Day 37 is a Gray Day

This Saturday, my day 37 in the hospital, is not a nice one….

It is Gray and dull

As I look out my window there is no sunshine … the sky is cloudy

It is snowing and cold. My spirits match the weather today.

I got nauseated after breakfast and threw up again.

I thought I was over that. Throwing up with a chest full of broken

ribs is the most horrible, awful, terrible thing ever, difficult and leaves me

ready to throw in the towel, exhausted and give up discouraged.

On top of that, my sweet cell mate, room mate, Joann, is going home today.

We both arrived here two weeks ago yesterday and we have become dear friends. We have watched movies together, enjoyed each other’s families, cried together and gone through torture physical therapy together.

I am glad that she is well enough to go home but I will miss her so much.

Most of the inmates residents here are ancient very old and decrepit in bad shape. Joann and I are about the same age … we are the kids younger than the others here and not as goofy and fairly alert and clear minded.

She has been a blessing to me. I dread getting another room mate.

I am sick of being worthless disabled. I am sick of feeling rotten not feeling well.

I am excited to be going home next Thursday but at the same time I am worried concerned about making the long trip home and how I will survive manage outside of the hospital.

OK….. I know my attitude today is as gray as the weather. I’m sorry.

John is coming to have lunch with me. Now there is a ray of sunshine.

I need to must count my blessing and let them shine away these clouds.

Have a good weekend. Please continue to pray for me.

You must be getting sick tired of my asking but I do really appreciate your love, prayers and support.

Hugs, Lura

Day 36...The Royal Wedding

Today I was not just a patient in a hospital for the 36th day…

Like millions of others, I spent the day at the Royal Wedding

of William and Kate.

I could hardly take my eyes off of this Prince Charming

and his Royal Princess.

It was just like a Fairy Tale.

I was delighted that I spotted two of my dear blog friends in the crowd…lol

For today….was the whole world British????? I pretended to be.

Truth be known, even though I am proud to be American, I’ve spent years of my life pretending as a girl and with my granddaughters that we were royal princesses.

I mean come on…..no matter how patriotic we Americans are …could we have tea parties and not pretend to be a Royal Princess??? …NO!!!.. pretending to be the first lady just doesn’t cut it.

Of course, in reality we all are of Royal descent.

We are all children of our Heavenly Father who is our God…

...our Heavenly King.

Congrats to William and Kate. I wish you the very best.

And may all of us realize who we are…

we are of Royal descent…. children of a King.

Let’s live worthily and act befittingly of our Royal Heritage.

Day 35 update

Good News

My sweetheart came back.

We both were so lonely

while we were apart.

It is so nice to be together again.

He spent Easter day with Mindy and family in CA and then he flew to Utah.

He brought a beautiful card made by EJ, Claire and Austin and a basket full of Easter goodies from Mindy. I feel loved.

Yesterday they took me back to Provo to the trauma clinic to re-evaluate my condition

Erin saw us off. It was only a 25 minute drive but it seemed a lot longer since every bump in the road jarred by broken ribs.

They took x-rays and blood tests and checked me all over.

Here is the news:

1. The lung that was cloudy with lots of fluid 2 weeks ago is almost clear now.

I am spitting up some greenish gross stuff phlegm and there is some fluid left in the left lower lobe but all in all they are pleased with the way my lungs look.

2. My ribs have not healed but they have not moved. That is good because it means that my rib muscles are holding them tightly in place.

3. Since my ribs are being supported by my muscles they are not considering doing surgery to wire me together.

4. I am a lot more mobile since I’m not in constant agony, the pain is more tolerable.

All of the above is really good news.

I still have some challenges ahead.

I am still in a lot of pain and will be for several months until my bones can connect and heal. The muscles that are holding them in place cramp with spasms that take my breath away hurt, but I am much better.

I can’t do much for myself and I have very little energy.

The best news is they think I can fly home in a week or so.

I am happy. I must run. Nurses are here to do something to me.

Love, Lura

Happy Hospital Easter.. day 31

Saturday 4/23/11

Saturday started out with me getting these pretty spring butterflies from Marie.

Then these nice ladies dropped by with an Easter basket for me. They had made , at their own expense, over 100 baskets for all of us in this Care Center. They do this for Easter and Christmas.

At 10:00 a.m. the care center put on an Easter egg hunt for the patient’s families.

Erin and Patrick brought Ellie and Cal.

The Center provided muffins and juice for everyone.

I think that was really nice of them.

Cal was delighted

to find eggs filled with chocolate.

Ellie felt gypped she didn’t get any

delighted for her brother

and

was ticked

off happy to settle for a nice bottle of milk.

Sunday 4/24/11

Easter Sunday morning I attended church here at the Care Center. Being with some of the other residents here makes me realize that I am not that bad off.

That afternoon Erin brought Ellie by so I could see her in the pretty little dress I had made for her blessing dress. She wore it when she was blessed after my first week in ICU but I was too drugged up to remember it.

I was glad Erin used it as her first Easter dress and I got to see it again. I made it with love for our beautiful girl. I am so glad that it survived the car crash.

That evening Lynell and family drove down to bring me more Easter love.

Lynell and Erin made us a delicious Easter dinner and brought it to the hospital.

They decorated the table so pretty. We invited, Joann, my cell mate room mate to join us.

It was nice the hospital gave us our own room to use.

Mindy and John called from California to wish us well and tell us they missed us. We missed them too.

.

After our dinner we played games. Of course I won …almost won.. lost, but I blame it on the pain meds I’m taking.

Then Lonica gave me a much needed pedicure.

I surely appreciate all the work and effort my girls and their families went to, to bring me such a nice Easter dinner. The food was good, tasty, out of this world delicious but as my cell mate, room mate said, the company was even better.

On this beautiful Easter weekend I have felt love for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and love for and from family. I am surely blessed.

I have even more reasons to smile this week. I will show you on my next post.

I have been fighting nausea but it is getting better I think since I’ve been taking my pain pills with soda crackers. Tomorrow I go back to the trauma center at the hospital in Provo to be re-evaluated. I do not look forward to the trip but I am anxious to learn what they will say. I am sick of being in the hospital and I want to go home but at the same time I am not able to do much for myself yet and I am getting good care and therapy here. I will let you know what they say as soon as I find out.

I hope that you all had a joyous Easter. I so appreciate your prayers, love and support.

Thanks to all of you. Hugs, Lura

Happy Easter

In a few minutes, here in Utah, it will officially be Easter…..my 31st day in the hospital.

I have been thinking a lot about our Savior during the last month since our accident. One day, shortly after the accident when I was in terrible pain in the ICU, my friend Kris gave me an idea. She suggested that maybe my suffering could help me understand a little bit more about how Jesus suffered for us.

I don’t remember much about what was said or what went on those first 2 weeks I was in ICU….But I did remember that idea that Kris gave me. I have thought about it a lot.

I have always loved Jesus Christ. I have always believed He is the son of God, our redeemer and Savior. However, this past month, as I have endured more pain than I thought I could, I think I have come too know Him a little bit better.

I know that my suffering is nothing compared to His. In the Garden He bled from every pore so great was His anguish as He took all of our sins and pains upon Himself. After that long night, He allowed them to scourge Him and hang Him on the cross. He did this for us. He did this because He was submissive to His Father’s plan of salvation. He , who was perfect, did this to atone for us so we can repent of our sins and return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again.

My suffering has been intolerable to me. I’ve begged for all the pain medicine I could get. For a while, even though I love my family and friends and didn't want them to be sad, I begged God to let me die just to be free from the pain.

I am embarrassed by the lack of modesty forced upon me , as caring nurses help me when I need to go to the bathroom, bathe and dress. Christ was striped naked by cruel men who mocked Him.... and yet He said "Father forgive them"

Our dear Savior took all of this upon Himself….willingly….for us.

How did He do that???? How could He love us that much???

We have a Hymn that says

“I stand all amazed at the love

Jesus offers me.”

Indeed, I do stand all amazed!

Soon all the Christian world will celebrate His resurrection.

He lives… and because of Him we all may return to Heaven and live with Him again.

This Easter, here in the hospital, I love and appreciate His great sacrifice more than ever….and I am so thankful.

Happy Easter to you all.

Hugs, Grammy Lura

God answered my prayer through all of you

Dearest Friends,

I know that God hears and answers our prayer

because He answered mine this week.

He did it through you.

He knew that my heart was heavy and I was very discouraged.

Monday evening when my friends, John and family called

all I could do was cry.

I was so sad. I was sick of being in the hospital.

I wanted to go home. I was tired of the constant pain.

The road to recovery looked too long and hard for me to face.

I prayed that night that God would give me new strength.

I prayed that I might have the courage to endure with patience.

I prayed that I could replace my anxiety with peace and hope.

I prayed that I could find enough faith to turn all

my worries over to the Lord who is our strength.

...

Tuesday morning I awoke to find I had 20 comments on my blog.

My dear blog friend, Linda from Behind my red door,

had asked her blog friends to send me blog love.

Marie from A year from Oak Cottage asked

her blog friends to visit me.

I was amazed as I read best wishes from people I didn't

even know.

...

By Tuesday Eve I had 29 comments.

By Wednesday I had 35.

This morning there were 41.

...

My heart is touched.

How can I be sad when so many dear people are wishing me well???

How can I be discouraged when so many are praying for me???...

...even people who have never met me.

...

I spent most of my free time Tues. and Wed. trying to write you all

back to thank you.

My heart is full of thankfulness for all of you.

Your thoughtfulness has brought smiles back to me.

Your kindness has given me new courage.

God answered my prayers through you!

Thank you so much.

...

Here are more reasons I have to smile.

Ellie brought me more flowers from her family. Erin came over last night to put up my "love" wall like we did in my other hospital

What fun to get to see the pretty cards you have sent me.
She didn't get all my cards put up but these surely make me smile.

Erin brought this little table from her home
to put my flowers, balloons and Holly Angel on.

They sit at the end of my bed so I can see them all the time.
I think Erin thinks she is finished decorating my "love" wall...

...But I have news for her...lol

(Yes that is my feet sticking out the end of the bed.)

Today I got 24 cards in the mail.
24!!!

Some of them were forwarded from my last hospital.
As my friend Marie from England would say...

I am gobsmacked!
...
I love all of the cards and notes I have recieved... everyone of them.
There are too many to show you all of them...
...but...
I want to share a few of them with you.

I got this darling cross stitch card from my friend
Jan from The Short Track today.
She sends me a card everyday.

Jan is terminally ill and feels very sick much of the time.
She not only sent me this treasure made by her own hands,
...but ...

She sent me these other cross stitch treasures as well.
...
Sybil from A day in the life of Syb's my friend from Box,UK
sent me a lovely CD and this card made by Marie.

This card is made of fabric and quilted by Marlene

from Stitching by the Lake.

Sherri made me this one

and reminded me I am missed at the temple.
...
Grammee Linda, made these sweet cards just for me...

They make me smile.

My dear friend, Sil, took this picture when she was at Sea World

How can I be sad when even the polar bears are praying for me???

She also sent my DVD's of general conference and a couple of movies.
...

I was really sick with nausea this morning.

I felt too sick to hold my head up for about 5 hours

but I am better now.

...

My heart is full of gratitude.

My heart is full of love.

God helped me find renewed courage through all of you.

Thank you for all you have done to help me find my smiles.

Thank you for being the answer to my prayers.

...

I hope all is well with you.

Thanks again for your support and prayers.

Hugs, Lura