One Month.

One month ago everything changed.
  
One month ago I answered my phone to hear my dad had been in a car accident. That he had rolled his truck several times in the Wind River Canyon in Wyoming. That he was being life-flighted. That he was in a medically induced coma. That his back & neck were broken, but his spinal cord was intact. That his brain was bleeding and swelling. That we didn't know how bad it was yet.
It was something I never thought I would have to deal with. 


That night I realized just how awful it was that I lived so very far away. Or how hard it was to call my brother & tell him the news. How worried I was about my mom...my sisters (one of whom was 7 months pregnant...and okay) & brothers all racing across Montana, Colorado & Wyoming to get to where my dad was.  It was a long night...I didn't sleep much, I cleaned...my one stress reliever.  That night I realized just how thankful that the Church is world wide, that in Casper, WY there are an abundance of wards & we were able to find Bishops to help us when needed.  I'm thankful for Leif (my sister's husband) who is a paramedic & was able to explain what was going on, keep us "calm" and informed.
I'm especially thankful for my brother Austin who had the means to fly my out there as quickly as possible. 


The accident happened Friday afternoon.  I left home at 3 am Sunday morning.  After 2 flights & (thankfully) one happy baby I arrived in Casper at about noon.


My sister, Monica picked me up from the airport & prepared me for what I would see.  We arrived at the hospital & headed up to the 3rd floor, ICU.  I knew I was going to cry as soon as I saw mom...apparently so did everyone else...I guess that's what I do (it's true).  Oliver was handed off almost immediately and mom took me back holding my hand. It was a shock.  I cried (of course).  He didn't look so bad, his face only had a few scratches, but it was how he fidgeted and moved and "groaned" for lack of a better word, he didn't lay still like in the movies.  Thankfully he had be extubated & was breathing on his own before I arrived.  I found out then, and over the next few days, that in addition to his broken back & neck & the bleeding in his brain, he had a collapsed lung, dislocated shoulder, 14 staples in his head, a cut on his left hand that went to the bone, and a bruised brain stem. That they had stopped the meds for the coma, but we had no idea when he would wake up. I also found out that the anesthesiologist at the first hospital (Thermopolis, WY) was a Bishop in the ward there & was able to give dad a blessing before he was life-flighted. 


So the original 6 were all back together for the first time in two years...for all the wrong reasons.  But it was good that we were. We tend to laugh.  A lot. Even when it is not exactly the perfect situation, so we ended up hanging out in the maternity waiting room (on the same floor) while we took turns sitting with dad.  The first week someone was always with him, except during rounds (5-8 p.m., 6-9 a.m.) We started a Facebook page, Waking Up Butter and were bombarded with so much support and prayers.  It was the time that was spent in the waiting rooms that really strengthened my testimony of eternal families.  Watching all the other families there and how they responded to their grief made me so grateful for the knowledge that my family can be forever.  That while we would be devastated if we lost our dad, that extra knowledge was comfort. That there is more than just this life, that we are part of a plan, that there is a purpose. 


The next few days were spent waiting. Our uncles Steve & Patrick and Aunt Cathy (dad's brothers and sister) were able to come.  We were able to say a family prayer together with dad & he was given a blessing by his brother.  I will forever have a testimony that prayers work. That blessings work. 


Dad would open his eyes slightly and squeeze hands.  He said a few words "no" "yep" "uh huh". He didn't need surgery to fix any thing, only to put in a Tracheotomy, not to help him breath, but to help get the gunk out of his lungs.  With the collapsed lung he wasn't strong enough to cough up anything & they would rather be safe than sorry.  And a feeding tube.


He woke up 6 days after his accident on January 19th. He watched my Mom and Uncle Patrick walk down the Hallway and into his room.  We have never been so happy...and I was able to call my brother with some happy news :)


He was moved out of the ICU on Friday night (the 20th).  Then back to ICU very early Sunday morning, when they discovered a blood clot in his "good lung" and his leg.  He had a procedure to   put in screens to break up any blod clots that tried to move from his leg.  Unfortunately they couldn't do anything to break up the one in his lung, because that would start the bleeding in his brain back up.


The next week he made little improvements everyday.  Some days were harder than others.  My sister Jenna and I worked to keep mom eating & getting her to take a break outside of the hospital (it wasn't always easy) :) ...Casper weather didn't help much with that---it is soooooo windy (it's horrible).  One day we took mom to Hobby Lobby, Jenna and I left mom there while we ran another errand.  While we were gone there was a mom with her two little girls & little boy.  Suddenly the little girls started singing "Follow the Prophet"  Mom got to talking with the mom & was able to arrange for dinners by Relief Society Sisters to be brought to our hotel room.  It was a blessing.  Although I have to say (on a funny note) most nights were the worst food I have ever tasted...I'm sorry, I'm super grateful but one night was inedible :) (and not just because I'm a food snob) :) ....it did make us laugh.  I would like to mention that I remained calm...yes that's right...I remained calm.  I'm usually the one to freak out...but I was actually a voice of reason a few days (miracles do happen) :)


Dad was moved back out of the ICU into the Neuro department a few days before I left.  He was able to see Oliver and reached up for him. He held onto his arm or leg every time I was in with him.  It was good to see.  Saying goodbye was hard.  I cried, like I always do when I leave, I made dad cry (which I didn't want to do).  But I think I was able to leave at a good time, when he was improving & working wonders.

Dad was moved to a rehabilitation hospital in Billings, MT a few days after I left.  He continues to do well and improves everyday.  His trach was capped off & he was able to speak.  He only says a few things so far, but he has been able to point all of us out & said "I love you too" to mom. Today the trach came out...which is awesome news.  My dad isn't one to sit around and do nothing--drives him crazy.  He was so happy the first time he was able to sit up in a wheelchair & has been able to stand two times (with help). His left side, that hadn't been moving due to the brain stem injury, has started moving  Each day he shows more emotion...gets mad that he can't do more...he even flipped mom off when she told him to leave is catheter alone :D (we all got a good laugh about that).

 I will forever be thankful for the prayers that everyone has said for us.  For the blessings that our good friend Roger Goodman (who I've know almost as long as I can remember) was able to give us on one horrible day that instantly brought calm & comfort.  I know our Heavenly Father loves us more than we can fathom.  That He is here for us always, not just when we need Him most.