18 August 2009 (8:30 AM)

Dearest family and friends,

This entry is from Alan. Thanks to Laurie and Andrew for starting and adding to this blog. Many have mentioned that it has been helpful in keeping up-to-date with my recovery from the fall. I am humbled at your kind interest and concern.

To each of you dear readers, please accept my deepest gratitude for your faith and prayers in my behalf. The physical therapist I saw yesterday was amazed at the quick recovery. The range of motion was baffling to him. He said with surprise in his voice, “You’re going to make it just fine”. I think that your efforts in faith have been responsible for the heavenly blessing of my rapid progress.

Last Wednesday the 12th of August, I left the Stonehenge Facility and moved into our Kolob Circle home. Roseann, who has been at my side constantly since the accident and her return from Texas, invited me to convalesce at home where she could be of greater service. I felt that because it is still 2 or 3 weeks until I can bear weight on my left leg that recovery with her help would be wise. Thank you, Roseann, for your loving assistance.

My stay at Stonehenge was a very positive experience. It was exactly what was needed under the circumstances. The staff was highly skilled and caring. I was able to do physical therapy for about 3 hours each day. The food and all of the facilities were excellent. My wonderful insurance paid about 90% of the cost of $450.00 per day.

Now, I am going to “Physical and Sports Therapy”, a great facility just around the corner from our home, owned by Brian Lambert. Brian is a highly experienced and skillful physical therapist and friend. He is the one who expressed his surprise yesterday at how far I had come. I plan three morning visits per week for the near future.

The latest challenge I am facing appears to be a heart problem. Two years ago, I went through a “cardiac ablation” procedure to correct an atrial fibrillation. It was successful and my heart returned to a normal rhythm. My heart had become enlarged and started to return to normal size following the procedure. It was discovered in the emergency room, the day of my accident, that the fibrillation was again present. Perhaps the fall destabilized the heart and caused the arythmia. In any case, the last four attempts at exertion during physical therapy, have caused me to break out in a cold sweat accompanied by nausea and light headedness. I am going to the heart doc today to see if there is a solution. UPDATE( I just returned from the heart doc and he thinks it may be the medication that is making me sick and not the heart, blood pressure etc.)

Love to each of you this day. My dear sister Carma reminded me of the wonderful scripture “Be still and know that I am God”. What perfect guidance this is for me today. I love each of you and know that Heavenly Father and his Son are at the door knocking. They want us to open the door. I am praying that I will know how to do that. I know that when we decide to trust in him, He takes us where we are in our progress and lifts us upward. “What comfort this sweet sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives.”

Love, Alan

Latest and Greatest - Aug 4th

Extracts from email from Roseann...

Dear Kids,

Want to update you on Dad at Stonehenge Rehabilitation Center: He pushes himself in therapy every day, today working on steps. He is still in a lot of pain but getting better every day. So far he should not put any weight on his left foot, allowing the pelvis to heal. The Center is beautiful! Food is delicious, care is amazing and PT's are excellent! He is thinking he will be able to go home in the next week or two. I have enjoyed my visits there. He is very settled and steady. He has no desire to watch TV. He truly enjoys visitors and has had many. He is cheerful and upbeat thinking more of others than himself. I have watched people come overlapping each other and he never grows tired...really loves it. He is grateful every time I call or show up, thanking me over and over. It makes me smile. Tonight he was excited about his progress as we visited on the phone.

July 30, 2009

Dad has been moved to a new facility for his physical therapy/occupational therapy. It is called Stone Henge Nursing and Rehabilitation. It is located at 435 West Center Street in Orem. Last night he was in a lot of pain and very concerned about the fluid in his lungs. His nurse was very helpful. He will have a full examination this morning to determine what needs to be done while he is there. I don't think it will be a short stay. Mom arrived last night about 8pm. We stopped to see Dad on our way home. When she called him this morning. He asked that she come and be with him. This will be challenging for Dad in a lot of ways. He needs our prayers. Those wishing to visit are welcome. He is in room 102. No visiting hour restrictions.

A thought about our trials

Dad has maintained a positive, peaceful outlook on this experience for nearly the whole time he has been hospitalized. This is quite admirable in my thinking. In church on Sunday, we sang the familiar hymn "Come, Come Ye Saints". In light of the hardship Dad has been experienced I was touched by the second verse.

Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?
'Tis not so; all is right.
Why should we think to earn a great reward
If we now shun the fight?
Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.
Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we'll have this tale to tell —
All is well! All is well!

I'm not sure I can articulate why this verse is so powerful to me right now, but I wanted to share it just the same. Andrew

July 27, 2009

About 11:00 am this morning Dad's chest tube was taken out. Hurray! This is an important milestone. He will spend one more night on the intermediate floor and then will move over to the rehabilitative unit sometime tomorrow. Dad looks good and is feeling a lot better. His energy is up and he is able to receive visitors more easily. Carma, your card arrived today and was much appreciated. Connie we will make sure that Dad views the card you sent as well. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. We look forward to Dad's continued recovery.

Sunday morning

The quick report this morning is that Dad had a good night sleep. He sure does have to stay on top of the pain meds to remain in the earth's gravitational pull. In my judgement, it is far more important to be liberal on the pain meds right now, even if it makes it harder to come off them later. The logic is that the more pain dad is in right now, the harder it is for him to expand his chest to breath and to expel fluid through coughing. Without deep breathing and healthy coughing he will be at greater risk for pneumonia. People die from pneumonia.

The x-ray this morning showed no fluid and very little air in the chest cavity, but this may be owing to the fact that the vacuum has been turned back on. So, we are repeating the experiment of a few days ago. They have turned off the vacuum and will see how much fluid or air returns to the chest cavity in its absence. If less than 100-150 ml of fluid comes out over the next 24 hours, the physicians assistant says we can "talk about taking it out". Either he is being deferential to the physicians decision or just being non-committal.

Getting the tube out will be a giant leap for Alan-kind - big reduction in pain.

Dad is in good spirits.

These pain meds are making me sort of.....(zzzzz)

Dad is really reminding me of Vanessa when she was on heavy pain meds in the hospital in 2007. He'll start out a sentence and halfway through it he'll just fall asleep. About 10-15 seconds later, he'll start talking again. It may be a related thought to the one he started before sleeping or a new thought. It is not at all worrisome, just an effect of the medicine. But as Laurie stated earlier today, not necessarily the right time to be receiving guests. Dad gets interrupted 25 times a day with all sorts of care related issues. When visits are layered on top of that, it puts him on the spot a little bit to force himself awake and attempt to be social. Of course, this will all change soon when his pain meds are reduced.

Dad asked for a blessing last night. I was happy he asked. Doug Rich and I administered. Dad was told that there was purpose in this event and promised he would be blessed with sufficient health to accomplish his mission and purpose on the Earth. He was counseled to remember patience with recovery and forgiveness of others who might lack patience with his recovery. He was admonished to seek comfort and counsel through prayer and through the Word of God. I know the Lord loves him and is watching over our family.