The Claytons

My Dad Had A Stroke/part three

It was like a family reunion in dad's room on Sunday. We stayed pretty much the whole day visiting with him and with each other.

A group of young adults were going from room to room, singing church hymns. Dad, of course, cut up with them for a few minutes. Everyone on staff obviously knew that dad was from Alabama. Not only from his southern accent but from his just down to earth friendliness personality that never meets a stranger. He chose the hymn, I need thee every hour.

They began singing this song. It was so beautiful how they all harmonized together. Dad immediately started crying. One thing that is common in stroke patients, is that it is very hard for them to control their emotions. Dad could be laughing really hard one minute and then cry the next, which would make us all start laughing!

But in this special moment, with them singing, I don't think there was a dry eye in the room.

Mom hugging dad goodbye, my last night there.

I need thee every hour, Most gracious Lord.
No tender voice like thine Can peace afford
I need thee every hour; Stay thou nearby
Temptations lose their pow'r When thou art nigh.
I need thee every hour, In joy or pain.
Come quickly and abide, Or life is vain.
I need thee every hour, Most holy One.
Oh, make me thine indeed, Thou blessed Son!

I need thee, oh, I need thee; Ev'ry hour I need thee!
Oh, bless me now, my Savior; I come to thee!

I'm so grateful for the power of prayer and for Eternal Families.

My Dad Had A Stroke/part two

The Saturday morning that dad was taken to the hospital, was the day that mom and dad had planned on planting their garden. Dad had tilled the ground a couple of weeks before, so it was ready to be planted. Mom asked everyone to come out to her house and help plant the garden. It was really a fun day. This brought back many memories from childhood. We planted huge gardens every summer and literally worked ourselves to the bone! Working in gardens is where I learned the true meaning of WORK!

Angela has always been the fun mom!

Kayla and Myllie taking a walk and talking!

It was so funny to all of us, that mom and dad were using my grandfather's tiller. It looked so antique!

This picture was totally staged for fun! Three out of four of my siblings dropping seeds. We were missing Wayne, which is ironic, because he always seemed to get sick as a child when we worked in the garden! :)

Lindsey and Kayla looking so cute in their hats.
I do love the mountains!

When we saw dad that afternoon, he was so happy to see all the pictures. Mom drew him a diagram of where everything was planted.

That night, mom and I went to Kayla and Karly's Clogging recital and I was thoroughly entertained for 2 hours. They were both so good!

Love these two nieces of mine!

My Dad Had A Stroke/part one

I took Seth to the airport on the first Friday in May. He was flying out to Vegas to enjoy his birthday gift, the super cross race. Early Saturday morning, the phone rang. It was my oldest sister telling me that my dad had been rushed to the hospital early that morning and that they thought he had a stroke. This is a call that I have always dreaded. My dad is 72 but you would never know it. He has always been active, riding horses, four wheelers, hiking in the mountains, working on his property to make it look good. And let me just tell you, it always looks so good! In my mind, he is still young and has many, many years left on this earth.
That weekend, I stayed close by my phone waiting for updates on his condition. The children could see the worry and sadness in my eyes, in my actions. I told them about grandpa and they were so worried themselves. I went down memory lane of when my own grandmother, my dad's mom, had passed away. I was a young girl and it was the saddest thing I had experienced up to that point in my short life. Now, as an adult, I can't imagine how hard that was for my dad to have to say goodbye to his mom at such a young age. He was only in his thirty's.

Laurel and Savannah expressed themselves through letters, that they wanted mailed to him ASAP.

I looked out my bedroom window, and saw Laurel in deep thought, writing. About an hour later she brought me this letter.

It was very hard for us to be in Alabama and him in Utah.
Seth returned home and told me that he thought I should fly out there for a long weekend.
I flew out a couple of weeks later. In the two weeks before I arrived, dad had been taken to a different hospital that had a stroke unit. He had spent about 4 days laying flat on his back, with his head dropped, to keep his blood pressure down. He had another MRI, which showed that he had a stroke in his brain stem, which was causing his left side to become paralyzed and his speech to slur. The stroke team immediately began speech, physical, and occupational therapy. Hooray, for therapists and good doctors! He received a sleep study, which showed he needed to be on a CPAP machine. Lack of oxygen to the brain, during the night, over an extended period of time, probably contributed to the stroke.
He had already come so far.

I was so excited to lay my eyes on this man!! Dad was so blessed at how far he had come. His speech was so much better. His left side was improving and he could use his left arm better. He was able to get up, with assistance, and walk slowly. I was so relieved to see him! I was a little anxious at first because I wasn't sure what to expect. I was so relieved when I saw him and started talking to him. He was the same dad! His mind, sense of humor, and personality were just like they had always been. Such a relief!