I have been putting off this blog post for weeks.
I didn't want to think about this week again because it was probably the hardest week of my life.
I details are a little fuzzy because it was such an emotionally exhausting week.
But I'll try my best to preserve the past through my blogging.
...
The night that we arrived in St. George, Tuesday November 21st (My brother's 30th birthday)
my dad was admitted to the hospital. He had pneumonia.
Which was so scary because he has Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
(also known as Bird Fancier's Diease).
His lungs are weak and so any sickness, especially a respiratory one can be incredible dangerous.
...
Originally my dad dad told me that he'd be in the hospital for just two days.
But Friday night my parents were saying that my dad would be going home possibly the next day.
Then on Saturday (Ruby's birthday) I got a text message from my mom that said that I needed to call her immediately. I knew that meant bad news.
The doctors were then telling my dad that he had two options.
1) Go on a ventilator. This meant that we would be choosing when we'd say goodbye to him.
Because once he went on it, he'd never come off.
Or 2) Make him as comfortable as possible and wait for his natural death.
They thought this might take a few days.
We choose option two.
...
I remember being on speaker phone listening to my dad's doctor talk about our options and about my dad's death so calmly and unemotional. I remember thinking that I would hate being a doctor.
...
The problem was that they didn't know the exact type of pneumonia my dad had.
And they wanted to use very specific antibiotics because of his lungs.
If they used the wrong antibiotics it could be fatal but if they didn't treat his sickness it could be fatal.
My dad cannot be put to sleep for any test because he might never wake up.
They ended up taking a culture from his lungs but couldn't get it to grow in the lab to identify.
...
Before I was even off the phone with my mom we were packing our bags to go back home.
While I was on the phone the kids were all out with my sister-in-law.
When they got back we told them that we were leaving right then.
They all started bawling.
I already felt heart broken and then I felt so sad for my kids.
It was such a depressing drive home.
...
As soon as we got home. I book a one way ticket to Seattle for the next morning.
I obviously took Ty with me because he's still nursing.
He was the best traveler.
He slept on the plane and was happy the rest of the trip.
My friend Kaci picked us up from the airport and drove us to the hospital.
It was so good to see her and talk with her.
It was a cold overcast day in Seattle. Actually it was like that all week.
But that's not surprising at all.
When I got to the hospital waiting room, it was packed.
So many people had come to say there final goodbyes to my dad.
Also my dad has five kids from his first marriage.
And they were all there.
That day my dad wanted to spend time with each of his seven children individually.
When I got there Rachel was in with him.
When she came out she was bawling hysterically.
Up until that point, I had been doing a great job of keeping it together.
...
When I went into my dad's room we hug for a long time and just cried.
I didn't know what to say other than I love you.
That night two members from the stake presidency came and gave my dad a blessing.
In the blessing my dad received, he was promised more time with his family.
He was also promised that the doctors would find solutions and answers
that had not previously been known to them.
I also received a blessing. I was told to find strengthen and comfort in my trails through the gospel and my family. I was also told that I should record my experiencing.
(Exactly what I'm doing right now.)
We started getting my dad's affairs all in order. He signed his car over to my brother.
We had him sign his power of attorney and will. We talked my about his funeral. It was all so surreal.
I believe it was the next day, or maybe the day after that, but the doctor's identified the virus or bacteria. And therefore were able to begin treating my dad. He started improving slowly.
And for the first time, the hospital staffed started talking about getting him strong again and started talking about the possibility of getting out of critical care.
Although no one was talking about him ever leaving the hospital.
My dad's sisters and dad came to visit. My grandpa Fast brought this picture of my dad.
I believe he was four or five years old at the time.
Here's my grandpa Fast with Ty. They are 100 years and a few weeks apart!
And speaking of Ty, he was the best baby!
He wasn't allowed in my dad's room. So he hung out in the waiting room and got passed around a lot.
And he hardly ever cried. He slept in our arms and in his stroller.
And we stayed at the hospital past his bedtime every night. He was a dream!
Ty spent a lot of time with my aunt Cindy.
And Ty got to spend a lot of time with my brother.
And Ty got to spend a lot of time with my mom. Which I think was so good for her.
He brought her so much joy during such a difficult time.
My mom pushed him in his stroller all over the hospital and loved showing him off to everyone.
Finally we got some hope. My dad was moved out of the red wing (critical care) to the silver wing.
And there was finally talk of him going home!
When he first went to silver we thought that Ty would be able to go in his room.
Before this I had snuck Ty outside my dad's room a few times
so my dad could look at him through the window.
My dad was so excited to see him but heartbroken that he couldn't be with him.
When we brought Ty into his new room my dad lite up.
Right after this we found out that Ty wasn't allowed in his room.
Here's Ty outside my dad's room in the silver unit.
A sweet long time family friend of ours, bought us a Christmas tree.
Ryan and I set it up and decorated the house for Christmas
so it would be ready when my dad got home.
Ty was very interested in the tree.
I bought my dad a new ornament from the hospital gift shop.
My dad's best friend, Ron, was at the hospital everyday. These two are adorable together.
I spent a lot of time watching my dad sleep while he tried to gain his strength back.
I was hard saying goodbye to my dad that last night before I left.
But it was a lot easier knowing that I'd be back in 2 1/2 weeks for Christmas.
I told him to rest up and get ready because I was bringing all five of my kids with me next time.
A few days after I left he went home from the hospital.
One of my former young women's leaders took me and Ty to the hospital.
It was so good to be with her again.
She still knows how to strengthen and uplift me.
Ty was an awesome traveler again.
Even though we had a layover on the way home.
We stopped in Long Beach.
It was good to feel the sunshine.
Ty slept on both flights and was well rest when he got home to his fan club.
