Richard - Arizona

Richard

Some of the family made the trip to Glendale, Arizona the first part of March. The trip was to attend the retirement ceremony and reception for my brother Richard. After 20 years, he has retired from the Air Force with more medals and recognition than anyone of us knew. I asked him why he didn't tell us half of his accomplishments. Anyone who knows Rich will understand his reply "Why, I was just doing my job." I didn't realize how involved he was with volunteering, and what an example he was to all of the Air Force personnel that he worked with. Rich - I am so proud of you and I am so lucky to have a brother as wonderful as you. I was able to spend more time with his wife Lori. She makes him so happy and everytime I see her I get to know her a little better and like her more and more. Lori, thanks for being so supportive and loving to my brother. I am glad to have you in our family. They have 4 kids - and I am sure I won't get the spelling right on them..but Dylan is the oldest and he is in the military too (we are proud of you Dylan - keep up the good work), Alicia who is in college, Kaylee who is finishing high school and Evan - such a smart, cute young man (boy)! All of their kids are VERY bright and that is no joke!!! Can't wait for you all to make it back to Utah again!!

Harlee

Well everyone knows that I am not very good at keeping things updated, but I will update a lot and then not get anymore updates for a while. Harlee is so much fun the older she gets. Grandkids are the best!!! She is now talking and you can even understand some of the things that she says. I am so glad that she is healthy, happy and smart.

Wow - the time has just flown by

I am going to try to add some updates today. It has been a long time so I hope I can remember how!!! I don't even know what pictures I have in the computer to add to the page. The farming is pretty much done for the winter other than feeding and watering animals. Hopefully there won't be any fence fixing/building until spring. I have a feeling that if you have cows, there will always be fence fixing/building. The guys have almost finished hunting and were quite successful. I think Clint still has a tag for some hunt, but maybe that is over now too. They hunted pheasants out at the farm and really had a good time. I went out a couple of times with them for the exercise more than hunting.

Artifical Heart Reunion

My Dad and My Daughter at the Artificial Heart Reunion

It has been 6 years now since my Dad's artificial heart and heart transplant. The artificial heart was a Left Ventrical Assist Device (LVAD). We went to the reunion for the artificial heart recipients this year. It was so good to see the Doctors and Nurses that took such great care of my Dad. For those who don't know or remember, my Dad was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in June 2001, he received his artificial heart - LVAD on July 25, 2002. He really struggled recovering from the surgery. He had a hard time with his blood pressure dropping and his vitals staying stable. After a little more than a week, they finally started to take him out of sedation. It was really something else getting use to the sound of the artificial heart. Every now and then I would quit listening to conversations and listen to the heart work, wanting to gain the security that the heart actually was working. I should have had the faith in it, the alarm is so loud when the batteries are low or if the heart malfunctions and quits. Anyway... had he not been lucky enough to have the LVAD, I don't think he would have been healthy enough to survive a transplant surgery. At the time he did get the LVAD, they had only given him 24 hours to live with the LVAD. He regained his strength and did receive a heart transplant on September 16-17. We are always thankful for the donor and his family and their generosity in giving so many people second chances and better lives. Although we were celebrated the second life that my dad was given, we did mourn for the loss that the donors family would be experiencing. I hope that they are proud of the son that they raised to be so unselfish and to think so much of other people, in his life and in his passing.

This is a picture of one of the most fantastic nurses. She received an award that night.

This is a picture of Doctor Clayson he is artificial heart and heart transplant surgeon. He preformed the transplant for my dad.