symptoms again. Later this afternoon he started getting aggitated again. Oh well, this too shall pass! Ariel arranged for a massage for Andrew. She came to the hospital for him. Andrew didn't have a good evening. I hope he has a good night. I am done for the day. Now I just have to wait for him to fall asleep. We sure need our Heavenly Father's blessings each day. Thank you for all the prayers!

A Lesson in the ABC's

Wednesday was a great day! Andrew had a great night's sleep. His therapy classes were really good. He played perfection and boogle. The heart team had a look at things. They expect that the drops in his heart rate are due to the meds. They are gradually taking him off a couple different things. So we don't have a definitive answer but a good idea why. PCMC is very thorough in treating the children. Their motto is "The Child First and Always". We have witnessed that to be true. The folks who work here really take care to do the best thing for the patient. We are so impressed with the health care workers on every level. We have had so many kindnesses extended to us. Randall took his lunch to visit with Andrew. It is hard for him because he doesn't get to spend much time here. But we assured him that we are doing well. He has done a great job running the house in my absence. Rick McGurk brought our dog, Lacy, up to the hospital. We bundled up Andrew and took him outside to see her. She gave Andrew a big wet kiss. Yuck! He loved it! He actually stayed longer than I've seen him do before. He sat and pet his dog. It did my heart good to watch. After lunch, I spent some time reading Robinson Crusoe to Andrew. It is a classic story by Daniel Defoe. Then it was time for physical therapy. This is definately the hardest part of the day. Janine parked Andrew's chair at the door of the gym. He walked the entire length of the gym. Next, while sitting down, he kicked a soccer ball with two assistants. He really liked that. Then she let him shoot a basketball for a while. It took a lot out of him but he did great. I had no idea how difficult, yet important, rehabilatation is. The PTs here are great. Andrew played phase ten with Tony. Every day his ability to complete tasks is greater. The doctor is pleased with the NJ feedings that he is getting. His pancrease numbers are still dropping. Now during the day, we hear talk about "when" you go home. I think that things are progressing nicely. At some point they will decide that he can heal at home better than at the hospital. What an amazing thing. Today after a nurse said to him, "you don't remember me but, you are such a miracle." We asked him if he is getting tired of hearing that? He said, "Yes". We said "ok but, you are a miracle." Ashley, Dustin and Harper came up to visit. I was able to tend Harper in the trailer. Harper is a gift from heaven. No matter how worried I was, Harper could always get a smile out of me. Babies are wonderful. We took a nap together with my finger in his hand. He is so sweet. We had a nice evening once they got the wound vac changed again. We just can't seem to get the right placement to keep it from leaking. Tim and Tyler Seeley had a nice visit with Andrew. Andrew can have two visitors at a time. I just wait in the hall. He is now able to enjoy visiting for a time. Have you ever heard the ABC's of success. I heard this some years ago, I can't remember where I got it from. It goes like this. Anything that you can CONCEIVE, if you BELIEVE, you can ACHIEVE. I went over this with Andrew today. Success is 90% attitude, 10% hard work. I believe in approaching life with a positive attitude. You are much more apt to reach higher if you do. My mother gave me the gift of a great example in this. She grew up with some hardship. She lost her right eye in an accident. Her family really struggled through the depression. Yet, in spite of difficulty, her faith enabled her to feel happy and optimistic. I hope that I have conveyed, and can continue to convey this to Andrew. No limits, no boundaries!

I'll Fight Another Day

Last night Ariel stayed in Andrew's room. I got a phone call. His heart rate had dropped a great deal very rapidly but then it would climb back up. This happened about four different times. All of his other vitals were normal. They tried to pick it up on an EKG but, of course, it didn't do it. They weren't terribly concerned. So I tried to relax and go to sleep. Today Andrew had to have a little adjustment on his colostomy bag. We keep having problems with leaking. I am learning how to apply it. Bishop Quist came by for a visit. Dr. Matlock came in to see Andrew. He is pleased with his progress. They have been able to up his NJ feedings. His pancreas numbers are going down. So that it good. Today Andrew chose to have a bad day. We all have them. He didn't want to get out of bed, go for walks, or anything. Tracy Webb (from PICU and we knew her in Germany from church) stopped by for a visit. She is so motivational. She is a Navy Seal. One of a few women from a test pilot program some years ago. She epitomizes courage and strength. She is so great for Andrew. She tells him that she is going to beat him at basketball, no mercy!! I talked to Tracy after she visited Andrew. She recognized a couple of things. The heart issue is most likely due to a medicine. She also said that Andrew needs some buddy time. It is a real bummer to be in a hospital for a long time. He normally gets two shots a day but they added the H1N1 today for three shots. Strangers come in all day and ask questions, poke and make you cough. I realized that we have had all these weeks to get used to this new reality. Andrew is just now coming to terms with things. So we all cut him some slack today. Physical therapy said that he could have today off but tomorrow...no deal! After Tracy's visit, Andrew had a change of heart and decided to let us take him outside. Ashley, Dustin and the baby met us. Andrew got to hold his nephew. The baby was so cute and giggled on cue. The heart team came by just after I left to get some dinner. There were five of them. They decided to put a monitor with a recording device on Andrew for 24 hours. All went well until the doctor said to Andrew "worst case scenerio is that you will have to have a pace maker your entire life." ????? What was he thinking? It made Andrew worry so we had to do some damage control. Some people sure don't have a clue of what tact is. Aaron came up for some bro time and will spend the night. He is not sluffing he has home release first period. We talked Andrew into getting up to use the facilities. The doctor wants him to get up many times for small periods of time instead of once for three hours. There are times when you have to take a day off. Tomorrow will be a new day. The challenges will be waiting for the challenger. How do you find strength, courage, and the will to fight your battles? Love and supprt, prayer and faith. These are the weapons of the day!!

Take Good Care of Yourself

After a good night of sleep, today started with speech therapy for Andrew. Andrew did a little paper work. Next, he had occupational therapy. This is where you brush your teeth, get dressed etc. and then they played a game. After that, Ariel took Andrew on a walk outside. It was really beautiful and Andrew enjoyed the sun on his face. Next, it was time for physical therapy. They played connect four. After that, Andrew lifted a four-pound weight doing some reps and then he walked to the door. Andrew was exhausted so they came back and took a nap. Ariel turned on Twilight, the movie, while he slept. Today was wound vac change day, so he was able to have a shower. About this time, I arrived at the hospital. I had to go have labs for my thyroid issue. Earlier, at 7:00 a.m., I woke up to a call from the hospital. They asked if they could do his wound vacs without anesthesia. I agreed that I thought he could handle it. As the wound team got ready, Tony, from child life, got Andrew to laugh and smile. The first laugh I have heard. In addition to humor, Tony also helps with relaxation. When it was time for the procedure, Ariel put on a little Michael Buble' and Andrew fell asleep through the entire procedure. Andrew's wounds continue to get smaller and to fill in. Everyone gets so excited about it. I watched Water Boy, the movie, with Andrew. Then, I fell asleep. In the evening, we had a visit from Emily and Ian from PICU. Ian was able to answer some of Andrew's questions. They had a nice visit. Later, we had a visit from a wonderful PCMC chaplain that we have known for some time. She hadn't seen Andrew for a week. Andrew had his foot resting on the other knee. We noticed that she walked past his room and then finally walked in. She said, "Andrew?" She couldn't believe it. He looks so good!! I just want to say that we have had the best nurses at PCMC. The PICU is exceptional for saving and stabilizing really injured and sick people. The NTU is exceptional for rehabilitating a sick or injured person. One of the surgeons commented that Andrew's story is as close to the resurrection as you get. He has been amazed with Andrew's progress. So as I reflect on everything that we have experienced, I have come away with a new respect for the body. Sometimes we take for granted that we will have good health no matter what we do. As I have watched the medical folks literally fight for Andrew's life, I wonder why we aren't more careful about our bodies. Lately, I decided to cut down on my sick addiction to Diet Coke. I now go for the DCFDP... Diet Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper. Never take you health for granted!

Loyal Sister Turned Soiled Sister

Last night Andrew asked Ariel to sleep in his room. She said ok. He has had a hard time getting into a good sleep pattern. He couldn't sleep so he asked Ariel to lay down next to him. It worked and they both fell asleep. When she woke up, his bag had leaked on them both. The nurse gave her some hospital pants and got things situated. She had a good laugh! Randall stayed with Andrew today. They watched some sports, and took a walk outside. Uncle Scott, Aunt Robyn and G-ma Martin visited. I went home to spend some time with the other kids. I haven't been able to be with them for a long time. I spent a couple hours with Aaron on his computer. I played a little piano for Ariel and did some dancing with Amanda. It was a really nice day. In the evening we all piled into the car and headed up to the hospital. Randall and Andrew were watching the Dallas game. The nurse stopped me to tell me that Andrew is doing great and that he expect good things for him. Healing takes time but we are so happy with the direction that things are headed in. We ended the day with our usual family prayer. Our family is so grateful for the blessings that have been poured out on us. These blessings have taken many shapes i.e., our neighbor who lets our dog, Lacy, run around in their yard with their dog, Max, or, the wonderful relief society sisters a.k.a. the merry maids. What would we all do withou the relief society? We have met a lot of different families who are in the same boat as we are. The details are different. Maybe it is a newborn baby with internal defects or a 21 year old handicapped missionary who has had six different surgeries. They are such an inspiration of faith and hope. This is an amazing place of healing!!

It Is a Team Effort

Six weeks...Today Andrew pulled off his colostomy bag so they had to redo his wound vac. They usually sedate him for this process but I convinced them that he could do it without. It doesn't hurt but he had to hold still for an hour. His front wound looks really small and good. Tina from the wound team then worked on his three other wound sights. They used something called Medihoney. If you put it on a wound it pulls the bad stuff up and out. We were really pleased with everything they accomplished for Andrew. Ariel, Aaron, Kortny and Amanda took turns hanging out with Andrew. We took off for a couple of hours to get some things done. Aaron played play station 2 with Andrew. Ariel played a card game. Kortny played with Amanda. This is a real team effort. I was able to get a hair cut and color and do some laundry. It is stupid but don't ya feel better when your hair looks good? Later as the Ute game was going on, Ariel and I took Andrew for a ride around the hospital. We ended up running into Andrew's friends from KJH. Taylor Edward's mom brought them up even though she had just endured a foot surgery and was on crutches. They brought Andrew a cool poster, the game ball from the winning game at district for KJH girl's volleyball (signed), a video of their season, and a book (Christmas Jars) and jar of money. When I heard that they were giving the game ball to Andrew, I cried. What a bunch of awesome friends! They wrote his name on their arms at their games. They gave Andrew a hug before leaving. Andrew doesn't really feel like smiling. It makes me hurt inside when I notice. Today he felt discouraged. I reminded him that it hasn't even been a week since he left the ICU and yet he can walk 30 ft with a walker. He said "I need to be patient." Isn't that something we all need to learn. If I could, I would speed this up to the happy ending. But that is not the purpose of life. We need to learn in small increments. Small steps of faith. Andrew is beginning to look at pictures from the past weeks. It is important for him to know. We just want him to see that this was an accident and that he will find happiness again. Our Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. We will work to help Andrew be happy once again! We know that he can with the help of the comforting spirit of our Father in Heaven and great friends.

A Watched Pot Never Boils

Friday is my favorite day! Andrew had a better night. He slept for two hours and then again for four. Andrew had an NG tube placed in his nose down to the intensine. This will allow them to give his body nutrition without upsetting the pancreas. They took a scan as they placed it. It bipassed the stomach and the pancreas. Next, they placed a new iv because his pic line was clogged. Andrew had a great day in his different therapy classes. One therapist brought him a beach ball and a three foot bar. He held the bar while she threw the ball at him. It required some of the goalie skills that he has. I told her that he was going easy on her! During physical therapy he walked about 30 feet with a walker. Janine, the therapist, then had him shoot bean bags into a barrel. The bean bags were put up by two of us in different locations on each side. He has a lot of heart and really puts effort into the physical therapy. The music department brought a yamaha guitar for Andrew to play. He enjoyed playing it for a while. Around 2:00 p.m. he looked at the clock and said "it's only 2:00, I'm bored!". Tony from CL came and played "phase ten" with Andrew. After that I started a book with him and then we played catch for a while. The surgeon visited Andrew and allowed him a little more water. The kidney doctor visited and told us that she is changing his blood pressure medicine just to tweak things a bit. Alex called from Fort Lewis to talk to Andrew. Finally, it was 6:00 and dad came to visit. Ashley came a little later while we had something to eat. We spent the evening watching a movie. Andrew has a bunch of pills to take every night ending with a sleeping pill. I am beginning to learn some of the things that will need to be cared for once we go home. It isn't too difficult. We will probably need a home health care service too. Andrew is looking forward to going home! He felt so bored at one point I said, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." He didn't buy it. Ok, so time really dragged today. I don't know why, but it did!

Reality Check

So in case there are those following this blog who think that it is weird that our family is handling this a little too well, today we didn't! The stress of week after week of worry, living at the hospital for some, and separation for others has taken its toll. Yes, we are normal, we sometimes really bug each other. So tonight we all had to go to our respective corners to regroup. My job is to handle things at the hospital, Randall will be handling things at home and work. We are exhausted and really spent but must keep movin'on. I suppose the pioneers who settled Utah had their "moments". Think about it. Can you imagine being in a wagon for months on end with your family. Sometimes we have had trouble just driving to Salt Lake from Kaysville! Sometimes too much family time can be a stress. We learned that when we moved to Germany. When we first arrived, we didn't have friends, telephone, tv, or computer for a couple months. We really started to irritate each other. I suppose in the eternities we will be more mature and able to handle "quantity" family time. Well, on the other end of the spectrum, Andrew had a great day. He was able to have a shower before they changed his wound vacs. His wounds are really healing. They could see a difference from a few days ago. Andrew slept for three hours this afternoon. Ian, his nurse from the PICU, came by to visit with him and he took care of the wound vac procedure. Ian is one of those gifted, extraordinary people who is able to heal others by their skill and presence. We will never forget the work that he has done for Andrew and the help he has given our family. After the procedure, I sat by him and enjoyed listening to him really sleep for the first time. His surgeon came by later to visit with him. The surgeons are so pleased with their work and with Andrew. Tonight I watched a little tv with him. He looked so good and he was interested in finding some music that he likes. He had a very calm day. We had an 8 am meeting with the staff of about 18 people regarding Andrew. It is a little strange to sit in on such a big meeting regarding one of your children. The meeting eventually got around to talking about his discharge. It is still some time away but exciting to ponder. Andrew will come home with some accessories i.e., wound vacs, feeding tube, and colostomy bag. They asked us what we were willing to do at home with medical care. We said that we would trust their timing and that we figured we could learn anything that needed to be done. I have zero experience with home health care so it will be interesting!

Andrew's New Schedule

This morning I answered the phone and it was Andrew. He wanted to know when I was coming up! I hurried and dryed my hair and then it was off to the races! Andrew took two rides outside today. I am getting good at pushing the iv cart. The weather has been so nice. Andrew enjoys sitting in the sun. Today as he sat there, a golden retriever ran up to him and sat down by him. The therapy dog wanted to visit with Andrew. Julie and Ariel helped take Andrew to the third floor where they have an outdoor patio. There is a display case with Steve Young, Karl Malone etc. jerseys. Andrew has a schedule now. He meets with different people who work on various areas of his recovery. Andrew did a puzzle today, and a couple of math figures. Next he took a nap. Then it was time for physical therapy. He walked about 10 steps, and did some leg lifts. I met with the education director. She will coordinate with KJH regarding his educational needs. We are so impressed with the team that is backing Andrew's recovery. They don't miss a thing. Right now Andrew needs a lot of quiet. He doesn't like loud talking or a lot of busy things going on in his room. When we are in his room, we only talk in very quiet tones and less is more. The doctors have requested that if someone visits, that it happen after 5 o'clock. The visits need to be brief, like 15 minutes. Only two people (including parents) can be in the room at a time. It is best to call ahead because sometimes he simply wants to be alone. I've watched him cover his face with a pillow if someone talks too long. Tonight I watched the World Series with him. Then we had a visit by the hospital chaplain. She said a very nice prayer for Andrew. Afterwards, we watched a movie and then had a little scripture reading by dad. Andrew talked to Aaron and John and Matt on the phone. It is the first time that he seemed to enjoy talking on the phone. Every day there is progress. We are so grateful for our blessings. We are so grateful for our family. Life looks different now. All the things that used to concern me just don't seem to matter any more. There is so much good that a person can do if we just look for the opportunities. Tonight we read the scripture that basically says if you should labor all your days in serving God you would still be unable to repay his goodness to you. God is always helping and blessing us. You should hear Andrew's prayers. He understands where he has come from. He understands the blessings that he has received and he is so grateful!

I'm Movin' On

Today Andrew took a ride outside with his nurse to sit in the sun. We met with the surgeon, nurses and staff to discuss the next phase for Andrew. Then Andrew took a victory ride around the PICU and moved into this new room in the NTU unit. It is really nice and it is already making a difference. He took a nap, did a little written work, and went to the gym. He took about 16 steps with the help of a walker. A little later he stood up by himself from the wheel chair. Andrew even talked about the accident. He doesn't remember anything before falling backwards. He wants to know about his condition and has a lot to say. We were told that it is possible that they might write him up for the medical books. It is extremely rare for someone to survive ECMO with an abdomenal injury. One nurse said around 5% change of survival. So a lot of people in the hospital know about him and are so happy with his recovery. Tonight they tried a different sleeping pill. Hopefully, he will get a good block of sleep. So many different miraculous things have happened for Andrew. When he said his prayers tonight, it was with great sincerity and faith. He knows that Heavenly Father has watched over him in his hour of need. We know that angels watch over the children!

Let Me Be Myself

Today was a busy day for Andrew. First the wound team changed his wound vacs. They looked really good. They put a patch of collagen over the back wound to stimulate healing. The results from his CT scan showed that he has a large blood clot near the veina cava where the bullet knicked it. They have doubled his dose of blood thinner. The more movement he has now the better. I watched him brush his own teeth. He threw his Jazz ball to me, sometimes at me. His nurses name was Susan today. When she went into the hall while he wanted some water, he called her name. "Susan, Susan". She ignored him so he call "Suzie, Suzie". A little later, he was throwing a fit when the Geico (cavemen) commercial came on. He stopped fussing and starting singing, "Let me by myself. If you want to, let me by myself... . " After that we watched some hockey on the tv. I got him to sleep for a 1/2 hour. He only slept for an hour last night. Tonight they are going to double his dose of sleeping meds. We got him into his wheelchair and took him for a spin out to the angel garden. Then we took a tour of the NTU wing where his new room will be tomorrow. He will have a nice view. We went into the rehab gym. He wanted to know where the hot tub was. Tonight he listened to some of the Jazz while watching the World Series on the tv. Tomorrow we have a big meeting with the medical staff about the move and what is next for Andrew. Andrew is getting stronger everyday. Just beware of the flying pillows. There are so many children in need up here. If you are feeling self-absorbed visit a children's hospital. It will cure you real fast! Be happy, life is good!

Watching the Sun Set

Sunday was a beautiful day in Salt Lake. There was a strong sunshine coming in the windows. Andrew did not sleep once again. He was awake all night. We had worked really hard at keeping him awake. We thought that he would sleep. But no deal. First thing today, Andrew had a CT scan of his stomach. They were checking for cysts. They didn't find anything remarkable. Today each of our six children came up to the hospital. We had special permission to meet together in Andrew's room. We had a chaplain take some pictures. Andrew is sitting in the chair in them. Next, the rest of us knelt down and we had a family prayer. A little later, around sunset, we got Andrew in a wheelchair and took him through the new ICU wing and then downstairs. First we wrapped him up in the quilt made by Taylor E. and friends, and put a Jazz beanie on his head. The quilt is really nice and warm. Perfect for a stroll outside. Ashley, Dustin, Harper (a bee for Halloween) and Amanda were waiting outside as we came out the doors. It was a great moment! The first time he has left the hospital to go outside. We parked him by the water fountains. He really seemed to enjoy it. Andrew remembers what happened to him. He even remembers flying in LifeFlight. He is very grateful for the knowledge that Alex had to save his life, for Aaaron's help, and for the blessings/prayers that Randall gave him. Tonight, I spoke to my brother-in-law, Max, who is a retired Lieutenant Colonel (Air Force) and my sister Janice. Max commented about how the training that Alex received from the Army kicked in to help him do what needed to be done. He said to tell Alex that he is very proud of him. Janice and I talked about how fun it is to be grandparents. We are so grateful for all of the support that our family has receivied from family and friends near and far. We feel incredibly thankful that Andrew is such a fighter. We are thankful that it was not yet his time to go. We recognize that God knows the masterplan for each soul's life. Jesus Christ marked the path at every point. It is up to us if we will follow. He said "Come Follow Me" to his disciples. The choice is ours.