Things to Remember Week of 7-13-14

ROLLING OVER

Sunday night Steve got a call from my Dad saying that he had wrecked the 4-wheeler and that he would be pushing the 4-wheeler down the mountain, but when Steve went up to look for him, he couldn't find him and nobody who had been up there had seen him.  He panicked a little and decided to go back for the car.  This was when he called me.  We were on our way home from the family meeting and were almost to their exit.  I decided to call the Sheriff to find out if we could get some help when things got bad.  They dispatched someone right away.  We got up to Steve as he and Jauslin were pulling out of the driveway.  We all drove up to the B and waited (for a very long time I might add) for the cop to show up.  Once he got there we all decided that Steve and I would go up with the officer.  I thought it would be best for the kids to go home so I asked Nate to take them home.  The second cop showed up and asked, "I know this might sound crazy, but has anyone checked his home?"  Yes, that did sound a little crazy since we'd just been there and then sat at the crossroads for the past hour.  He would have had to pass us to get home.  But just in case, I asked Nate to stop at my Dad's on their way back down the hill. So off we went.  Steve and I chatted with the officer as we looked around.  I wasn't sure what we were looking for and the cop drove so slowly that I just didn't feel like this was going to be the most productive route.  I figured the search and rescue team would be on it soon enough and that was a relief, but I hated the thought of not being there when he was found.  Even though part of me thought we would find him with a few scratches and have to listen to him make fun of me for getting all worked up over nothing.  I HOPED it was nothing serious.  After about 20 minutes of driving up the mountain, we got a call from Jauslin saying that my Dad had just pulled up his driveway!  Steve and I were shocked!  How could he have gotten home without passing us!!!  I was dying to hear the whole story.  A couple minutes later I got a call from Jauslin saying that we needed to get an ambulance there asap.  He had removed his hoodie and revealed his blood covered head and then as Nate had helped him off his 4-wheeler, he collapsed in his arms.  Completely passed out. They knew something was wrong.  This worried me a little, but I still thought things were going to be okay.  After a very long and slow drive down the mountain, we lead the officer to my Dad's house.  We parked in the neighbor's driveway as there were several law enforcement vehicles and an ambulance (with it's lights on of course- how embarrassing).  We ran right up into the garage and found my Dad laying on the garage floor with no shirt, insisting that it was just a bruise and that he would be fine.  The Paramedics were so annoyed with him and kept telling him that he needed to go to the hospital.  He kept saying he would go inside and just go to the doctor tomorrow.  I told him I would help him out, and the minute we tried to stand him up, he blacked out.  He was unable to stand on his own at all.  He came to and we informed him of what had just happened.  He was still sure it was just a bruise and he was going to be fine.  It wasn't til I saw him passed out and completely listless that I started campaigning for the paramedics.  I offered to take him to the hospital myself to avoid the hefty bill that would follow a ride in an ambulance.  The paramedics weren't thrilled about it, but they consented and one of them actually picked up my Dad in his arms and stuck him in my car.  He of course passed out when he got in the car too.  This was getting scary for me.  He just looked so old when he was passed out.  Not the way my young dad has ever looked to me.  We got Jack out of the back seat and Steve and I drove down to the ER.  We had funny conversations about my Dad not knowing who the President was.  I know he joked about it later, but he so didn't know right then.  That was a sure sign of a concussion to me.  He kept asking if it was really 12:00 :).  Makes me laugh still.  Once we got to the ER things seemed relaxed a little.  The guy who helped my Dad most of the night, Erik, was a really nice guy.  Talked Air Force with my Dad a lot and it felt like my Dad was a lot more coherent.  They took him down for x-rays and a CT scan.  We watched them clean out his head wound which was SO incredibly intense!!  That cut was SO deep.  I don't think I've ever seen a cut that deep.  They had to clean out all the chunks of road and stuck a whole bunch of gauze in there to dry it up... I was in awe.  I seriously haven't seen anything like that in person.  I wish I'd looked closer...  Anyway, the (kind of rude) doctor stitched up his head- seven stitches- while lecturing him on wearing helmets and not getting out of your car when you get pulled over.  He was annoying.  Then he informed us that my Dad had broken his collar bone and his pelvic bone in two places.  Both breaks that don't require casting.  My Dad of course had to joke about how he really didn't need to come to the hospital afterall.  They got him some crutches and quickly discharged him.  Then it was a long hour and half to get him standing up (passed out, then laying back down, then sitting up slowly and THEN standing up again) and into the wheelchair, then out to his car.  It was such a lengthy process that I started to panic a little about how we were going to get him out of his car and into his house.  We were just not equipped!  We started to head toward Walgreens to get his pain meds, because I thought having them in his system while we transferred him would make it easier.  Well that idea failed because we had sent his wallet up to the house in his dirty clothes with Steve earlier.  I regret not keeping in the car to go get the drugs because the course of events that played after that was just insanity.  We got up to his house and he insisted that he go inside.  Not an easy task.  He passed out about 3 times, once pinning me to his car, before we finally resorted to carrying him into his house.  It would have worked better if Steve and I were smaller.  What a job that was.  I was praying so hard!  I couldn't believe how difficult it all was.  Especially to see my Dad passed out half the time.  Once we got him in bed he went into complete shock.  He was shaking like crazy and needed lots of blankets.  I liked my idea to put the blanket in the dryer for a few minutes :).  He was so not good though.  It was so scary.  I sent Steve and Jauslin to get his drugs and some other things.  We got him some water and crackers and his pills and he was off to sleep.  It was around 5:00 am by this time.  I wasn't sure what to do.  I didn't want to leave him alone.  I contemplated sleeping on his floor, but he insisted that I sleep in the extra room.  I couldn't, so I compromised and slept on the couch.  This way I could still hear him when he got up in the night.  Which he had to do a few times.  It was hard to help him.  I don't really know how much help I was, but I was glad to be there for him.  The next two days involved getting him from computer chair to computer chair, to roll him around his house so that he could work from home.  Those annoying steps made it impossible to just make a clean push through to the living room... kind of annoying.  But it worked.  I enjoyed spending time with Steve, Jauslin and my Dad for those two days.  I only came home a couple times to shower, but it felt necessary.  It just happened to be during Nate's time off.  We finally got him to the doctor on Tuesday afternoon.  He reassured us that the pelvic bone was not a clean break and that he should heal just fine.  Then he did another x-ray of his collar bone and said that while it is a place that usually requires help, he didn't think my Dad would need it, but to come back in six weeks for a follow-up.  That was a relief.  We stopped to get snow cones on our way home :).  That was when my Dad got to try out the wheel chair for the first time too :).  He was having a ball.  Riding around the parking lot like a crazy person.  It was a lot of fun.  The wheelchair helped a lot to keep things simple at home, but those dumb steps were still in the way.  Course on Wednesday afternoon, when we went up there to check on him (the kids and I), he told us about how he had fallen over backwards in the wheelchair while trying to go down the step by himself.  Took him 45 minutes to get up.  Poor guy.  Then Kambree didn't help when she leaned on him as he was getting out of the car at the snow cone place (yes, two days in a row :)  ).  Luckily, on Wednesday night Brent was back from Bear Lake and was able to put in some ramps for him.  That was probably priceless.  I haven't even been up there since then.  He's totally independent from what I hear.  It was a long few days there, but I think he's getting better.  He gets dizzy a lot still, symptom of the concussion, but he does look better.  He even went to work on Thursday and Friday.  It was pretty scary, but I'm glad that things are as good as they are.  It really could have been worse.  7-13-14

NATE'S NEW CALLING!
We met with a member of the Stake Presidency this week- Pres. Mulstein (sp), and he extended a call to Nate to serve as the first counselor in the Elder's Quorum.  What a surprise that was!  Especially with all the talk about YM recently.  Nate was surprised, but of course accepted it with a smile.  He was curious who the President would be and when he found out it was Travis Maughan, he felt a huge sense of relief.  I'm always happy for a calling in the Elder's Quorum Presidency because of all the many times we've been blessed because of it, but I was a little sad for him at the same time.  He's loved being with the Priests so much and I know how much the Priests love him.  It was a little bittersweet.  But that's how it goes!  It all works out and it's all part of Heavenly Father's plan.  Nate will do great!  Pres. Mulstein asked that we not talk about the new call to anyone, so hanging out with Emily that evening was torture!  I am horrible at keeping secrets, but I did it!  I still can't believe they were able to keep it a secret through our campout last weekend!!  Amazing.  7-16-14

SWIMMING
I took the kids to Farmington Pool on Friday.  Kambree came with us.  It was a lot of fun!  Not quite as much fun as the ward party since I had to stay on the side with Jack (he's still so afraid of the water, it's so sad!), but Becky and her kids were there too, so they managed to have some fun without me :).  Jack actually ended up falling asleep on my shoulder and so we went and sat on the lawn chair for a little while.  And nobody would know it from just looking at me, but I think my legs actually got some sun in the process!  Wahoo!  I hated the fact that I started my period while we were there and luckily I was prepared and didn't have to haul everyone out of their early for something so ridiculous.  Still not pregnant.  Kind of a bummer.  But with the OPK tests that I've been taking, it looks like I AM ovulating, so that's encouraging.  I think it helps me to remember that it just isn't time yet.  Hopefully it will be someday.  7-18-14

CHARLIE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
Charlie's birthday was on Friday as well.  We went up to their house and since Dad is still somewhat immobile they decided to have things up on the lawn.  It was a pretty nice time.  Charlie was cute and shy about his birthday.  He seemed to have a good time though.  7-18-14

LATE NIGHT IN THE CHURCH
The Young Women were wanting to have a sleepover at the church to say goodbye to it since we're changing buildings.  The sleepover wasn't approved, but they were able to get a late night!  It was on Friday during the party and then while Nate was working the Mid, so I didn't get to go, but Charity went.  She had a great time.  They played all kinds of fun games (cell phone tag- new to me), danced, indexed, did some Personal Progress... sounded like I really missed out really :).  I'm still waiting to see the video of Liz dancing on her bumb :).  I love Young Womens.  7-18-14