Miracle Man pics!

The Miracle Man goes outside for the first time in a month!  

Keep up the hard work Stan!  We love you!

6-29-13

     He still is progressing. He was able to go on an outing to the fountain this morning and really enjoyed the fresh air. He earned this by being able to sit in a regular chair yesterday. The doctor just came in and says no dialysis again today!  Good news for the kidneys. It means they are really starting to do their job. Also they have begun to up his tube feeding. As they up his tube feeding they are lowering his TPN (IV) feeding. Also a good thing :). His lungs are getting stronger and his voice is getting stronger too. The doctor just said how amazed she is at his recovery rate.  One last thing. The general surgeon is feeling it is safe enough to start him back on the baby aspirin. They really need to keep the stint in his heart clear. As long as he doesn't have any more bleeding we should be able to continue forward. What a miracle man.
     Our home is being worked on everyday. I get pictures from family members on site that I can show Stan. He cries a little with every one. Not because he is sad but because he is so grateful for all of the service we are receiving. As I said before... All I can really say is thank you. We are very blessed.

6-28-13

No real change today other than we are trying for every other day dialysis. We are hoping that his kidneys are now working well enough to start slowing the dialysis down.  I guess there is one more thing... Because his stomach is tolerating his tube feeding they are going to up it a little faster feeding. Hoping this goes well too.
Again Stan has asked about the house and if someone is working on it. Also about the medical insurance. When I told him about all the help we are getting with the house and through the fund raising he has teared up in gratitude. He asked me if I realized how hard it was to be in these circumstances and I said yes. When he is so used always being the one giving it is terribly hard for him to be on the receiving end. Stan has always been a proud man that prides himself on his ability to be there and support his family but he is very grateful for the many blessings he is receiving.

July 4th BBQ

The last BBQ fundraiser did so well!  But we had several people say they weren't able to get their orders in before we sold out.  Steve wanted to give these people another chance so he is personally smoking 20 pork shoulders/butts for July 4th.  He only has space to do 20 this time so please get your orders in ASAP to be sure to get yours.  As soon as the 20 are sold, we will not be taking more orders. Click HERE to be connected to the order page!

Thanks again for your support of Stan and Alisha!

June 27, 2013

Today dad has kept us quite entertained :) Hope and I went into see him today, he pretty quickly said come on let's get out of here! And the laughs never stopped after that. He has been kicking his feet off the bed thinking he is gonna go home, and if he needs something you better get to it fast or he will get after you. It will be a big day when they can take him on a wheel chair ride. While the dialysis was running today, the tech was telling Hope about the machine. Dad turned to him and said what flavor Ya makin? Watermelon he replied haha. Later dad kicked Hope and I out. Said it was time for us to go home.
He is doing well breathing on his own, just sore from all his surgeries. They put him on the tilt table again today, stood him completely vertical for 10 min. He did great. White blood cell count was up again this morning, they said it doesn't necessarily mean it's infection. They started his regular feeding tube again slowly to see how he handles it.

6-26-13

He is finally free of the ventilator and the tube down his throat!  This is great news but also has its setbacks. He had become increasingly irritated with the ventilator tube so even after it was out he continued with a little higher blood pressure and a fast beating heart. It took time and a few different drugs to get him calmed down but he finally did. As soon as he was able he started asking "why does my chest hurt?" and "why can't I move?"  These are obvious questions to me and everyone else but to him it's a different story. This is the first time he has really complained about pain so I'm thinking he is becoming even more aware and his mind is clearing.  He has been told numerous times today by many how much better he looks. He only seems to know from now....and he feels horrible!  Hopefully as time goes by and he gets more mobility he will feel better.  He is so incredibly weak.

6-25-13

     Today has been a really good day for Stan. He has been breathing on his own all day without difficulty and will likely get the breathing tube out tomorrow. My favorite part of the day came at about 4:00 pm when I came back from a rare outing. I left to go to the Lehi City baby contest to watch our grandson and to go by our building lot to see the progress of our new home. I took some pictures to bring back and show Stan. As I flipped through these pictures Stan had tears streaming down his face as he cried. I told him we could look at them later and I didn't show them to him to make him sad. He shook his head no and I asked if he was just grateful. He nodded yes and I tried to tell him how blessed we are. He continued to silently cry as I told him of the blessings we had received in the last month. I reminded him of what a good man he was and that he had blessed many people and those people wanted to now help him.  He continued to cry.
     Although we have a long road to go still; Stan and I would like to let you all know we are so grateful for the love, support and services done. We are grateful for the many prayers that have been offered on our behalf. We are richly blessed.
     I am grateful to see such progress in Stan and to see his love and character coming out. I am so blessed to be married to such a man.

June 25, 2013

He is finally coming along.. Even the doctor said there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Which is huge for this doctor to say. Dad has stood twice this morning, did really well. He has been writing with a paper and pen lots. Asking about the kids, when he can go home and how is the new house. Oh and WASH MY HAIR! Haha so good to see him comprehending things! White blood count is still good. Bleeding has pretty much stopped. Yay! They will do a ct scan in the next couple days to check that infection. He has been breathing on his own well, he has to go 24 hrs without help. So pray he will be able to do that and take the ventilator out tomorrow! That's the plan as of now.

We cannot thank the hospital staff enough. They seriously couldn't be any more amazing! He is well known at IMC, the whole staff waves everytime they walk by :)

6-24-13

     Today as I got up I wondered if we would have any surprises come up. It seems as if every Monday since this all started there has been some big hurdle. First there was the need to take him off the heart lung machine,  then the concern over the bleed on his brain and then last week was the worry over his  gut and internal bleeding.  When I made my routine morning call I was told he had a good night.  That always seems to at least start the day off right. Halfway through the day he was still doing good. So I think we have finally passed through a Monday without something scary happening.
     I always feel better about the day when no real difficulties come up for Stan. Today though they tried to move his breathing tube to another position in his mouth to prevent sores forming but finally had to move it back. This is something that they have done at other times without much trouble but today was different. He got so irritated with it and couldn't seem to quit gagging and coughing so they finally had to give him something to help him relax a little. He finally rested a while and was able to finish his dialysis treatment. He has been breathing on his own for a good portion of the day and the doctor said that he should be able to take out the breathing tube by the end of the week. In fact the doctor for the first time said "the week shows some promise". For an intensive care doctor this is about as positive as we are going to get but I'll take it :).  
     Other than his rough time with the breathing tube he has seemed more aware and less foggy than I have seen him in the last four weeks. He is also getting much stronger and was able to stand for a minute several times today. He really still doesn't like sitting in the chair but he was wanting to go walk. Hard thing for him is that he needs to be able to sit before he will be able to walk. He was more willing to work at it though today and that is good. He even asked for paper and pen to write. He wrote "wash my hair". It was kind of funny;  he was wanting out of the chair until he decided to ask to have his hair washed. Then it was worth it to him to sit for twenty more minutes so he could have his hair washed.  He likes to be clean.  I'm so glad he is finally getting strong enough and more willing to fight his fatigue and get to work rebuilding his strength. He will probably still be here for a while longer but as long as we are moving in the right direction I can't complain.
Overall a pretty good day in the ICU.

Alisha

6-23-13

    I hope we are on a role :)  Although things have been going well and Stan seems to be doing better, he sure had a rough day in spirits. I can't imagine what it must feel like having a tube down his throat for so long and unable to really communicate. He seems to be getting more frustrated with it. The nurses keep telling me that frustration and feisty is good. It means he is feeling better and ready to work his way out of here. I can take some poor attitude for a little bit as long as he is responding and willing to work. He did however take my phone and was able to text a message to me. Some of what he typed was just jumbled but amidst the jumble was the word "blessing". He wanted a priesthood blessing. Between his dad and the nurse he had we got him a priesthood blessing. Most of the blessings he had gotten up to this point have felt to be for the family as much as for him but this one was for him.  To me asking for a blessing was a miracle. He has been in such a fog mentally.  He knew he wanted a blessing and found a way to ask for it.  This really made my day :)
     What an experience this has been.  Although it is far from over, we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He is likely to need months of physical/occupational therapy but hopefully we are getting closer to leaving the critical stage behind. What a blessing that would be.
     I am continually amazed by the many prayers on his behalf, and am grateful for every one. Each day I am reminded that our Heavenly Father is very much aware of our difficulties and has his hand in every minuscule part of our journey. It is such a testament to me of my faith in God, the power in both prayer and the many priesthood blessings he has gotten. As I already said each prayer has been heard.  Each priesthood blessing has been a gift from God.  I am eternally grateful for the many miracles I have seen come about in the life of my sweet husband.  Thanks for fighting Stan!  I love you!

Alisha

 

6-22-13

    After the last couple of days that have been so up and down, I think we are due for some good news...
Last night he actually slept. His bleeding slowed dramatically from the previous night.  We hope that continues. He only had one blood transfusion instead of the four he has had in a 24 hour period. Also it looks like the kidneys are beginning to wake up. When I came in I also found out that his white count is 10.7. This is great because normal range is 5-11. To be in that range means no infection.
    Yesterday when I talked to one of his doctors they were still really concerned about the bleeding and they were really worried that surgery would end up being needed. I figured at this point that some more prayers were in order....not that it ever stops :). I prayed for his bleeding to be able to stop and that he could heal. When the doctors are worried is when I go back to the one person I can always trust. Prayer and trust in our Heavenly Father is what I have needed every second of every day as we have journeyed through this trial and I know that he is in charge of the outcome. The many miracles we have witnessed have occurred because of the great faith we have together and I know that has truly made a difference.  I believe that through our faith and prayers his doctors have been guided, he has been comforted and we as a family have been blessed. Thank you all for your faith and prayers. Please keep them coming.
With The Lord anything is possible :).  He is still moving mountains.

Keep getting stronger Stan!
We love you!
Alisha

June 21, 2013

The roller coaster continues... On the plus side, Dad pulled his hands up to his chest today which we haven't seen yet. Yay! However that also means they may have to tie his hands down so he doesn't pull his breathing tube out. Bleeding slowed some this morning but has started up again. If it doesn't stop they will be forced into another surgery which they don't want to have to do. Very dangerous to try and do that now. His colon really needs to heal on its own with no other complications. So sadly to say we are in need of some serious prayers again.

Thanks everyone for being so willing, you are all awesome! Keep up the fight dad

6-20-13

The last couple of days have been a roller coaster full of ups and downs.  Just as I start to feel like things are settling down, the bleeding picks up or his blood pressure will drop a little, due to the pain medicine they gave him. When he isn't feeling well, he is less alert, so that makes it hard to know what he needs. When I came in this morning, the bleeding had slowed down again. The doctor seems to be encouraged that he is not really having pain in his stomach now, but they are giving him something to help slow down the bleeding, because he has had four transfusions in the last 24 hours.  He is also on antibiotics.  Our hope is that the colon will heal on its own so he won't need surgery. Surgery at this point, is just not safe for him. He has been through so much already.

As far as physical therapy goes, he is still doing it. As the doctor said, "movement means blood flow and blood flow promotes healing". He is getting a little stronger every day, and he is usually more willing to just get through it. He is also getting a little bit feisty with them. The nurse told me she likes it when they get feisty, because it means they are ready to fight and work hard enough to get out of bed.

Keep up the fight Stan!  I Love you!

June 18,2013

3 rough weeks dad has been here, another rough day today. Three steps forward one step back the nurses say. After a few tests they found he has a clot in his colon, causing lots of bleeding. His handful of doctors are consulting about what to do and how to help the problem. They have stopped his blood thinners and given him some kind of antibiotic. The bleeding has slowed some, the thinners take a couple days to ware off. Pray that it will heal on its own... They can surgically remove it but the doctors aren't sure that his heart is strong enough for another procedure like that. We have been amazed at the faith from everyone around us. We are so blessed

6-17-13 continued

The day got better!  When I got back from lunch they were just sitting him up in his chair. I sat next to him and held his hand as usual. He kept leaning towards me and seemed to be quite alert. I asked him if he wanted a hug. He shook his head no. After a few more times I noticed to was doing this with some aim. I asked him if he wanted a kiss. He vigorously nodded :)  He still has the breathing tube in his mouth so I gave him a kind of corner kiss but he was happy with that.  After that he leaned into me and wanted a hug. Such a sweet moment and such a peaceful memory for me to draw upon when things get tough as I'm sure they will from time to time.

6-17-13

If this is a roller coaster, I really want to get off.

He actually had a great night and has been sleeping well the last couple of days. The problem is, he is having a hard time waking up.  He needs to be more awake before they can take the breathing tube out. This morning he was a little more sleepy than usual, so they rushed him off to get another CT scan. They were a little concerned that the bleed on his brain had started bleeding again, and this is why he can't seem to wake up. This was quickly ruled out and his blood work looks good, so they think he is just exhausted. Also, the doctor said that when someone has had a stroke like he has; they are often very sleepy for a couple of months. Hopefully he is getting some good healing time in while he is sleeping. Everything else looks pretty good. His white count is going down, and there is no sign of infection. Also, the rest of his swelling is finally starting to go down. I hope and pray that he wakes up soon so he can take physical/occupational therapy more seriously.  And I could seriously use a hug!

Happy Father's Day

New family picture :) the nurses were nice enough to let us all go see dad for Father's Day. Usually they only let 2 of us at a time. I think dad was pretty excited to see us all. We made him a comfy blanket, camo of course. Jeff made him a picture to hang on the wall. And a couple other things mom opened for him. Happy Father's Day dad keep up the hard work! We love you

Finally found the favorite pic we have been looking for the last couple weeks! Dad loves his back hoe.. This was merry Christmas from the gurneys 2009!

Father's Day

   As slow as recovery can go we still can find gratitude in each day. First of all I find gratitude in the fact that we still have my sweet Husband with us. I continually look for the miracles and blessing that surely show up each day. It may show up in numbers, it may show in the time he is able to withstand sitting, it may show in the regulating of his heart beat and breathing, it may show in a smile or a wink he gives me. Each day there is at least one small victory and for that I am incredibly grateful. Today he has numbers (chemically) that have earned him a day off dialysis.  This will free up three hours that they will use for physical therapy. This is exhausting work for him but each time he gets a little stronger which we are grateful for. The stronger he gets the closer he gets to getting off the ventilator.  Also his white count is slowly coming down. Between that, the settling of his temperature, and a few other things they believe that the inflammation is getting under control. This is great news. Each day that goes by without some sort of setback the better his chances are. We pray that he continues in this pattern.
   I came by the fund raiser that my family had yesterday for a few minutes. I was overcome with gratitude for all the family and friends that were there to support Stan and our family. There were friends that we had not seen in years, friends of our extended family, and aquaintenances that are soon to be our neighbors. It is truly a beautiful thing to see so many serving with such a united effort and I must admit I was suprised at how well it was attended. I know Stan has been an example to many and a force for good in all our lives. His love for service has always been a sight to behold. He will be proud of the work you have done. I know if things were different he would have been right there with all of you. It's going to be different for him to be on the receiving end but I must say that we are eternally grateful for you and the time and effort put forth on our behalf. I guess the best thing I can say is simply thank you.  The blessing of your service has surely not been unnoticed.

Hard work

This is what a long hard working day full of physical therapy has earned him... He is actually sleeping naturally....finally. He has got to be exhausted. Poor baby :)

6-15-13

Progress is slow. At this point it has been nearly three weeks since the fateful day that has changed our lives.  Although he is much more stable now, he is so week he can barely hold his head up or give a kind of sideways thumbs up. We are now trying to build up some strength. He needs to get some  strength through his torso so he can support himself but he also needs it so he is able to be able to breath on his own without support. He has been breathing on his own through the ventilator but with some pressure support. If he wants to get rid of the tube down his throat he needs to work. He has had kind of a down day and is week enough he is hardly responding like he has been. Even a shake or nod of his head is more than he can give. Hopefully he can have a day with some rest mixed in with a lot of physical therapy and be more willing to put some work in tomorrow. Every day he is getting a little stronger but still progress is slow.  I have been told by his nurses that for every day a person lays around like he has, it takes a week to recover. And that is not counting the extreme beating his body has taken.
Although he has overcome much he has a long ways to go. And at this point it is all up to him and his desire to overcome his weakened body and fight.  As I watch him struggle I continue to have faith and keep putting one foot in front of the other. As I am not a quitter and as stubborn as ever, I will continue to support him with love and persistence. We pray that he will find his inner strength to continue to fight when he is too weak and tired to do anything. He has a lot to live for and I believe our Heavenly Father has some more for him to do here. Maybe he needs to remember that :)

Thanks for all your prayers and support
Alisha

Come get a sandwich!

Fundraiser had been a HUGE success.... Thanks to these awesome men we had a good turn out. Thanks everyone else for ordering!

Pulled pork sandwiches with chips and lemonade for $7 12:00-3:00

Improving..

Couple pictures so you can see how dad is doing :) starting to look more like himself

6-13-13

Last night Hope came to stay with me so was able to get a lot of dad time in. It was good to see he recognized her and seemed very excited to see her. He even winked at her. At some point I was standing there holding his hand and Stan opened his hand pulled away and opened his hand to Hope. She was thrilled!  She has always been a daddy's girl and has had a hard time knowing and seeing how sick he has been. I'm not sure how much aware he truly was but what a blessing a hand squeeze and a wink did for our sweet Hope.  We know that he is really in there;  a little foggy but definitely still there :).  As his brain heals he should gain more of a clear mind but he has been through an awful lot.
 Not too much change today. They are trying to slowly ween him off  the ventilator. Yesterday they introduced some new heart meds and he has done very well on them. Physical therapy came in and got him sitting in a chair!  They had to secure him in but, sitting is sitting. Yeah!!  His muscles are very weak so his movement is slow but we are glad to see that he has some movement. He is able to move his legs and is getting to have a good thumbs up for the doctors. His doctor said that he could be many months before he will get his strength back (both physically and mentally) but time will tell. As long as he continues to recover I can wait as long as he needs!  I love you Stan!

Alisha

June 12, 2013

Moms new favorite phrase :) the kids at Jeff's school made this, it will definitely hang in the new house! We cannot express how thankful we are for one miracle after another.

White count is down a little. Still no report of infection. Physical therapy just came and had him sitting then assisted him to stand. Held him up really but he was vertical!  Still waiting on the CT scan and neurology to see if they can start him on the blood thinners for his stint. He did go into surgery last night to get his legs closed up and all went well. Pray that his muscles in his legs heal well. Time will tell. Thanks again for all your support!

Remember today is the last day to order Father's Day meat!!

BBQ Reheat info!

We have had such a great response for the BBQ Fundraiser!  Thanks for all the orders/support!  Steve asked me to post this.

Please email me if you are planning on reheating your order Sunday or later.  The BBQ Teams will prepare your food and cool/refrigerate or freeze.  Include your name/order and when you plan on reheating.   Steve@bbqpitstop.com

Thanks again for every one's support! See you Saturday!

6-11-13

   Let me start with a sweet experience Stan and I were able to share last night. I had come in later to tell him good night and when I stood by his bed I placed my hand right next to his. He quickly grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. To some this may not seem like much but to us there is great meaning in it. Three squeezes means "I love you". I don't remember when we started this but it seems as if it has always been. As I have stood by his bedside each day I have squeezed his hand like this multiple times a day just waiting and hoping for some kind of response. I just needed to know that he knew I was there and loved him. Of corse I've wanted a response. When your husband and best friend is in the condition he has been in, you really feel at a loss and alone because even though I am right with him he isn't really there with me and for me emotionally. So last night I did the same "I love you " squeeze and this time he squeezed back!  I asked him if he was trying to say "I love you" and he nodded yes. The peace I feel from this one small motion from him is great. I'm so grateful for the tender mercies I have seen continually through this time and have faith that they will continue.
   Medically he is continuing to improve. He is now being weaned from the ventilator and each time they let him breath on his own he has done great. He has started doing some physical therapy and is progressing slowly. He has a long way to go because he is so weak. He is just barely able to hold his head up a little bit which is a step forward from yesterday. After being through what he has and then just laying there for two weeks, takes its tole on the body so it will be a while before he is able to get back his strength. As long as he is moving forward I can wait. As far as the fasciotomy of his leg, the incisions made to help with swelling, it is scheduled to be closed up this afternoon.  We are praying that when the doctor goes to close it the muscle is healthy and he can do it without skin grafting or further surgeries.
   We are grateful for the progress he has made and pray that he will continue to progress and in due time will make a recovery that he can be proud of and happy with.  We love you Stan. Keep up the fight!

6-10-13

A little more responsive again today. Seems to recall events and family. Last evening when all the kids came by to see him it was Jace that brought a little extra spark to his eyes. Really good to see the recognition he is beginning to have.  He is periodically breathing on his own still and other than when he is really exhausted he does quite well. They started physical therapy today and had him sitting up with his legs hanging over the bed.  He was not holding his head up at all not to mention the rest of the body but its a start. He really needs to get moving.  We are in recovery mode thank heaven. We pray that he can stay on that road to recovery.

BBQ Reminder!

Don't forget to order your BBQ for your Father's day get togethers! Your dad will LOVE it! And it's helping to support Stan and Alisha!  Click here to see the menu & order!

Thanks for all your love and support!

The Johnson Family

Note *Meat CAN be frozen and reheated at a later time*

6-9-13

We continue with the baby steps. Today they are giving him a chance to breathe on his own. He actually is doing beautifully so far. Hopefully in the next couple of days he can get rid of the ventilator. He has graduated from 24 hour dialysis to 12 hour. He is still struggling to wake up but is slowly progressing. He is sometimes even able to respond with a shake or nod of his head. We still have a very long road ahead but at least the road is visible :). Keep praying for us. We all have felt the great blessings of combined faith and love.

Alisha

6-8-13

Not much change from yesterday. He is responding to some commands which is good. He hates the breathing tube from his ventilator and was biting on it quite a bit. Even though its not good for him to be biting it; it's also a good sign that he is because if it bugs him that means he is more aware. Coming out of the sedation is going to be something that could take a few days but a little at a time is still good. As long as we are still moving in that direction.  Later today they are putting in a different feeding tube. Also today they will be looking at his leg to see if they can get it closed up in the next day or two. Healing is going to be an extremely slow process and the two things that could set him back would be infection or pneumonia. Praying that neither of those things happen; he has had enough setbacks. And I'm trying to be patient as I would love nothing better that to be able to give him a hug and have it reciprocated. It seems patience is always going to be my test....
I'm so grateful for all your prayers and ask that they continue. Those prayers are pulling me through many scary days when it's been hard to exercise enough faith myself.  I am grateful for my beliefs and faith in my savior. If there has been one thought beyond my constant concern; it is that Faith can move mountains (I haven't been able to find where I've heard it). We have definitely been moving mountains :) and I have been blessed to see and be a part of it!  And I'm praying for more :)

Dads new room

Welcome to the VIP suite. The nurses were nice enough to move Dad a few doors down to the biggest room in the ICU, since he will be here for a while. He has been waking up a little today but it will still take a while till all of the sedation will ware off. He has nodded his head answering a question today so that's a good sign but it's still too soon to tell how his brain is functioning.

Thanks for all your willingness and prayers... Please keep them coming :)

On our road to healing

The doctor was able to close up his chest last night. All went well and he had to have very minimal meds for his blood pressure through the process.  As far as blood pressure goes he has been more stable since even through all the sedation.
Today the goal is to start to get him off all sedation. This is really important today because we still don't know what damage to his brain has been done. The doctors are very concerned about this and that is his next hurdle. I feel like he is really in there but the doctors are going to need Stan to convince them. I pray today that he will become more responsive as his sedation wears off.  Also that no more health issues come our way.
Thank you all for you prayers and love and support. The faith of many have combined to give us many miracles in Stan's healing process.

Alisha

Best news yet!

He has come out of surgery!  The doctor said it went very well and his blood pressure showed no sign of trouble during the surgery. We will see if closing up his chest will stir anything up as can sometimes happen. Next step is taking him off the sedation and trying to see if there has been any damage to his brain. Please keep praying, our prayers are being answered.

Thursday June 6 update

Well we just continue to "hurry and wait" as the nurses say. Surgery to close up his chest didn't happen yesterday. Planning on today sometime after 1:00.. OR has been backed up but we know it will be today! Dad has tried to wake up a little more since yesterday which is good news, it helps us to know he is still in there but the the doctors don't want him to wake up too much with his chest chest still open. They have given him more sedatives to keep him asleep till they take him in for surgery. The nurse this morning said he had a good night. He was a little more alert, opened his eyes when she said his name.

Love you dad, keep hangin in there :)

Father's Day BBQ Fundraiser

As family of Stan and Alisha, we are each trying to do what we can to help and support them.  The Gurney family has taken over most of the construction of their house, others have taken on this blog and now Steve Johnson, Alisha's brother, is spear heading a fundraiser.

It's a BBQ fundraiser that is perfect for a Father's day dinner or large family gathering!  There are four choices of meat, and orders will be ready for pick up between 12 and 3 pm on Saturday June 15th. Steve's BBQ team is an award winning competition team. We are fortunate that he has invited other competition teams (all award winning) and they have enthusiastically accepted.  All teams are donating their time and smokers for this great cause.

To view the menu options and get all the details click here  or look under BBQ Fundraiser on the main home page.

We want to thank everyone involved in this fundraiser for Stan and Alisha, especially Steve and the other BBQ teams for their generosity.

June 5th update

It's been such a long week full of ups and downs.  The quick update I have for today is this...
Through the night everything has stayed the same. They did another CT scan and found it to be the same.  The big news today is that the doctor is planning on closing up his chest today. Yeah for that!  It is a good step forward :)

June 4 update

 Did tests this morning, Doctor said they were looking for any seizure activity and some look at his brainwaves  I think they are trying to find out why he doesn't wake up more. Dr said for what Stan has been through the EEG does not look to bad. He has seen a lot worse. He seemed careful not to make us think it was perfect but surprised it looks as good as it does. He is currently on no blood pressure medications at all. His pressure is a little high but they are letting it ride a little high for his brain.  They did another CT scan this morning, the bleed in his brain hasn't changed which is good. They will just watch it for not to make sure it doesn't get any worse. They are planning on closing up his chest by the end of the week, they didn't close it up yesterday, in case they need to go in again and they want to reduce some more swelling also before closing it up. Doctor would like to see several positives for Stan now.    Bring on the faith and prayers.  I told him to fight threw this.

Check out Dads new decor :)

As a Family We Testify of Angels

Last night Rachael's friend shared this talk by Jeffery R Holland, we all love him. Rachael loved how it just fits Stan and our family. Rachael shared it late with her mom Alisha. It has since been passed around for all.
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/the-ministry-of-angels?lang=eng

Alisha was given a blessing when we all first gathered at the hospital last tues. She was blessed with Angels to attend her and her family. Many of us have been blessed with The Love Of God through Heavenly angels and mortal angels. Many of you have been our angels and we thank you. We are being blessed through your faith and service. We are so grateful for our Heavenly Father and His Son. Elder Holland mentioned these angels are sent in the direction of our Savior. We know and have felt angels with us. We are so grateful for the Love of God.

We love and thank you!

He is one STRONG man!

Holy crap.... doctor just came in, surgery went well. HIS HEART IS BEATING ON HIS OWN!! Pretty sure we have all been jumping up and down. Still not quite out of the woods but this is huge. We love you dad, you are quite the fighter :)

Pray..

Dad had a CT scan earlier today... there is a small bleed in his brain, which they aren't super worried about. The problem is that he is on blood thinners, which is necessary to have the heart machine running. Blood thinners make the bleed worse. Which means that machine has to come out asap. He goes down to OR at 5:30. Pray for a big miracle! He should be in surgery for a few hours.

ICU Challenge #3

Clay vs Heather

Event- Wall Sits (Heather's choice)

Good Luck Clay! 

delayed June 2 update

Slacking on the blog for the day yesterday sorry guys! Here is the latest....

Stan is off all but one of the blood pressure medicines. He has gained 60 lbs. of fluids and has lost 10 lbs.  Of that in the last 48 hours. They took him off of the sedatives at 7:30 AM so they could see how his brain activity might be. He opened his eyes part way and was able to squeeze the nurses hand when she asked him to. We were not able to talk to the doctor today but we are encouraged by today's events. He is still on life support. As of today (June 3) We saw him this morning, he is looking better since the swelling has gone down. They are planning on turning the heart machine down again this morning around 8:00. Pray it goes well!

One mans service...

We all know Stan has always been willing to serve all kinds of people! So thankful for all his hard work. What has Stan done to help you??

June 1, 2013 update

Heart machine is down to 3.7! Planning on trying to turn it off on Monday. Two of the blood pressure medications are completely gone, only on a minimal amount. Starting blood thinners now to make sure of no clotting, now that the bleeding has slowed. They are taking off some of the sedation also. Hoping he will wake up a bit so they can see how his brain is working.

ICU Challenge #2

Clay vs Heather

20 Burpee + 20 Pushups