Bittersweet...

Thanksgiving and my birthday this year have been very bittersweet. My grandpa was admitted to the hospital on Thanksgiving with nausea and a high fever. By Friday he had slipped into a coma, and by Saturday, they weren't giving him very good odds to live through the night. I spent the afternoon frantically packing and trying to make arrangements to be gone for an indefinite period of time. My brother Cody and his cute wife Heather were driving through from California and went out to dinner with me for my 30th birthday, then we went to bed early and got up at 4:00 the next morning and drove out. Derrick had to stay behind because of work.

We drove straight through (8 1/2 hours) and went straight to the hospital. Grandpa has spinal meningitis, sepsis infection of the blood, along with paralysis of the right side, seizures, is in a coma, along with a myriad of other problems. It has been very touch and go, but today he is starting to come out of the coma. The paralysis is letting up, and he is sure he is leaving that hospital. I can just imagine what he would say if he could talk, but as it is he just grumbles his curses at you and throws his leg over the side of the bed and tries to leave. All while he is technically still in a coma!

Today has been a very good day for him. His eyes have been open, even though he is not completely concious and aware of his surroundings. He hummed a few strains of a song while I was there this morning, as well as was able to start moving his right hand. While my brother was there tonight, he said "ok" twice. That might not seem like much, but for someone that wasn't supposed to make it through the night on Saturday, we are just thrilled to see such incredible progress. The funny thing is that he broke his hip and just got out of the rehab center 6 days before Thanskgiving and he absolutely refused to move that leg. Now he is kicking me with it!

So while Thanksgiving and my birthday weren't bright spots, I got to come to Salt Lake and be with my family. I wish Derrick could be here with me and the kids and I am dreading driving home alone, but I love being here and being able to help lighten the load for my family. My grandma loves that I know what all of the alarms are for and whether his oxygen is being weaned or not. She wants me to stay all the time and answer her questions. My mom is on the executive board for Festival of Trees, so I have being trying to help out there as much as possible a well.

I hope and pray that Grandpa continues to improve and will have a full recovery. When I get back here in a little over 2 weeks, I want more than anything for him to give me a big hug!