Happy Halloween Visit

We stopped by to visit Grandma and Grandpa in our Halloween costumes. It was great to see them and spend some time. Grandma was awake when we got there. I sat next to her on the bed with my "Tweedle Dee" hat on. I asked her if she liked my hat, and she looked up at it and then back and me and nodded her head. So, I let her borrow it to take this picture. Tyler (who isn't a big fan of people he doesn't know very well) loved crawling all over Grandma's bed and tickled her hands and fingers. She always seems to know and love the babies. We also enjoyed trick or treating the chocolate stash! We love you!

"Happy Birthday to Kriss. Glad you came to our house to live."

Another year older and wiser to,
Happy Birthday...to you!

Grateful for all the blessings that are in store for you this year and all eternity to come.
Love from all of us Bodells.

Treat for Tricks!

Come haunt the halls and give a little scream as you stop by to visit Grandpa and Grandma this week. They would love to see you and have a little treat for anyone that comes by with a trick.

LANGUAGES OF LOVE

I am reminded again of the many ways to say " I love you". My mother may not be able to talk but she can communicate all the same.

From my mother it can be the way she looks in my eyes and I can tell she knows what I'm thinking, it can be a smile when I try to take her picture, or that glance when I tease her. It is the gentle touch of her finger on my cheek, or a soft caress as she touches my chin, or a squeeze of her hand in mine.

From my mother to my father it is her reaching out to him with her hand, asking for him to be there next to her, to hold her so she knows that everything is alright as long as he is there by her side. And then when he reaches to hers and their hands connect she relaxes and is at peace. "Actions do speak louder than words". Dad says that even though she doesn't move much anymore that somehow in the middle of the night she manages to cross over the slit between their beds so in the morning when he wakes she is snuggled over next to him.

"With 33 Grandkids Praying for Us . . . or "All aboard the Sandy Regional Line"

Grandma had a difficult week fighting a bad cold and wasn't eating but as Grandpa says, "With 33 Grandkids praying for her how could she not be feeling better."





(Can anyone tell me how to get the picture above centered so we can see Grandma. Who set up the blog to allow us to make changes to the format?)

By the time I arrived on Wednesday afternoon your prayers were answered and she was feeling much better.


She ate all her ice cream cone that she got from the ice cream cart that comes by their room every afternoon at about 3:00. If you are there right at 3:00 you might get one!


Then be sure to sign in on Grandpa's Guest Poster each time you drop by to visit. If you don't live close, but you send a card or letter we will write in your name too. And remind him he has a Halloween treat in his drawer for all the great-grandkids that visit.



And right next to the Guest Poster is this great Family Poster (Thank you Rachel) so Grandpa can show off many of his family to each and every person that comes through the door. Dr, Nurse, Hospice, Mechanic, Ice Cream Cart, "Pill Pusher" nurse, family and friends.





Then at 5:00 sharp it's time for Dinner. Grandpa hooks up his "Train" and heads to dinner. Toot, Toot! (He is already planning how to build something to tow Grandma in her chair behind his blue scooter. Grandpa says he is becoming a "Chocoholic" as they serve Hot Cocoa before each meal while they wait to be served. Mmmmm.

What a small world! A memory from the Bodell's mission to Liberia

This is a letter written from Kriss to her sister Pam: (Grandma and Grandpa Bodell went to Liberia, Africa on their mission as a couple over 20 years ago.)


Please try to print out this photo to give to Dad. This is one of his favorite guys from Liberia. Dad introduced him to his wife and taught him to love construction. He is a very productive with it and now is in charge of all the churches being built in this area of Africa (5 countries).

He was thrilled to meet us... especially because he had to escape during the war and lost all of his contacts and had no way to get ahold of Dad & Mom.

In about 1994 he came to America for a vacation and Dad took him to the ranch and to the National Parks. His name is Da Tarr.

He sends Mom and Dad all of his love. I showed him their blog and he was thrilled. I have his email if Dad ever starts doing emails, Da Tarr would love to hear from him.

Thanks. Love, K

SETTLING IN

I got to spend many hours with my Dad and Mom last night.

Grandpa and Grandma are settling in just fine and the door is wide open for visitors.

Even when I arrived Ken and Kathy Gates were there visiting and Mike McBride had already come by, much to Grandpa's happy surprise.

Dixie got them unpacked and organized including labels on all their drawers so they can easily find everything, along with hanging a few of their favorite pictures on the walls. Jimae, Bruce and Alex brought a recliner, and Dad and I have our first project planned for next week putting together a small book cases for them. We got all the t's crossed and i's dotted on their intake forms just moments before hospice showed up with more forms to sign. "Georgee" the hospice nurse quickly bonded with Grandma and Grandpa.

And imagine this! Grandpa and Grandma are in room 225 and guess who is right next door in room 223? Eloise Ellis, the owner and loaner of Grandma's wedding dress. Dick Ellis was army buddies with Grandpa, and today while Grandpa was in therapy, Dick took Eloise and Grandma to "lunch". Dick comes each day to visit and feed his wife Eloise so from now on there will be many lunches and dinners "for 4!" and Grandpa will have a dear old friend to visit and joke around with. (I like Dick better now that he isn't giving me a shot while sitting in his dentist chair.) Last evening Dick was telling Grandma that next time Grandpa was in physical therapy that Dick would take Eloise and Grandma out and "drag State Street". Grandma smiled at him and responded with a nod. I pulled Grandpa and Grandma's wedding picture off the wall and showed Eloise her own wedding dress that she had loaned to Grandma all those many years ago.

Grandma was very alert listening to our visiting the 5 hours I was there. She would even give me "that look" when I would tease her and she would smile for the picture.

Grandpa too seemed happy and relaxed. He told me that the care center is taking great care of them and as he patted his heart, said that right when he entered the doors the first time and started down the long hallway-- he felt peace in his heart.

I'm grateful for the coming days, weeks, and months where I can share many treasured times with Grandpa and Grandma. Come and join us!

I love you Mom and Dad.

Pam

Mike's Visit to Grandpa

My husband Mike is in Utah for a few days visiting his brothers. He went by Grandpa and Grandma's new place. He says Grandpa looks great and that his brother Glen couldn't even tell that Grandpa had had a stroke. Mike says that Grandpa seems to be in good spirits. Grandpa shared a story with Mike that I thought you would all enjoy hearing.

Grandpa was in the bathroom doing something and a nurse came into the room and started talking to Grandma. Grandpa says that he heard Grandma say twice, very loud and very clear "I love Jim!" Grandpa of course was very touched by this and started to tear up telling Mike this sweet story. He says it just made his heart soar.

2 weeks of love... the best kind of love

(Originally posted by Charise on her blog.)

I have had an AMAZING two weeks. They have been some of the hardest moments of my life, but also some of the best.

Two weeks ago today (on Tues. 9/21), my Grandma and Grandpa Bodell moved in with me. I really can not believe it has only been two weeks. It feels like two months! We have done a whole lot of living in this time. I am EXHAUSTED! (Seriously... as tired as I get when we have a new baby at home for the first few weeks.)

Grandma and Grandpa Bodell came and Dixie and I got them all unpacked and settled into their new "suite" downstairs in our house (Ed and Kriss's Irvine house). We had cousins Laura and Kevan here with us also for a week of playing and adventuring! (We Legoland, two days at Disneyland, and then they did the beach two days on their own. They wear me out!!!)

I started making endless phone calls coordinating Hospice, Doctors who still do house visits, nurses, respite care, meals on wheels, hospital equipment, social workers, bath aids, etc, etc... I'll just say it was A LOT of phone calls.

To all my friends and family who have called me in the past 2 weeks, and I didn't take your call, it just meant that I was on the phone with a doctor/nurse/social worker/ or changing one of the FOUR PEOPLE IN MY HOUSE THAT WEARS DIAPERS!!!! Just imagine 4 people making poopy diapers in one 24 hour period. THAT IS A LOT OF POOP!!!!!!! (I am LOVING my rubber gloves!)

And crazy story... somehow the garbage service got discontinued for these 2 weeks. It was a mistake in billing with changing the names from my mom and dad who are now missionaries in the Congo, Africa, to our names and billing accounts. So SORRY LAURA AND KEVAN for the serious PILE OF POO DIAPERS in our backyard. It was crazy comical! We had 5 HUGE EXTRA HEFTY black garbage bags full of diapers last Monday when the garbage service was finally up and running again. Peee Yewwww!

I am trying to have this post make sense, and I hope I am not talking in circles... but there is so much I want to get out... and it always seemed like I was waiting for things to be settled before we could finalize a plan. (And seriously, I am so tired!)

On Friday and Saturday (9/24/25), Grandma's nurse was worried because Grandma's lips were dark purple and the doctor said she had to start sleeping in a hospital bed. I looked at Grandpa and he was crestfallen. He looked crushed. For those who do not know, they sleep all night holding hands. Yes, all night. Grandma searches for it if it isn't there.

My heart ached for him and I said, "Grandpa, is that okay with you?" Grandpa said, "If that's what they have to do, then that's what we have to do." I could already see the wheels turning in his head. The minute we were alone he said to me, "Do you think we could get a single bed for me and just put it right next to grandma's hospital bed?" Sure thing!!! They delivered the hospital bed two hours later (impressive!), and Bill went to our old house and got Brighton's old single bed and set it up right next to grandma's new hospital bed. It worked really well!

Grandpa went for a walk every day that week. Even when it was 107 degrees out, he still went walking at noon for a mile!

On Monday night (9/27), we had a really good family home evening. This was one of the things I was most excited about for Grandma and Grandpa to be here for. It just seems like such a wonderful blessing to be able to have Grandpa Bodell conduct your family home evenings. We had a sweet lesson by Brighton about the Army of Helaman, and then we all acted out the story. We also had Tiff and Ryan and Brooklyn here for it. That night, as Bill and I joined Grandma and Grandpa for our nightly prayers, Grandpa told the Lord he was done and they were ready to return to live with him. I have to say... I was pretty proud of our family home evening... If he thought that was the way he wanted to end it. :)

HOWEVER, it serves me right for being PRIDEFUL! At 2:30 in the morning I heard, "BILL!!! BILL!!!" I jumped out of bed and Bill and I raced downstairs. Grandpa was at the bottom of the stairs in grandma's wheelchair. Bill and I could tell immediately what had happened, because Grandpa tried to smile to re-assure us he was all right, but the left half of his face did not move. It was the weirdest thing. His left eye was all droopy, and the left side of his mouth was turned down, and he was talking really funny. He was also slumped over to the side in the chair. It was like he couldn't move his left side at all. Bill gave him a quick blessing and we jumped in the car.

I took him to Kaiser Irvine because of many reasons:

1. I know from Cole's MANY hospital visits, that any hospital has to take an emergency and that insurance has to cover an emergency at any hospital until it is safe to move them.
2. The Irvine Kaiser is only a couple of years old and it is really nice!
3. All their rooms are private rooms, and the WORST is when you have a roommate who listens to Spanish Soap Opera's all day long!
4. As my family knows, we all consider the Irvine Kaiser my summer home. I have spent MANY a night there as a patient myself in the past few years.

Grandpa was very concerned that Grandma might wake up and be confused if he was not there, so he told me to go take care of Grandma. Crystal came down (thanks Crystal!) to be with Grandpa that day. Then, Uncle Dan came on Tuesday and has been a wonderful help!

On Friday, Oct. 1, Grandpa was transferred from the hospital to Lake Forest Skilled Nursing Home. I am not a huge fan of this place, but I think that Kaye, the case manager, is great at her job! I will just say that cleaning fecal matter off the floor is not their top priority, even after 3 days of my telling them exactly where it is. Enough said.

This second week, Grandma Bodell was not been doing well. Not only is she "not in the room", but as grandpa Bodell puts it, "She isn't even in the neighborhood!" On Saturday morning, (10/2) Dan brought grandpa to visit grandma. She no longer recognized him. At first it was really hard on him, but then with tears rolling down his cheeks, he said, "Hey, that's not really even my sweetie, and we will be dancing together soon enough. I've alway's said I want to be with her as long as she recognizes me, but when she doesn't, we will both be ready to leave."

Grandma was not eating well, and was really getting worse throughout the week. Grandpa decided, with the help of some of his kids, that he was ready to move grandma and himself to a full time care facility, most likely until grandma passes away. (Which could still be years from now!) The idea of having to move her after she passes away scares him. He want's to be able to kiss her goodbye and let the nursing home take care of all the details.

On Sunday, Dan drove Grandma Bodell to Las Vegas, where Dixie met him and took her to Orderville for a couple of nights.

Tomorrow (Wed. 10/6), Dixie will drive Grandma from Orderville to Sandy, UT. Bill will go and check Grandpa out of the Lake Forest Nursing Home and drive him to the OC airport where Uncle Mike Bodell will be waiting to fly with him on Delta (1st class since Mike is such a frequent flyer!!!) and then Mike will take him to Sandy to be with Grandma Bodell at their new house.

Sandy Regional Care Center
Room 225
50 East 9000 South
Sandy UT 84070

A few things I have learned from Grandpa this week:

• He has PLENTY of BLACK licorice. He literally has a lifetime supply.
• He still loves apple spice baked goods.
• His prized possessions are pictures of his grand and great grand children. He shows them to every visitor he gets. PLEASE keep sending them. As your kids grow, he wants new ones. Put names on the back so he can remember who is who and who belongs to who.

For example, he has a picture of Marci and Matt's babies together, and it was the first thing he wanted to unpack when he got to Irvine. He PANICKED when we couldn't find it. When it finally showed up his first evening here, he kept a hold of it and looked at it at least 100 times! Send more pictures!

He also loves to talk on the phone. Give him a call. If he doesn't answer, keep calling every minute or so. Sometimes it takes him a while to get to the phone.

As I packed Grandma and Grandpa up on Saturday night to get ready for Dan to take Grandma early Sunday morning, I kept choking on tears. I was so not ready for them to leave! Grandma and I haven't been to the theater, or gotten manicures, or eaten on the solarium this visit! There were so many things I wanted to do with my grandma before she left this final time. Oh grandma, how I love you! How I love singing with you as we do our chores. How I will miss you whenever I go to the theater. You are my joy and love sweet girl. Please know that I will always be a better person because of all you have been in my life. I cried most of Saturday and Sunday, but now I am ready for you to move on. I will miss you dreadfully, but I know it is time for you to dance again.


And grandpa... He has been really cute. He says to keep his room ready for him. That when grandma moves on, he plans to come back to party it up with us! He said he wants his options open for his return. We had lots of plans that we will put on hold for now.

We have played train game ("Ticket to Ride") these past two nights at his rest home, and he has such a zest for life and love of everyone. I am so thankful that my Brighton will have these memories to keep with him of what a truly inspiring man his grandpa Jim Bodell really was.

Tiff and Ryan stole Grandpa's route!!!
Brooklyn takes after Grandma Bodell... she wants to eat the trains!

I love these two people so much!

Many have asked me why I wanted to take on the opportunity to care for them these next 16 months. As I have thought about it I have realized why. My childhood was amazing. Truly amazing. I was happy, well loved, protected, and only saw the good. I owe this completely to my parents, who owe it completely to Jim and Maydene Bodell. They are the reason my life was the way it was, and continues to be the way it is. I am blessed and have such greatness in my daily life. I have had VERY FEW trials in my life. I know that my Grandpa Bodell is the reason I see life the way I do.

Anyway, back to the... "Sorry I could not answer calls. I was changing diapers and talking to doctors/nurses/social workers/etc". So, call me again if you need me to return your call. My life is getting back to normal now.

And as a final note, as I write this, I feel supremely guilty... acting as though I did anything special. Dixie has done this every day for months and months! I am so thankful for her time, talents and energy!

Yes, I know. possibly the longest post ever.

Just love me.

Two Weeks of Love...The Best Kind of Love!

Written by Charise:



I have had an AMAZING two weeks. They have been some of the hardest moments of my life, but also some of the best.

2 weeks ago today my grandma and grandpa Bodell moved in with me. (Tues. 9/21) I really can not believe it has only been 2 weeks. It feels like 2 months! We have done a whole lot of living in this time. I am EXHAUSTED! (Seriously... as tired as I get when we have a new baby at home for the first few weeks.)

Gma and Gpa Bodell came and Dixie and I got them all unpacked and settled into their new "suite" downstairs in our house. (Ed and Kriss's Irvine house) We had cousins Laura and Kevan here with us also for a week of playing and adventuring! (Legoland, 2 days at Disney, and then they did the beach 2 days on their own. They wear me out!!!)

I started making endless phone calls coordinating Hospice, Doctors who still do house visits, nurses, respite care, meals on wheels, hospital equipment, social workers, bath aids, etc, etc... I'll just say it was A LOT of phone calls. All my friends and family who have called me in the past 2 weeks, and I didn't take your call, it just meant that I was on the phone with a Dr./nurse/social worker/ or changing one of the FOUR PEOPLE IN MY HOUSE THAT WEARS DIAPERS!!!! Just imagine 4 people making poopy diapers in one 24 hour period. THAT IS A LOT OF POOP!!!!!!!
(I am LOVING my rubber gloves!) And crazy story... somehow the garbage service got discontinued for these 2 weeks. It was a mistake in billing with changing the names from my mom and dad who are now missionaries in the Congo Africa, to our names and billing accounts. So SORRY LAURA AND KEVAN for the serious PILE OF POO DIAPERS in our backyard. It was crazy comical! We had 5 HUGE EXTRA HEFTY black garbage bags full of diapers last Monday when the garbage service was finally up and running again. Peee Yewwww!

I am trying to have this post make sense, and I hope I am not talking in circles... but there is so much I want to get out... and it always seemed like I was waiting for things to be settled before we could finalize a plan. (And seriously, I am so tired!)

Grandma's nurse was worried because Grandma's lips were dark purple on Friday and Saturday, (9/24/25) and the doctor said she had to start sleeping in a hospital bed. I looked at Grandpa and he was crestfallen. He looked crushed. My heart ached for him and I said, "Grandpa, is that okay with you?" For those who do not know, they sleep all night holding hands. Yes, all night. Grandma searches for it if it isn't there. Grandpa said, "If that's what they have to do, then that's what we have to do." I could already see the wheels turning in his head. The minute we were alone he said to me, "Do you think we could get a single bed for me and just put it right next to grandma's hospital bed?" Sure thing!!! They delivered the hospital bed 2 hours later, and Bill went to our old house and got Brighton's old single bed and set it up right next to grandma's new hospital bed. It worked really well!

Grandpa went for a walk every day that week. Even when it was 107 degrees out, he still went walking at noon for a mile!

On Monday night (9/27) we had a really good family home evening. This was one of the things I was most excited about for Grandma and Grandpa to be here for. It just seems like such a wonderful blessing to be able to have Grandpa Bodell conduct your family home evenings. We had a sweet lesson by Brighton about the Army of Helaman, and then we all acted out the story. We also had Tiff and Ryan and Brooklyn here for it. That night, as Bill and I joined Grandma and Grandpa for our nightly prayers, Grandpa told the Lord he was done and they were ready to return to live with him. I have to say... I was pretty proud of our family home evening... If he thought that was the way he wanted to end it. :)

HOWEVER, it serves me right for being PRIDEFUL! At 2:30 in the morning I heard BILL!!! BILL!!! I jumped out of bed and Bill and I raced downstairs. Grandpa was at the bottom of the stairs in grandma's wheelchair. Bill and I could tell immediately what had happened, because Grandpa tried to smile to re-assure us he was all right, but the left half of his face did not move. It was the weirdest thing. His left eye was all droopy, and the left side of his mouth was turned down, and he was talking really funny. He was also slumped over to the side in the chair. It was like he couldn't move his left side at all. Bill gave him a quick blessing and we had him in the car.

I took him to Kaiser Irvine because of many reasons.
#1 I know from Cole's MANY hospital visits that any hospital has to take an emergency and that insurance has to cover an emergency at any hospital until it is safe to move them.
#2 The Irvine Kaiser is only a couple of years old and it is really nice!
#3 All their rooms are private rooms, and the WORST is when you have a roomate who listens to Spanish Soap Opera's all day long!
#4 As my family knows, we all consider the Irvine Kaiser my summer home. I have spent MANY a night there as a patient myself in the past few years.

Within 10 minutes they had him in a CT scan. He had a minor stroke, and he stayed at the Kaiser hospital for 3 nights. They did lots of tests and could tell right away what needed to be done.

Having a minor stroke is a precursor to possibly have more... including a major stroke. Grandpa needs to be monitored closely for a while.

On Friday, Oct. 1 Grandpa was transferred from the hospital to Lake Forest Skilled Nursing Home. I am not a huge fan of this place, but I think that Kaye, the case manager, is great at her job! I will just say that cleaning fecal matter off the floor is not their top priority, even after 3 days of my telling them exactly where it is. Enough said.

This second week, Grandma Bodell has not been doing well. Not only is she "not in the room", but as grandpa Bodell puts it, "She isn't even in the neighborhood!"On Saturday morning, (10/2) Dan brought grandpa to visit grandma. She no longer recognized him. At first it was really hard on him, but then with tears rolling down his cheeks, he said, "Hey, that's not really even my sweetie, and we will be dancing together soon enough. I've alway's said I want to be with her as long as she recognizes me, but when she doesn't we will both be ready to leave."

Side note... Uncle Dan was here since Tuesday and has been a wonderful help!

Grandma was not eating well, and was really getting worse this past week. Grandpa decided, with the help of some of his kids, that he was ready to move grandma and himself to a full time care facility, most likely until grandma passes away. (Which could still be years from now!) The idea of having to move her after she passes away scares him. He want's to be able to kiss her goodbye and let the nursing home take care of all the details.

Dan drove Grandma Bodell to Las Vegas, where Dixie met him and took her to Orderville for a couple of nights.

Tomorrow (Wed. 10/6) Dixie will drive Grandma from Orderville to Sandy, UT. Bill will go and check Grandpa out of the LAke Forest Nursing Home and drive him to the OC airport where Uncle Mike Bodell will be waiting to fly with him on Delta (1st class since Mike is such a frequent flyer!!!) and then Mike will take him to Sandy to be with Grandma Bodell at their new house.
Sandy Regional Care Center, Room 225
50 East 9000 South, Sandy UT 84070

A few things I have learned from Grandpa this week.
He has PLENTY if BLACK liccorice. He litterally has a lifetime supply.
He still loves apple spice baked goods.
His prized possesions are pictures of his grand and great grand children. He shows them to every visitor he gets. PLEASE keep sending them. As your kids grow, he wants new ones. Put names on the back so he can remember who is who and who belongs to who.

For example, he has a picture of Marci and Matt's babies together, and it was the first thing he wanted to unpack. He PANICKED when we couldn't find it. When it finally showed up his first evening here, he kept a hold of it and looked at it at least 100 times! Send more pictures!

He also loves to talk on the phone. Give him a call. If he doesn't answer. Keep calling every minute or so. Sometimes it takes him a while to get to the phone.

As I packed Grandma and Grandpa up on Saturday night to get ready for Dan to take Grandma early Sunday morning, I kept choking on tears. I was so not ready for them to leave! Grandma and I haven't been to the theater, or gotten manicures, or eaten on the solarium this visit! There were so many things I wanted to do with my grandma before she left this final time. Oh grandma, how I love you! How I love singing with you as we do our chores. How I will miss you whenever I go to the theater. You are my joy and love sweet girl. Please know that I will always be a better person because of all you have been in my life. I cried most of Saturday and Sunday, but now I am ready for you to move on. I will miss you dreadfully, but I know it is time for you to dance again.

And grandpa... He has been really cute. He says to keep his room ready for him. That when grandma moves on, he plans to come back to party it up with us! He said he want's his options open for his return. We had lots of plans that we will put on hold for now.

We have played train game these past two nights at his rest home, and he has such a zest for life and love of everyone. I am so thankful that my Brighton will have these memories to keep with him of what a truly inspiring man his grandpa Jim Bodell really was.


I love these two people so much!
Many have asked me why I wanted to take on the opportunity to care for them these next 16 months. As I have thought about it I have realized why. My childhood was amazing. Truly amazing. I was happy, well loved, protected, and only saw the good. I owe this completely to my parents, who owe it completely to Jim and Maydene Bodell. They are the reason my life was the way it was, and continues to be the way it is. I am blessed and have such greatness in my daily life. I have had VERY FEW trials in my life. I know that my grandpa Bodell is the reason I see life the way I do.

Anyway, back to the... "Sorry I could not answer calls. I was changing diapers and talking to doctors/nurses/social workers/etc". So call me again if you need me to return your call. My life is getting back to normal now.

And as a final note: as I write this, I feel supremely guilty... acting as though I did anything special. Dixie has done this every day for months and months! I am so thankful for her time, talents and energy!




Tiff and Ryan stole Grandpa's route!!!
Brooklyn takes after Grandma Bodell... she wants to eat the trains!

yes, I know. possibly the longest post ever.
just love me.


Pam said...

As we wheeled Grandpa into their new "hotel" room with all the care they need, Grandma just kept staring at Grandpa and as he wheeled closer you could see her eyes light up. She knew exactly who he was! She had been waiting to see him! His eyes teared up as Grandpa reached across from wheelchair to wheelchair and they were once again reunited. Dixie and I pushed the beds together so they will again tonight sleep hand in hand and can awake side by side.

Thank you Bill, Char, and boys for all the great love and care you have given them.

Moving into Sandy Regional Care Center

Dear Family,

Today we will be admitting Grandpa and Grandpa into the Sandy Regional Care Center. I will send their room phone number after they check in, but until then you could reach Grandpa on his cell.

We are hoping that each of you that are able will be able to visit Grandpa and Grandma on a regular basis. I would love to set up a calendar so that Grandpa could know you would be coming, and can look forward to the visits on the days you can come, whether weekly or monthly. Please check your schedules and let me know if there might be a regular time you could put on your calendar to save a little time for a visit. I'm sure he would also love for any of you that could to come and share FHE with him and Grandma when possible.

For those of you that live further away, I'm sure Grandpa would love to receive cards, drawings by the Great-grandkids, updated family photos, or if you want to email me I will print them and give to him each week.

With great love,
Aunt Pam

Grandpa's Testimony

Thank you to Lexi Patterson for providing video.

Grandpa videos in care center

Grandpa Update Friday Oct 1

Dear Family,

Thank you all for your prayers for Grandpa and Grandma.

Here is an incomplete update as many decisions are still trying to be made depending on where the best place will be for Grandpa and for Grandma in the next few weeks and next few months.

Grandpa was released from the hospital last night in Dan's care. From the tests we found out that Grandpa did have a TIA stroke. Spot found on the right side lobe near his ear. He has some feeling back in his arm and his leg. (He says about 50% back). He also is having some double vision that we need to get some followup care from a doctor. His face looks good. He can move his arm. He can stand but he can not walk at this time. He needs to go to "acute" rehabilitation facility but the one in Tustin that is recommended by some will not be covered on Grandpa's insurance. (Utah based Blue Cross -united with Medicare) The facility that will Charise says in not a good place. Last evening, my last phone call with Dan, was that they were going to go see that place that Kaiser Hospital had set up and then make a decision as to whether he goes there to start rehab until we can find somewhere else, or if Dan was going to take Grandpa home (Kriss's) and Dan care for him through the night until we could get more information today once offices open. Dan has spent much of the last two days on the phone trying to find various options and facilitate decisions that need to be made.

Please keep praying that the right decisions will be made.
With great love,

Aunt Pam