News as Promised!

So my dad pointed out that as far as the blog is concerned, people probably still visualize him laying in bed, immobile, zombie like...all due to my poor blogging skills. So, I am going to innundate you all with info and pictures to get eveyone caught up. Just so I do not need to put a caption with every photo here are some things the photos entail:
Right before my dad was checked out of Rehab he wanted me to get photos of him doing the hand bike, the bike and walking up adn down stairs. There is also a photo of him doing his finger exercises ( his hands are getting better every day!) Next would be his first trip home where he waled to his garden (his baby) and got a feel for being home and how he was going to deal.
On Aug. 25th Emily and I threw him a surprise 50th B-day. We were all a little anxious as to how he would take it (being overwhelmiing and all) but it really lifted his spirits and he was able to see old friends, ward members and family that hadn't been able to see him in a while. He walked in the door, we said surprise, we clapped, we sang Happy Birthday and he cried (he's a sensitive guy and he is not ashamed of it :) The theme was celebrate our superhero and quite a few people came dressed for the occasion. About 50 people showed up so the house was packed and full of joy and life. Emily and I sang the song from the musical Wicked for him called "For Good".
There are photos of his first trip to Sacrament meeting, with a shirt tailored around his HALO so he could feel as normal as possible. He has been back to the office and taking charge and never ceases to think up projects we call all do for him around the house...always the delegator.
Anywho, here are the pics. And please don't hesitate to leave notes, he loves to read them even if they are only a few lines, it lets him know who is looking at the blog. And let me know if you have questions, I will answer them via the blog.

Busy!

I am sorry I have been so bad at updating this blog, I know it is really important to my dad to journal this experience and to share what he is going through and learning day by day. For now will give a quick update and tomorrow I will post pictures and videos and elaborate on the last week or so.

My dad is home! He came home last Thursday and home seems to be a healer. While he may still be in pain and mobility is difficult (we are all constantly shouting at him to be more careful) he loves being around family and his garden and having real life to keep his mind busy. Yesterday he had a new halo put on him at the hospital. Apparently the last one was set wrong and his neck wasn't healing. Luckily they caught it before to much damage was done and he is all fitted in a much sleeker looking halo model. We are currently trying to tailor some shirts he can wear to church and eventually to Brock's wedding in the temple. Life is great with him home. While he hasn't been back to church yet, after Taylor and Brock gave him teh sacrament on Sunday we held a little impromptu sacrament meeting. I lead the music, Dustin gave the lesson ( very willingly as he loves any chance to teach) and my dad shared his feelings of gratitude for all of his blessings. He spoke of the Atonement and how much more relevent it is to him and we discussed love and gratitude and how those feelings can bring reverence into our lives. My dad said that he has felt such a strong spirit over the last month and no matter how fast life might start to come at him, he doesn't want to loose the reverent feelings he has had.

I will fill in on more tomorrow...

Rookie

My dad spoke about how the word "rookie" has taken on a new meaning the other day and I thought I would communicate this to y'all. When he first arrived at the rehab facility he was talking up the nurses, smiling as he was wheeled or walked down the hallway, ready to revolutionize the attitude of the other seemingly down-trodden patients. He talked of how he wanted to return to the rehab center once he was released to be a volunteer to lift the patients spirits. He told us stories to cheer us and played the part of the happy patient for all of his visitors.
Well now the word "rookie" has come to mean something new to him. He now realizes that the patients he thought he would some day cheer were really looking at him and shaking thier heads thinking rookie. The smile he thought he would wear as a pemanent ficture started to turn upside down more often and the challenges and the day-today of the facility started to wear him down. He had been a rookie all right, unaware of the validity of the feelings of the other less-than-always-optomistic patients.
It is not that he is now depressed or unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but now he is more realistic and taking things a day at a time. He is dealing with the reality of his feelings and growing from them rather than masking them. And I know he is now part of the group that shakes their head at the new guy and thinks "rookie!"

(my dad said all of this is a joking manner but it is hard to add that tone in writing: the point is that you never know until you've been there)

My Kathy Blanket, by Will Nowell

The story that I wanted to tell about mommy today is that, today I went into my MRI and I had a neat opportunity. Ever since Mom and I have been married, she has been a little dissapointed that she married someone that doesn't sleep in past 5 or 6 in the morning. Its been a source of lots of dissagreements between mom and I that she is always asking why I have to get up early, and why I won't sleep in with her. But a little while ago, maybe a couple years ago she discovered the secret weapon. She hugs me, puts her arms around me and knows that she can immediatly calm me down. ANd if she hugs me for long enough I fall right back asleep and forget about getting up, so I've always called her "My Little Kathy Blanket". For a long time now, the past few years, when I am restless or in the morning, sometimes I'll just say, " I need my little Kathy Blanket" and she'll hug me, and it will immediatley calm my spirit. So, while I've been in the hospital, several times before I go to sleep mom has given me little hugs before I go to sleep and helps me calm down. Sometimes I can talk her into laying down with me in this little itty bitty hospital bed. When she does that I immediatly calm down and even though my arm is completely squished, I absolutly love having her with me. Alot of times I'll just fall asleep. So today while I was in the MRI machine and because my Halo is so big they didn't have a way of getting me into the MRI machine without squishing me really badly and my arms were on top of my Halo and it was squishing me pretty badly and it was real uncomortable. Then they put you in this little MRI machine, and they tell you that you have to be in there and the top of it is only about an inch from your nose. So my heart was beating really fast and I was breathing really hard and I was really uncomfortable. So I started to imagine that the reason my arm was uncomfortable was because I had Kathy there with me . I started to pretend that I had my little Kathy blanket there with me, and I stopped breathing hard and I calmed down, and I almost fell asleep while I was in hte MRI machine even though it sounds like a jack hammer is going off the whole time. Because I was able to imagine her laying next to me and it calmed me down. So I really love my little Kathy blanket and I want her to know that. (transcribed by EmyLee McIntyre)

A Fork, A Fork, My Kingdom for a Fork!

I went to visit my dad for lunch the other day and was surprised to see him feeding himself lunch. They have provided him with an oversized fork handle that he can grip and if he focuses he does a great job. I know I must have sat staring at him for a few minutes because it was mezmerizing to see him use his arms and hands and I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. He had to show off after this by standing up on his own, walking to the faucet, turning the water on and washing his hands. While the movement is simple and his fingers are not really his own yet, it definately brought the light at the end of the tunnel into view. I started envisioning him at home, able to do the basic things we all take for granted on his own. Hi will is so strong, I don't think I could ever have had the same resolve to improve as much so quickly. I know he gets overwhelmed and tired and the tasks can often seem like too much, but he rarely shows this and instead often poses for us in a flexing motion to show both his outer and inner strength. My dad, my hero.

Hey Big Guy

Hey Will, this is Jason, and I wanted to post a little note for you. I've been so impressed with your progress over the past week and half since you left CA. You're amazing and seeing those pictures of you sitting up at the table, dancing, and walking was so cool and my heart reached out to you. Thanks for being a great example to each of us, and your positive attitude and optimism has taught us all a great lesson. I love you Will, and know that Emy and I are praying for you everyday and she's so excited to come down to see you a week (I wish I could come too :(
Love,
Jason

Your a Dancing maniac

Oh My Heck, as they say in Utah! My little baby fanny and I were laughing so hard when we saw your sexy dance moves! dad you are moving so well. I am so proud of you. I can't believe you are dancing standing up now! that is so impressive. Don't forget to reckognize every little accomplishment. And most of which are not so little. You are such a blessing. Here I am moping because I don't have much to do here during the day, and you are there dancing your heart out. I am going to try to be more like you Dad. I love you so much and I am so proud of you. Oh I want you to know, it is cheaper to get tickets at least a weak in advance so I am coming home on aug. 1st a tuesday and leaving the 5th a sunday morning! I can't wait. I am going to cook you my famous stew! then you can give me some tips and I'll keep saying, "so is this not the best food you have ever had?!" cause i have found I do that! heeh. But, I love that I am alot like you! I love you and Mom so much!

Pictures from Sunday Dinner

Even in the cafeteria, we stayed long at the table and laughed as we always have done.

After family dinner in the cafeteria.

His first step outside in two weeks...and then the 110 degree heat chased him back inside.

Snuggling!

Will & brother Jerry comparing goatees. Touching his chin is a bigger deal for my dad then it may appear.

Pictures from

Fun Video

some encouraging words

Hey Poppa! I know you are reading this so I want you to know that I love you with all of my heart and I am thinking and praying for you constantly. Today in church we talked about the garden of Gethsemene and i couldn't help but think of you. Even though I knew that the atonement could help lighten the burden you are carrying, I didn't exactly know how. Well if you remember, when Christ was in the Garden he asked three times for Christ to "take this cup from me". God had the power and yet loved us enough to tell his son whom he knew better than we will probably ever know anyone, No. Even though he said no, Christ was not alone, he had his father and God sent an angel. I tell you this for a couple of reasons. when God allowed Christ to suffer, he showed great restraint and sacrifice so that christ could experience the atonement. I imagine that Heavenly Father with all the desire in his heart, wanted to protect you from your accident, but, because he loved you, he showed restraint. He promised you that you could have your agency and come to earth, and you fought for it in the premortal existence, and now you can return home someday and be made perfect through christ. However, eventhough Heavenly Father allowed this to happen to you, in other words, said no to a constant prayer of safety, he will not leave you alone, and in many instances will send you angels. Dad, Heavenly Father knows that your time of need is not over, and he will not leave you, he is in the midst of you.
Another thing that i learned today that i did not previously know was that Christ experienced everything on the cross that he had previously experienced in the Garden of Gethsemene, but in a more condensed time frame. However, this time God did have to leave the Savior. This was the first time that Christ had ever been without the lords spirit. I thought how lonely and difficult the Lord must have felt at this point, until a woman pointed out that this time as Christ experienced this, God knew he could handle it. He watched him in the Garden of Gethsemene and knew that the Lord was strong enough. Dad, Just like you said, Heavenly Father will not give you anything that you cannot overcome, and everything shall be for your good. I am so proud of you, and your positive attitude. Everytime I call you are sure to give me the update and assure me that you are working hard. I know you are. Do you know how to work any other way!hehe, I miss you like crazy and I love you and mom very very much. Oh and all this is ditto to mommy because I know that Heavenly Father is there with her as she is puting so much faith in him. I love you guys P.S I am super jealous aobut your guys fun family dinner tonight in the rehab center!eeeee( thats emylee Jason language for i am smiling!)

" My Sweetheart"

It is Saturday night, about 10:45 and I just crawled out of Will's twin sized hospital bed. Tonight - I wanted to hug him and give him comfort while he sleeps,I want him to know without words that he can always count on me to be there for him, like he has always been there for me...

July 5th I walked into the ICU, I couldn't wait to see him, we were all taking turns,and now it was mine. I walked over to him, leaned over, and kissed him,we both looked at each other and then Will said,"You need to stop, your making my heart race" we looked at his stats on the monitor and you could see his heart racing away! We still have it after 28 years!!!

My children have been my anchor to life, they are so strong and selfless - I love having a son in the mission field, I feel that at this time it has been such a blessing to our family to have Bret serving in this capacity, Bret you are so loved....

July 2nd was a very surreal day, it made me realize how fragile life is, it helped me to know that I have given a second chance....

Thank you for your prayers, and thank you Ryan for your sweet words...

Walking

So I know I have mentioned already that my dad has taken a few steps, but now that he is home I can personally account for his progress. I went to the hospital to see him on Friday and was fortunate to see him walk all the way from the rehab gym to his room. we have guestimated that this was 400 ft. He told me that he was trying really hard to stand up straight and I told him I thought he looked like he was straight the entire walk...this brought a huge smile to his face. In fact, he wanted to make sure I posted this momentus walk as it is something of which he is very proud.
His journey to Phoenix from LA was one he is trying to forget. It took ten hours because of some bad directions and some of is was done without a/c. I guess the bed was way too skinny for him and the bard were digging into his side. It took a day for him to recover and get his spirits back up but when I saw him on Friday he was rearing to ge the rehab done.
Tomorrow, Sunday, we are all getting together at the hospital to eat a hospital food Sunday dinner and watch a movie in his room. He gets tired easily so the movie will keep us quiet if he does fall asleep and allow him to get the rest he needs.
I guess right now the nights are the toughest. He gets really bad back spasms that he says really bring him back to reality, his body gets tight, and he can't get comfortable. But I am reporting all of your thoughts and prayers to him adn I know that keeps him positive and moving. As always, thankyou for the love and support that we feel continually. I know my dad returns all of the love. He has especailly always loved his nieces & nephews and the fun he has had with them over the years...and will definately continue to have again.

My Dad The Champion

A couple nights before my dad was able to be transported to the rehab center , he talked to Taylor on the phone. At the time, Taylor was at EFY. My dad gave him instructions to get as many girls numbers as he could find, and if he was having trouble getting a particular number, he should use the sympathy close.."my dad was just in an accident, and i need a hug". My dad definatley knows how to make lemons into lemonade. well taylor started telling my dad about a speaker he heard at EFY. This man broke his neck at a young age, and after a long recovery was hit by a car. Taylor relayed to my dad that we all need to find the champion within us. My dads automatic reply was, "Taylor you have already found the champion within you. You were strong for me, and then even though it was hard for you to leave me, you did, and now you are at EFY." I told my Dad. " I think thats exactly how taylor feels about you". My Dad is a champion. If you were standing on the other side of the curtain and could only hear his voice, you wouldn't beleive all that he is going through. He kept us in stiches, and had the nurses melting after every sincere thankyou. my Dad is the most greatful person I know, and probably the most loved. thankyou to all your prayers. They were heard.

Pictures

Coming Home!

I must say that yesterday was one of the best days in little while. Dustin & I came home to Phoenix with Taylor on Saturday so we have been a way from my dad. It has been tough missing the progress and the family time. However, I received a call yesterday that my dad was officially discharged and that he was coming home today. My parents are very fortunate to have wonderful friends who provided the means for him to be transported safely home and he will be moving into a great rehab facility. From the last update I received, my dad was walking in the hallway (not skipping as I had been jokingly told) and playing ET with the sensor on his finger. I also hear he does a great Frankenstein. The family is ecstatic to be returning to Phoenix, even though it is way too hot!

The Blessings

I would never wish my dad's accident upon him, however, the time I have been able to spend with him is more precious than anything. Last week we all took turns throughout the day and evening staying by his side. As we waited with him, massaging his arms and legs, warming his hands, feeding him and talking with him, the bond in our family grew ten-fold. As the oldest of five children (and even as an adult sibling) I have often felt I needed space from my family, alone time; however, as I watched with them, I couldn't get enough of them, especially my dad. We were able to open up to one another and tell eachother of our love with unabashed sincerity. Our patience grew with oneanother as we all shared the roles of leader, peacemaker, compassionate service provider and caregiver. No one went without feeling of the other's support.


Blessings have abounded as we have prayed together and seen the prayers of others in our lives. My dad has most recently stood up, taken five steps and sat in a regular chair. He is sleeping through the night and has sensation back thoughout almost all of his body. His pnemonia is subsiding and his spirits are rising everyday. I know that these things are all possible because of our Heveanly Father and His great love for us and because He does hear our prayers. He knows each and everyone of us individually and He knows my dad has alot left to do.

Thank you for all of your prayers thoughout this difficult time, they have given us much strength.
I will contiue to post progress and hopefully soon my dad will be able to journal his own thoughts. If you have any questions you can post them and I will get back to you.

The Accident

For those of you who have only been able to pick up pieces of the story I thought I would re-cap my dad's accident. My family (Mom, Dad, Taylor, Emylee & hubby, Brock & jamie (fiance) went to California for the 4th. Dustin and I were spending the 4th in a family house in Durango, CO for a family reunion. They arrived in Cali on the first and spent most of the next morning biking around the beach and playing.
My dad loves to body surf, boogie board and surf, basically anything that keeps him in the water. However, as he tried to catch a wave on Monday afternoon, the wave doubled up on him and knocked him down. We later would learn that he had broken his neck, however, at the time Emylee and her friend only saw him lying face down in the water. They flipped him over and dragged him to the beach where he was beginning to turn blue. They soon got him breathing and into the ambulance that would take him to the UCLA hospital.
He is now in a HALO that is stabilizing his neck and they expect he will wear it for the next three months. Because he breathed in so much water he caught pnemonia and is trying to recover from that before he will be able to start on more rigorous physical therapy.