April 26, 2015

I missed writing last week because we were not in New York.  I will try to catch up:

Monday, April 13, 2015

We went to our office meeting in Pittsford and then we had a burger at Tom Wahl’s.  We went to the mission home to get a projector from President Francis and then to Sam’s Club to get a few things.  We arrived home and I called my parents.  They told me that Brent would have surgery on Tuesday to correct A-fib. (heart beating out of rhythm)  I called Becky and Brent was there getting a haircut.  I talked with him and he was completely confident that his colleague in Idaho Falls could fix his problem and he would be up and going in no time.  The procedure was going to be quick and mostly painless.  He would go in with a hole about the size of a silver dollar and would do it with a scope between the ribs.  We ended our talk with him saying that he loved me and I saying it back.  We went out walking.

Picture taken the night before the surgery

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

We picked up the missionaries and went to the Palmyra Temple.  They can go to the Temple once a transfer.  We enjoyed ourselves there and then went to Nima’s and Grandin Printing Store in Palmyra.

We also visited the Sacred Grove.

 I called mom after the Temple and she said that they had found another thing to fix on Brent’s heart (the mitral valve) and they were not done at this point.  (He had begun about 6 a.m.)  We went home and paced the floor.  At 6:00 p.m. I went to the church for an enrichment on gardening.  It was very interesting, but my mind wasn't on it.  I left a little early and walked back to our apartment.  I talked with Becky and she said that they were still in surgery and she was getting nervous.  I was getting extremely nervous and called Chris and Annette and asked them to please go to the hospital for me.  After eternities of time we were told that they had called in the entire heart department from Idaho Falls and they had finished the surgery only to find that his heart wouldn't beat on its own.  He had been in surgery so long and had so many things done to it; it was worn out.  We believe that they were ready to quit trying, but Almedis convinced them to continue.  They continued trying and they found that they could life flight him to Idaho Falls to the Intermountain Medical Center.  We began praying that his heart would again beat on its own.  They gave him 2 units of blood before they left the hospital and 4 more on the flight.  They put him on the jet and 2 cars full of my loved ones drove through the night in the worst blizzard that winter to Salt Lake City. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

We had district meeting in Geneseo at 10:00.  We took the Elders with us and they had a good meeting and luncheon. 

Food coma after meeting

My mind wasn't on anything but what was going on in Salt Lake City.  I couldn't sleep or concentrate.  Becky had told me that the hospital was good, but they didn't sugar coat his condition to them.  He was in very critical condition.  They did surgery for another 8 hours and found that his chest cavity was full of blood.  If his heart had begun in Idaho Falls he would have bled to death because he had a hole in his Aorta.  They got the blood out and fixed the Aorta and anything else they could.  Chris called me about 2:00 in the afternoon and suggested that we fly to Salt Lake.  We talked with President Francis and found out that we had to stay together and that he would give us permission.  We got a ticket for Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

We packed a few items and Dennis took Sister Haggerty to the hospital to have a scope of her stomach.  They think she may have a bleeding ulcer along with the gall-bladder problem.  We drove to Buffalo and found that they had delayed our flight until 7:30 p.m.  However, they rescheduled us to a 4:30 flight through Atlanta.  So, we waited for the time to board.  Our plane was late leaving Buffalo and so we didn't have much time between planes in Atlanta.  We got off the plane and ran as fast as old people can run through that concourse and onto the transfer train and through the right concourse—only to find that the plane was still there, but the door was closed and they wouldn't let us on. (I believe that the plane was oversold and they gave up our seats earlier)  So, we went to the Delta counter to see what we could do to get to Salt Lake.  Yes, there were 2 more flights that night to Salt Lake.  No, there were not any seats available.  We would be able to fly out the next morning at 7:30.  We took that ticket and they gave us a room at the Marriott Airport.  It was a nice room, but still couldn't sleep.

Friday, April 17, 2015

We got up early and got to the airport.  On the way we looked at our tickets and they were for 1^st Class seats.  We were shocked!  While waiting for the plane they announced that they would give 9 people $600 each for going on a later flight to Salt Lake.  (what a temptation, right)  NO WAY, we wanted to get to Salt Lake on time.  Chris and Annette picked us up at the airport and it was so good to see them.  They said they had been ready to pick us up the night before and were disappointed that we didn't make it.  We arrived at the hospital and everyone was so good and kind to us.  They were happy to see us as we were them.  The situation was so serious.  We were allowed to see Brent and I don’t think I have ever seen anyone with less life.  His chest didn't rise and fall and there were tubes everywhere.  He was on the heart and lung machine and every other thing you could imagine.  I was so sad.  The doctors had explained that if his heart didn't begin on its own by the next Tuesday or Wednesday they would need to think about an artificial heart and then a transplant. The artificial heart wouldn't be the kind that could leave the hospital and his blood wasn't a rare type so he would be down quite a ways for a donor.  That didn't sound too good to me.

Brad had come and we were able to visit with him and he found out that his Anytime Fitness gym in Hurricane had burned the night before.  He wasn't able to stay long because of the fire.  It was so good to see him and visit with him.

We stayed at the hospital quite a while and then went to the Home 2 (by Hilton) to stay.  Becky gave us an herbal sleeping aid called 5-HTP.  It really did work.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

We arrived at the hospital and found out that they were going to try to bring Brent out of the sedative a little bit to begin to analyze his brain.  He had lost so much blood they were afraid of brain damage and one of his legs had been without blood for many hours also.  They called it a ‘dusty’ leg and were afraid that he may lose it.  Things were very grim and we asked everyone we knew to fast for him the next day.  Just before going back to the hotel Dennis and Doug went back to see Brent and give him a blessing. 

Annette, Jill, Chris, Doug, Dennis, and I went with Brianna to Provo to clean her apartment and move her things.  This took a little time, but we were happy to be of service.  (Brent had told her he would do it for her on this day—just following surgery—crazy man??)

While they were there they felt that he would be alright.  They came out of the ICU with this good news and we were lifted up.  His heart had begun to beat but not with enough strength to push blood through the body.  They turned off the heart machine for a minute and his blood pressure dropped very quickly.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

We visited at the hospital and then Dennis and I went home with Chris, Annette, and Doug to see the kids.  It was so much fun to see them.  Greg’s kids were sick and we weren't able to see them, but we saw Annette’s and Chris’s.  We had a great evening with them visiting, eating, and playing games.  Grandma Merrill came over and it was great to see her also.  She had made so many nice things to eat.  We stayed overnight in the camper and it was nice.

Everyone else visited Temple Square on Sunday afternoon.

Monday, April 20, 2015

We enjoyed our morning at our house.  We met Chris, Cindy, Halle, Tessa, Annette, Joslyn, Chuck, and Janet at the little Mexican restaurant in Rigby and had lunch.  It was nice to see everyone.  We got ready and got Grandpa Mueller’s car to take back to Salt Lake (he wanted to have his own car).  We drove to Preston to see Jill’s family.  We went to a soccer game that Lexie played in, had dinner, visited, played a game and stayed overnight there.  It was nice to see everyone.  They are growing so quickly.

Grandpa and Max

We received word that Brent’s heart had begun to beat a little stronger, he had been able to stay off the heart machine for a few more minutes.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

We arrived back at the hospital and Brent had been back to surgery to take him off the machine.  The doctor felt confident that he could do it on his own.  He Did!  He was concerned that the mitral valve that had been repaired had been narrowed too much and that blood wouldn't be able to pass as quickly or as much as needed.  He is in too weak of a condition to undergo another surgery at this time, but they may consider it after about 3 months.  One of his lungs had collapsed when he had 4 liters of blood in his chest cavity .  He wasn't able to get off the lung machine, and he has gotten pneumonia.  So, it seems like 1 step forward and 2 steps back.  It will be a long process for him.  They did have him off so much of the sedatives, but he gets too excited when people talk to him and had to be tied down.  They sedated him a little more.  He needs all the rest he can get.  This day has been a marvelous blessing! 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Brent is improving a little bit each day.  We were in the waiting room and mom and dad came out and said that they couldn't believe their eyes, he was sitting on the side of the bed when they went into his room.  (he had lots of help to do that)  They were so excited to see that much progress.  He was able to sit in the Cardio chair for about 30 minutes, and then he was totally worn out.  It is amazing how quickly our muscles leave us when we can’t move.

We were able to visit him and he has a respirator down his throat along with many other tubes, etc.  He made his wishes known that he wanted Dennis to give him a blessing.  He pointed to Dennis and then we played charades—do you want--- do you ---, do you want a blessing?  He nodded his head yes.  His nurse was a Priesthood holder and then gave him a nice blessing.  It was good to see my family and spend time with them.  We had many good talks and visits about faith.  There are other people that aren't so fortunate here at the hospital and have lost their loved ones.  We have been blessed by Heavenly Father.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

We found out that Brent’s brain is working just fine.  He is still the person he was.  He was trying to get someone to understand what he wanted.  He had an alphabet card and it looked like he wanted a GI doctor.  (Gastro Intestinal) His wife was trying to get the nurse to try to get someone in there for him.  She said, ‘just because he’s a doctor, doesn't mean that he knows everything he needs.’ (something like that)  Well, he was able to give her the bird.  He’s back!  He was able to sit in the Cardio chair for 50 minutes.  I imagine they will challenge him every day with more and they have begun physical therapy.  We are so happy!  Before we left for the airport we visited with him and he pointed to Nancy, Becky, Dennis and I and mouthed the words ‘I love you’.  That meant so much to me!
Our friends, the Rays, came to visit us and took us to lunch.  It was so good to see them and hear about their readjustment into real life following their mission.  They told us of a family they knew that the teen age son had a brain aneurysm and the doctor told them (and he wasn't a religious man) that when he opened up his head there was a dotted line where he should cut to remove the clot.  The boy was able to live without any problems from the aneurysm.  Heavenly Father loves all of His children.

We flew to New York on the midnight flight.  We had a great flight to JFK and then into Buffalo.

Friday, April 24, 2015

We arrived in Buffalo at 9:30 a.m.  There had been a little snow storm, but it was melting and it was good to see our apartment again.  We got a few groceries and make dinner for the missionaries.  They were happy to have us back. 

Saturday, April 25, 2015

We drove over to the Seneca Lake Camp.  It is owned by the church for families and girls and boys camp.  It is beautiful.  Our stake was supposed to plant 2,000 trees.  We got lost with our SIRI (because we didn't have the right address) and didn't make it to do our share.  It was a pretty drive.  There were 200 people that showed up to help and they got it done quickly.  We had dinner at the Haggerty’s and then went over to the church to clean the windows.

Senaca Lake Camp

Large house at the camp

Sunday, April 26, 2015

We enjoyed the conference this morning from Salt Lake.  Elder Anderson, Elder Hales, and 2 others spoke.  There was a pretty good crowd at church.  We will have our Book of Mormon study class tonight.  Things are going well.  We know of the love of our Heavenly Father for all of His Children.  He hears and answers prayers.  The faith of friends and loved ones sustains us; they are so appreciated!  The gospel is true!

Funnies:  We went back to our hotel in Salt Lake City and there were 6 police cars there with their lights on and dad (Butch) was driving,  He pulled into the parking lot and we had a good spot to watch the action.  The girls were in Becky's car and they pulled out of the parking lot and left.  Barbara called and told us to get out of there.  They may have gun fire, etc.  So dad drove out of the parking lot at  a snails pace, then stopped and look back, drove a little, looked back.  Mom didn't want to miss out on any of the action.  She said it was better than TV.  They taisered a man and then handcuffed him while on the ground.  I guess he and his girlfriend had stole a car and they were caught at our hotel.  PHEW!

Picture from the 4th floor after the action was over

The red car is the one they stole.

Blessings:

• The power of the Priesthood is real.  God's power has been given to men on the earth to do His work! 
• He loves us!  All of us!
• Prayer is the way we can communicate with Heavenly Father.  He wants to bless us and wants us to communicate with Him.