Saturday, November 29, 2014

Lincoln’s highlights this week:

As always, the sacrament that the priesthood brethren bring to Lincoln is a wonderful start to his week.

His eating by mouth continues to go well. No plans to go back to tube feeds unless he gets sick and can’t eat.

Lincoln is going to the hospital school more regularly now, usually an hour a day.

I learned how to do his catheter. And even though he teased me by yelling out in pain,  Lincoln’s comment when I was finished was, “One step closer to home!”

Now that I am fully trained in his care they encouraged us to take him off hospital property. We went across the street for a candy cane hot chocolate with another patient and our nurses. Although it was chilly, he said it felt great!

Watched child life specialists challenge each other. One dyed her hair pink, the other got icing smeared all over her face then had gummy candies stuck all over. They go to great lengths to entertain the patients.

He had a very tender interview with his bishop regarding his patriarchal blessing.

Lincoln got to hang out with his brother, Mckay. They both cherish these times.

We had a 2 hour meeting with 17 people. We discussed Lincoln’s home passes and eventual discharge. The plan is for him to come home for the afternoon on December 12 and 20. Then again on Christmas Eve and day. Hopefully he will come home for good around the end of January.

This week Lincoln’s spirits seem strong and his breathing trials are going well.

Today, our friend is doing a fundraiser called Love for Lincoln. She is an awesome photographer and will be donating to Lincoln 100% of her charges for 10 specially booked photography sessions. A very special thank you goes out to Allison at urbanalli Photography and her very generous clients!  Even a client who was unable to have her photos done that day made a donation to the cause. We are truly blessed.

Visitors this week were Vance the Stake Young Men’s President, Jeremy Higginbotham a member of the Stake Presidency, Audrey and her mom,  new friends from the ward, Keith Aiken, Michelle, the Picketts, and Benji, the new ward young men’s president.

Lows this week:

Still ironing out kinks with head switches that Lincoln uses to control an iPad.

Found out we won’t get help at home with Lincoln Christmas Eve. We will take shifts around the clock. Who sleeps Christmas Eve anyways right?

No word on renovation permits yet, but once we get started I have no doubt it will be a successful project. We plan on transforming our garage into a cozy suite for Lincoln and all his medical “stuff”.

I am so grateful for my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It strengthens me and I know that’s what strengthens Lincoln as well. In a talk by President Thomas S. Monson called, “See others as they may become”,  he said, “There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth.”

This week, our missionary son, Elder Grayson, wrote a letter about the Atonement. He recalled a time on his mission at the very beginning. His mode of transportation was a bicycle. While out one day, it broke down and he and his companion had to return to their flat. (He is serving in Australia.) He struggled to carry the bike on his own as the wheels wouldn’t even spin. His companion offered to carry it for him and he said he was ok. After struggling for a while longer, the companion offered again, this time he accepted. Meanwhile our son easily pushed his companions bike. This incident happened over a year ago but it impacted him greatly. He said it reminded him of Jesus Christ’s Atonement. He reminded us that we all carry burdens. They come from sin, trials, or whatever. The Savior is always there offering help. Just like a missionary companion, Jesus Christ never leaves. We just need to humble ourselves enough to accept His help, and allow Him to carry our load. He does give us a small load to carry, responsibilities and such. But Christ’s yolk or way is easy and his burden is light.

Fun in the teen room

Friday November 21, 2014

There are many who are just beginning to follow this blog. By all means, you may go back to the very beginning and get all the details. In fact, recently a friend from Georgia did just that. Sarah you are so sweet! So for those of you just joining our journey, I thought it would be useful to do a brief review.

We are the Grayson family. Mom, Dad, 7 kids. We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Travis (24) recently graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in Geophysics. Kami (21) is serving as a missionary in the Atlanta Georgia North mission. She had been gone 8 months when Lincoln had his accident. Benson (19) is serving as a missionary in the Brisbane Australia mission. He had been gone 11 months when Lincoln had his accident. Mckay (16) was with Lincoln the time of the accident. Lincoln (13), Brock (5), Emma (3).

Our family has always lived in Lethbridge. We moved to Beaumont, AB the end of June, right when the kids were finished school. We were anxious to be together more as a family now that Rich (Dad) is working out of the Ensign, Nisku office. After over 35 years in the field it was a welcome change for all of us. We had six glorious nights together in our new house. Then on the evening of Friday July 4, Lincoln rode his bike down a hill, fell off, and broke his noes, face and neck at the C3 level. He was able to tell Mckay he couldn’t breathe or move. Then his system shut down completely. A few people saw it happen and came to the rescue. Some began CPR. Some phoned the ambulance. Some told Mckay to phone his parents.

He was transported to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton by ambulance because STARS couldn’t land where he was. Since that day Lincoln has suffered more than I have ever seen one person suffer. He had screws put into his head to attach a halo with weights for traction to keep his spine stable until surgery. He contracted many illnesses including pneumonia and meningitis. He underwent 4 surgeries. He had a blood transfusion after one of his surgeries. His spinal fluid was leaking out of an incision for days. He has more plates and screws in his neck and face than I am even aware of. He had a number of feeding tubes put in through his broken nose and face. In addition to his near death experience on the hill, his heart stopped 3 other times over the first few weeks in the hospital.  And besides all of this, he still cannot breathe or move on his own. And yet his courage and sweet spirit will uplift and strengthen anyone who spends time with him. He is my hero, and it is a privilege to serve him.

Highlights this week:

The Sacrament that the Priesthood brethren administer.

Eating a fresh grilled cheese sandwich that we made in a nearby kitchen. He had a nurse stuff 35 gold fish crackers in his mouth at once and then he topped his record the next day by doing 40. He no longer has tube feeds but refuses hospital food and most fast food and restaurant food. (Except the steak dinners that Jordan brings) He just wants home cooked meals.

He still has his feeding tube directly into his stomach but instead of the long tube it was replaced with a small button called a mickey.

Snuggled with a therapy dog named, Tikka.

He attended his hospital school classroom for the first time.

Had a fun visit with the Sedin brothers again. They are the Vancouver Canucks captain and assistant captain. They are Lincolns two favorite players on his favorite hockey team. We are so appreciative of the time and effort that has been made by many over the past few months to make these visits happen. It would be easy for these guys to get off the plane and head straight to their hotel room. Instead they take the time to come and brighten Lincoln’s world. They come the night before their game against the Oilers. They have been rewarded with a win each visit.

Other visitors this week besides family were, Brooklyn, Michelle, Elder Sears and Elder Monks, Allison, and Bob and Michelle Rice.

Low of the week:

I did a trach change one day. Two days later they made me do it again for further training. Watching him choke and gag isn’t one of my favorite things.

M. Russell Ballard gave a talk in 2011 called “Finding Joy through Loving Service”. He said, “Great things are wrought through  simple and small things. Like the small flecks of gold that accumulate over time into a large treasure, our small and simple acts of kindness and service will accumulate into a life filled with love for Heavenly Father, devotion to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a sense of peace and joy each time we reach out to one another.”

We appreciate all the loving service that is being shown to us.

Smiles!

Tikka nestled up to Lincoln

Friday November 14, 2014

Happy Birthday to my sweet daughter, Kami! I hope you had a great day. I received a few pictures today that tell me those sweet Georgia saints are treating y’all great!!!

Lincoln had a pretty good week overall. Some of the highlights were:

He was taken off isolation precautions.

He got to play games with his brothers in the teen room.

Managed to get one of his fingers into his mouth by himself.

His nightly tube feeds stopped and he is on regular food for the time being. They need to assess how many calories he can take in on his own. Lately he hadn’t been feeling hungry, but this morning he woke up at 5 AM and ate 4 bowls of cereal.

He managed to lift my spirits many times this week without even knowing it.

Attended an informative home care meeting to discuss issues including Lincoln’s great desire to be home by Christmas.

Watched a video of many old friends from Lethbridge wishing him well. Thanks Brandon Fletcher.

Got a hair cut. Looks great! Thanks Nicole. Sorry no pics.

Made zucchini fries at the hospital.

Lincoln let his Dad take him outside twice this week to “play in the snow”. It was -20 C and he was wearing shorts and a T shirt. Lincoln enjoyed seeing his breath. Apparently they had a great time.

Visitors this week besides his family included Elder Sears and Elder Monks, Sariah and Amber, Michelle, and Nicole.

Lincoln’s low this week:

A doctor from a rehabilitation hospital came to assess Lincoln to see what his prospects of recovery are. Obviously we had pretty high hopes that it would reveal something good. A very very long story short, he concluded that there is a 99.8% chance that he will not recover beyond where he is at today. Although it was very disappointing to hear, Lincoln told me he was the 0.2%

When Lincoln first arrived at the Stollery hospital, they told us he would not survive the weekend. And he did. They told us he wouldn’t regain feeling or movement past his shoulders and he now has some movement in his right arm. They told us he would never eat food by mouth. He is eating all his food by mouth. They told us he would never be off the ventilator. He does three one hour trials off the vent most days.  They told us he would be institutionalized, yet plans are in place to bring him home.

Lincoln is learning the divine gift of hope. Just the day before this assessment his sister Kami sent an email suggesting we read a talk called, “The healing Balm of hope”, by  Vaughn E. Worthen. He said, “To posses this hope is to believe that today’s pain is only a way station on the road to deliverance. It requires patience with current circumstances. It is the belief that there will be a coming day when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain” (Revelation 21:4)  Divine hope is sustained not because things always turn out as we wish but because we know that “all things wherewith we have been afflicted shall work together for our good” and to the glory of the Lord’s name (D &C 98:3)”

Thank you so much for everyone’s continued faith, prayers, and hope. Love to all.

This was no easy feat!

Pictures/ November 7, 2014

Lincoln in his new cowboy hat

Lincoln with Kia on his lap

Friday November 7, 2014

Lincoln made the comment the other day that it has been 4 months since the accident. He is so ready to go home. The process has started. But it is a long process.

Some of Lincoln’s highlights this week:

The contractor came to our house twice to discuss plans to build a suite for Lincoln.

Sacrament on Sunday.

Lincoln’s own manual wheel chair is ordered.

Had an ultra sound to determine the type of pressure stockings he will have once he goes home.

Ate a steak! (won’t eat hospital food, getting tired of fast food, no problem eating his Halloween candy.)

Pet therapy.

Used head switches to write a letter to his favorite hockey players, the Sedin brothers, to thank them for another visit.

Canadian finals rodeo cowboys came to see Lincoln. They brought him a cowboy hat, bandanna, shirt and a red panda.

I changed his trach ties by myself and then had to suction him like crazy.

Visitors this week were Michelle, Vance and his sons, the missionaries, Jordon, Marty and the young men from the ward and Uncle Mark.

Has some more movement in his right arm.

Some of Lincoln’s lows this week:

On isolation again for infections.

Had a scary high blood pressure episode.

Rich was away for a couple of days because of work, and I had to miss two days because of a cold.

Had trouble with the vent where it wasn’t working properly. Had to cut a walk short and page a respiratory therapist.

Still struggling with trials off the vent. Tries them once or twice a day for a half hour to an hour.

Our family is so grateful for all the love and support we feel. There is a Mormon message I have loved for a long time.  Over these past 4 months it has become particularly meaningful. It’s called, “Good things to come”. Elder Holland says, “Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until Heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.” It is such a great message we can all relate to. Right now it is on lds.org home page. It is definitely worth a look.

Friday October 31, 2014

Saturday Brock and Emma spent a fair chunk of the day at the hospital with Lincoln and I. Rich, Mckay and Travis were out of town.  He was cleared of his infections and off isolation. They were about to take him for a bath when we arrived. Once we were almost to the tub room, he needed suctioning. His portable suction unit is one of the many things we aren’t supposed to go anywhere without. The nurse ran to his room to get it. We began suctioning him, but didn’t have sterile water to wash out the tube between suctions. Another nurse ran to get that. It was a bit of an ordeal, but in the end we got out a huge plug that he was choking on. Later on we painted more of his Halloween costume. Jordan Cahoon and his family came to visit. They brought him a steak dinner and helped with more painting.

Sunday two brothers from the church came to do the sacrament with Lincoln. Rich and Mckay were still away. Brock and Emma and I came right after church to spend the evening . He was busy watching TV, seemed down, and had trouble sleeping.

Monday he wrote a letter to the Sedin’s to thank them for their previous visit. He used two switches on each side of his head to construct the letter on an IPad. He went to bingo in the evening and won another remote control car. Dad arrived home and came to visit as soon as he could. Lincoln’s secretions are very bloody. This isn’t normal. Another huge plug was sucked out. This will be an ongoing issue as he can’t cough hard enough on his own. His vent settings keep getting changed. His CO2 is too low which means his O2 is too high. They will continue to play with the settings until they find what Lincoln needs.

Tuesday I brought cereal from home hoping he would start eating breakfast. He has stopped eating hospital food altogether. We aren’t sure if he is just getting too many calories at night through his G tube, or if his appetite is decreasing. Having trouble sleeping. Sleep meds have been increased.

Wednesday the seating clinic came. There were about 5 people with specific jobs to help get Lincoln get set up with his own wheel chairs. The meeting was 3 hours long. I’m not sure how Lincoln survived, because I barely did. It was a lot of information and a lot of decisions. When it was over, Lincoln went back to bed. Michelle came to spend a few hours with him. She helped him on face book.

Thursday my friend Allison spent the afternoon with Lincoln. She brought him food, visited and watched them torture him with suctioning. It is difficult to watch. All she could do was dry his eyes.

Wow, that brings us to Friday. Halloween.  Brock, Emma and I headed up to the hospital first thing. Brock and Emma got into their costumes and Lincoln’s team helped him up and into his costume. They assembled all the painted pieces of his backhoe onto his wheel chair. Trick or treating in the hospital was pretty fun. In an hour it was all finished and the weather was just right. There was only one minor glitch. We had to stop in the middle of the parade and pull off to the side to suction Lincoln.  It was up to me. Brock and Emma were nearby. Lincoln wasn’t breathing properly. And I had to act quickly. It took a few minutes. But soon we were back in business. After a quiet afternoon, he prepared for the Sedin twins to visit again. Rich, Mckay Brock Emma and I were all able to be there this time. Unfortunately Lincoln was pretty tired and didn’t feel like doing too much. They had a contest to see who could type a sentence quickest using Lincoln’s head switches. Lincoln won, next was Henrik, then Daniel.  We had a great visit and they plan to come again before their next game.

Kami sent a birthday card to her Dad this week. She included a quote from President Gordon B. Hinkley. He said this at the funeral service for his wife.  “Put your trust in God.  It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God. And move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him. If we will pray to Him. If we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers.”

Halloween

Lincoln’s backhoe creation

Visiting with the Sedin brothers.

Looking great even after a long week.