HOSPITAL ROOM WITH A VIEW

Fast Sunday is always good.  The priesthood took over most of the meeting.  I love it when that happens.  Brother Darling asked if the testimonies could be short; they were and so many were able to bear.  I noticed that all through the meeting Dad was sending many messages to the doctor on the heart monitor phone.  After church we headed to choir practice.  When we got to the clubhouse dad said he just didn’t’ feel well and was going home.  I went with him and no sooner had we walked in the door than the phone rang.  It was the doctor at the heart monitor office saying that dad’s heart had quit for 6 seconds every few minutes.  He asked what hospital we used and when I told him he said someone would be waiting for us.  We called the boys to meet us there and headed to the hospital.  Within 30 minutes he was in bed all hooked up to monitors. 

The nurses said he would be getting a pace maker.  Before the nurses were through the boys and the wives were there.  The blessing Erik gave Dad was so wonderful.  The amazing thing was that shortly before he finished the whole mood of the blessing changed.  He became very positive and told Dad he had a longer life to live and more work to be done.  It was amazing.  When he was finished Scott looked at me and said.  "You’re next.  You look like you need a blessing."  I had been doing a great deal of crying and Dad had been weepy also.  Scott gave me a beautiful blessing and I felt so calm and peaceful after that.  In fact I haven’t cried since.  How blessed we are to have sons worthy enough to come to our aide at any moment.  We loved that Shanelle and Bethany came too. 

President Cherry and Susie came to visit.  We love them.

The nurses shaved Dad’s chest (I asked them to wax it) and prepared him for surgery.  Dr. Hwang changed his mind and said they would wait until the new medicine Dad was taking had gone through his body to see if that was the problem. which would avoid the surgery.  Dad was very relieved.  I decided to just spend the night there because I could watch the monitor.  His blood pressure was okay but his heart rate was all over the place and his heart was still stopping.  In the middle of the night the rate went to 28.  Before I could move the nurse was in there putting something in his IV.  It had been at 41-47 all day which isn’t good.  It was a very nervous time. 

Our regular cardiologists visited us every day several times.

Monday morning Dr. Hwang (a Korean) came in to say the surgery would take place later that day; his heart was very irregular.  It was a long day and hard to stay calm.  We just wanted it over.  We found out George’s fishing buddy was on the same floor waiting for an oblation.  They fish together at least once a week.  They even go ice fishing in the winter.  We had to wait for Cliff’s operation before Dad could go in for his.  We finally got in at 4:00.  The operation went very well and he is doing fine.  The girls sent dad balloons.

We were able to go home the next evening.  They wanted to make sure the pace maker was doing its job.  We now have a monitor that is not hooked to him under his side of the bed.  When he goes to bed at night the monitor downloads his pace maker from the day and sends the information out.  How amazing modern medicine is.

Scott brought us dinner that night when we got home.  Dad was very tired and after being in the hospital 3 days both of us had a great night’s sleep.  George didn’t wake up until 7:45.

Dad has his arm in a wrap because he can’t raise it.  The pace maker is attached to his heart by screws and they need to have time to implant.  He cannot be in front of a microwave or his i-pad and has to avoid electrical things like store beepers.  He will not be able to raise his arm for a month.  When I woke up this morning he had both hands behind his head so this is going to be tricky.

President Cherry stopped by as well as Erik and Shanelle to see how he was doing.  They showed him how to do his diet on the computer.  He is permitted 2000 calories this week and then only 1500.  He really is on top of things.  Dennis Stoutsenberger came by in that our furnace is broken and it gets very cold.  He showed me what to bang on and it works every time I do that.  

We are hanging in there and things are good.  We are so blessed to have this modern medicine and the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Our Father in Heaven  has blessed men and women who develop new things for medicine all the time. 

Scott took dad looking at fishing poles last night and it was good for him to get out of the house.  It’s hard for him to face that he needs help for his heart to beat.  He does have a positive attitude though.  I’m just grateful we’re still together and having a great life together.
We saw the movie "Saving Mr. Banks"  We really enjoyed it.
We spent all day Saturday working in the yard.  Scott's family came and then Erik's.  We had so much pruning to do with all the fruit trees. 

she really did work

Shanelle and Erik

Scott workin'

always working

Ava carried many loads

teaching Parker the art of pruning

What kind of bird is in that tree?

Camden and Kolton

We only got 2 and a half done but it is way more than we would have done alone.  It was so much fun with the grand kids and the adults. 

brothers working together

 

the supervisor

After we worked we had a bar-b-q. 
 It is so much fun to have family around.  We love working with them.  

Asher and Nixon

two to travel

After a rest we went to Scott's home to give guidance on pruning his pear trees.  I was thoroughly entertained by Ava and Nixon. 

Is this a princess or a ground hog?

We were so tired when we got home we just dropped into bed.  It was a great day to be outside and working.  It felt so good.  How we love the importance of families in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  How I love that our Dad is still with us.