Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Our Call From the Lord

Getting ready to go on a mission has been a busy and interesting experience.  We started the process months ago with the idea in our heads that we would fill out our papers, wait a few weeks and would soon be opening a mission call!  WRONG!!!  The paper work was the easy part.  It was gathering all the medical info that older couples have built over the years that took most of the time but it did get submitted and the wait began.

Wednesday, Dec. 21, we finally received our call.  Actually, Ken went down to the post office and picked it up.  Then, we waited all day wondering what was in it.  It is kind of funny how you don't dare think about where you might go.  We did not "ask" for a specific place as many told us we should.  We wanted to go where the Lord really wanted us to go and there is not a place on the whole application that says anything about "please tell us where you want to go" although many who have never filled out papers insisted there is.  We both had thoughts about what might be "ideal" like Hawaii or Tahiti or New Zealand I'm sure.  Then your head gets running with ideas about what you would really not be thrilled to do, places that are too cold or too hot or too remote etc. Then you start to get ideas of where you wouldn't dare possibly think you could go like Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand. LOL! It's a little bizarre the thoughts going through your head.

We called our family and set up a time to meet either in person or by Video Phone.  We didn't invite the whole world because we wanted this to be a family thing.  When I opened the envelope, it seemed like an awful lot of papers came out but somehow Ken grabbed the right one.  As he caught a look at only where we were called, he sank back in the chair, said "Oh wow!" and began to cry while the rest of us were saying, "Where, where?"  I can't remember if it was me or him that said, "New Zealand Wellington Mission."  I was so excited because it was one of those places I didn't dare think of.

We had both decided independently that it didn't really matter where we went but to have it be some place we both had dreamed of going was almost beyond belief.  Sometimes when you put it in the hands of the Lord, He really does surprise you with something sooooo amazing that you didn't dare to dream.  I sure hope we live up to His trust in us and our dreams.  We really do want to be good and faithful, profitable servants.  I can't wait to become a "kiwi" and start working in a beautiful place with more of God's wonderful family.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

The Meaning of Family

Here we are ready to begin a new adventure and so many thoughts.

We had our family Christmas party last night and it was as Heather said, "bitter sweet".  We had our traditional chicken soup and a birthday cake for all those with December birthdays including Kenny, Benson, Jenny, Joseph Smith and especially Jesus.  We also had a visit from Santa who didn't want to be seen so turned the honors over to grandpa who read a story and then handed out gifts.  We missed Micah, Sarah and their kids who were in Albuquerque with Sarah's family and also Codie who had to work.  The kids and adults were very generous in including those who were missing by "donating" gifts to them.  It is questionable however whether some of the gifts were really sacrifices.

Our last party before our mission was highlighted as usual by a video made by Jen which included the entire family.  She is getting better and better at this and it was a very fun and touching production.  Of course I could watch it again and again, a fact to which Ken can attest.  I really wanted to focus on the Savior this year and we had several nativities out as well as having ornaments that carried out this idea.  We had a family testimony meeting and it gave many a chance to express their feelings about past and coming events.  There were many tears and several heartfelt comments about various things.  I think it was a good, safe place for our family to express those feelings and hopefully after everyone has time to think them all over, there will be more understanding among us.  I have long believed the best way to deal with things is "head on".

After the party, Ken and I sat down for a "breather" and all we could talk about was how grateful we were to have such a wonderful family.  We feel so blessed to have all of these wonderful people in our lives.  Things are changing rapidly in our lives, marriages, babies born, graduations, mission calls and so on but we are all good as long as we stick together.  As Jenny put in the movie "No society is as precious as that of one's own family."  That quote is from Thomas Jefferson and expresses my thoughts exactly.  There in absolutely nothing that is more important to Ken and I than our family.  No matter how many join us, that will always be true.  Each one is precious and important and we are forever grateful that they are ours.

Our mission call is due soon and circumstances may change but wherever we are, our family will be foremost in our thoughts and hearts because they are part of us along with the gospel we love and in our minds, it is all inseparable!


Sunday, December 4, 2011

Being Thankful

Certainly need to correct that last post. I was feeling awfully confused at the time but not any more. I did some work on thankfulness and it has changed those feelings a bunch, that and getting all our mission papers in. Now it is just waiting time and spending more time in gratitude for all I have. Heavenly Father has gotten me to a place where I am seeing more clearly and I'm really grateful for that. It seems that turning in those mission papers has changed my perspective big time.

Oh sure, I am still concerned about my family and myself and the missing one another and the homesickness or whatever.  I also know that it is the right thing on many levels.  It is a way to show my kids and grandkids that I will do the right thing even when it is hard.  It shows them what is really important to me and that I will do what is right no matter what.  I know it will be hard for them as well but they have helped one another so well through all our trials this year that I know they will be fine "on their own".  Imagine that, kids who have kids being okay without mom and dad!

I am sooooo grateful that my family is full of mature adults now who take care of their own children,
my grandchildren in such a way that I do not have to worry about them.  I have wonderful children and am so thankful that Heavenly Father sent them to me and through them has brought 18 other new lives into my life.  This is what means everything to me.

Several experiences recently have fully convinced me that all the distraction and noise of the world mean nothing if you don't have a family to share it with.  I have so much peace in my life because I know my family is involved in the right things at the right times and are doing their best to serve their fellow men and their Savior.  I don't think I have been this happy for a very long time.  Better enjoy every moment of it!

I often wonder how I became so blessed but one thing I know, I am truly thankful.


Friday, October 14, 2011

I'm confused!!!

I find it interesting that life can be going just "hunky-dory" one minute and the next it can be frustrating and unmanagable. Well, today is one of those days. It all started out ok but then I had to stand in one spot until my back and neck and hips and knees were killing me while I packed hundreds of cans of chicken to prepare them to be cooked at the cannery. I tried to "focus" on the "process" like I teach my Tai Chi students. Famous words these: Focus, Process, Product. It all sounds very good until I try to apply it to my life. When I do that, the focus gets lost in the process and the process gets lost trying to get to the product. It is all so confusing.

My next block of time was spent at one of my favorite places in SLC at this time of year, Gardner Village. Unfortunately we got there in the midst of the "Witches Festival" and while it was fun it was not relaxing as I had hope it would be. Children and mostly women, in gaudy outfits, laughing and talking and yelling loudly while music blared everywhere did not add to my peace of mind nor did the fact that I couldn't find the gift that I had envisioned for a good friend's birthday. When I realized that I had also missed my second newest grandchild's birthday it didn't help at all.

At Gardner Village and then again at Tai Pan, I watched as people furiously scurried about to try to fill their lives with more "excitement" and more "stuff". Somehow it didn't seem very meaningful to me. What did seem meaningful was the fact that I was trying to find "just the right thing" to make a friend happy. The other things that seemed right today were that I was spending this time with my sweetheart and that I had met an old friend from years ago and it felt just the same, as if we had never missed a day. It brought back many happy memories of doing something that I hated to give up but had to in a somewhat confusing change of roles in my life.

Confused? Me too! Confused that I can't find just the right gift or that I can't say the words that really express what I want to say. Confused at the feelings that are swirling around me right now like a whirlpool threatening to swallow me at any minute. Confused that the preparations for something that I really want to do overwhelm me and cause me and those around me pain through my actions. Confused that there is so much I want to do here before I leave but that I want to leave so badly now. Confused that I can't explain this to my husband and confused that when I try he doesn't understand. Confused that I want to walk in faith so badly but confused that it is so hard to actually do that. Help me Heavenly Father because I am soooo confused.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Precious Family Fun

A few weeks ago, my sweet daughter Sarah called to see if she could plan a family reunion in our back yard. Anytime my family gets together is a good time so of course I said yes. I have been trying to figure out time for this anyway and she assured me that I wouldn't have to do much and that helped push me there. Since we are putting mission papers in, it seemed like perfect timing.

What a joy to have all of my family in my back yard putting up tents, building a campfire, singing itsy bitsy spider, having a devotional, taking pictures, laughing and loving. Sarah made wonderful shirts for us with "Precious"- Jarvis Family Reunion- 2011 and a "forget-me-not" on the back and the names of our two sweet heavenly daughters, Jamie and Serenna on the sleeve. Obviously, she loved Pres. Uchtdorf's talk at the Women's conference.

We ate and played and ate and laughed and cried and ate. the adults acted like kids and sometimes the kids were very adult. There was very little sleeping and a whole lot of talking (signing) and story telling. There was Spaghetti bake and french toast and S'Mores and awesome salsa. There was a question and answer period for grandpa and grandma. Very revealing! There were fun games and exercise. There was surprising little argument and a whole lot of helping out and cooperation.

Everyone that wanted to got to hold our new little addition Lexi and two brothers hugged and cried for a long time. We all got to know our new grandson Codie a little better. We made 6 baby blankets and throws and gathered bunches of stuff to give people who come in the Transient Services Office. It was "AWESOME"!

Can I just say how happy I am that these beautiful children and grandchildren are in my family and that I get to share this sometimes difficult but also joyful life with them. Again I feel so blessed. My family and this time with them is so very, very "PRECIOUS".

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Alexis Lynn

To my newest sweet baby granddaughter I want to say how much I love you. Every time a child has come to this family I have watched a miracle. That new life is so amazing to me. I want to tell you how fortunate you are to have a mommy and daddy who love you and want you. They have given much for you already because before you ever came you were wanted.

I watch as you grow so quickly. You change daily and I am so glad you hold my name as part of yours. I want to thank your mom and dad for that. It means so much to me to have a precious little one named for me. I hope that I live up to what you need and expect.

I know you are another gift from God to your parents and your sweet brother and sister and to the rest of us. I hope you will always remember this and be grateful that you are so loved.

Welcome to earth and to this family baby girl. I hope we are all that you hoped we would be. I love you Lexi!

My Family Omega

Yesterday was Black Belt Testing for Omega Martial Arts. Time goes by so quickly and I can't believe that it has been 16 1/2 years since Jenny started her Martial Arts Head Instructor/Studio Owner career. It has been 12 since she made the very wise decision to ask to be a part of this amazing system. It is one of the best decisions she has ever made.

It was an emotional day for many of us. Jenny is turning her school over to her colleague/brother, Jason Davis. She wants to focus on giving her own children all that she has been able to give her other "children" in her martial arts family. There have been hundreds of those "children" including me. Sometimes a child can be older than their parent, in spirit at least, and this is how I feel about each of my children at various times. Jen has been part of many of these times. She is struggling somewhat with this decision but it is the right one for her at this moment in her life. She is strong and things will work out I'm sure. She isn't completely gone from it and will still be teaching and still hold the senior position she has earned with Omega.

It was probably my last chance to go to a testing for a long time since Ken and I are planning on going on a mission this spring. I will not be sitting at the judges table with all the other Black Belts I have grown to love, at least not for a couple of years and possibly ever. I will not be watching people I love being tested on their work of years to prove their devotion to something so building and uplifting. I will not be in the office with the Sr. Black Belts laughing about turning on a shredder or standing outside the door tearing a certificate up or jokes about "fearing the glasses".

I will not be watching the looks on students faces when they make a mistake or when they "nail" a technique. I will not hear the cheers and screams as everyone in the place encourages everyone else to make it through the gauntlet or their board or brick breaks. I will not share in the tender moments when instructors tie belts on students they have taught for years or the comments about those students or when the "Buddy Award" is again presented to some deserving student such as Sabumnim Randy Payne.

I did have some supreme moments yesterday though. I watched my beautiful newly married granddaughter, Amanda Schoemig Wright do her test and her totally amazing musical presentation which included her Aunt, "Master" Jenny Jarvis, who has been her instructor for years, her brother, Sabumnim Kenny whose example brought her into Omega and her new instructor, Kwonjangnim Jason Davis. I doubt that I have ever seen a more beautiful musical from a 1st degree and it isn't because she is my granddaughter.

It was truly the best. It included her heart which is the most important part of any discipline. It showed the progression of her martial arts through her aunt to her brother to her new instructor. It showed her emotions. Everyone could see the love that Amanda and her immediate and extended family share. It was planned and executed to the best of everyone's ability and it was a credit to Amanda and all those who have loved her and helped her get her belt.

I watched Jenny tie Amanda's new belt on and I watched as with true grace, Jenny turned over what she has held so dear to someone she trusts to take care of that precious legacy. I saw buckets of tears cried (at least a couple of them from me because I was so proud to be part of this whole amazing scene). I saw dozens of hugs and smiles and heard hundreds of encouraging words.

I hope that everyone there felt the same things that I did. I know that many others did and the ones that didn't, well, they just don't "get it" YET!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

A Marvelous Work

Today I watched a marvelous work and a wonder in total awe. I attended the temple with my oldest granddaughter Amanda to receive her endowment. That in itself was an overwhelming experience but when I sat down and the temple film started again I sobbed. The new film which has been made for the American Sign Language users in the audience is sooooo overwhelming to me. To see the 6 deaf adults in my family be able to have the whole process available to them in their own language in a way that they can be totally involved is almost incomprehensible especially when I think back to 30 years ago.

30 years ago, there was no primary in the Utah Valley Deaf Branch. There was no Young Men's or Young Women's groups. If an ASL user wanted to attend the temple it was muddling through at best. Now there is captioning, signing and the film all on the same screen and everything else has been adapted to allow all my deaf children who so choose to do every ordinance in their own language. It will probably always amaze me when I think of how far things have come.

That was not enough though. I walked into the Celestial room and saw my son Bill waiting for his beautiful daughter and I couldn't help but think of the many miracles that just a few months ago kept him on this earth to allow him to see his daughter in this place. My heart was so full that I couldn't contain it. I am so grateful to a Heavenly Father who hears and answers prayers and pleadings, silent thoughts and small whispers. It doesn't matter, He answers them all and we have had some of the best answers this year.

We have a granddaughter getting married with her daddy here to see it and a new granddaughter coming in just a few weeks. We have a son who made it well and sound through a car crash and a grandson who has been diagnosed and is being helped through a difficult condition. There have been many more marvels all around us. Thanks Heavenly Father. I love you!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Should I Cry?

Should I cry or should I not! I have a serious problem with the perception that many of us have that we are not allowed to cry. Sometimes this perception originates with others, sometimes it comes from within. My husband has said many times that the one time he knew he was really in trouble was when he came to a place that he couldn't cry. I have to agree.

Where does this come from? We Americans are very good at teaching especially little boys that they are tough and shouldn't cry. Excuse me, but what a crock. We often cover up with jokes and laughter or other things we use to compensate.  We don't give people a chance to really express themselves and consequently to heal. If someone wants to talk or cry or "let it all out" they should have that opportunity without feeling recrimination of any kind.  It bothers me intensely that every time someone in Relief Society cries, they feel the need to apologize as if they had done something wrong.

Ken and I have tried to create a "safe harbor" at our home, a place where anyone who wants to come can come and if they need to talk, there is a listening ear that will not spread the "juicy gossip". We have had many of our children, grandchildren and friends and even a few "strangers" sit and tell us things that they don't feel comfortable talking with others about. Everyone needs a "safe harbor". It is a necessity of life. Everyone needs someone who accepts them "no matter what"!

We have had a pretty "intense" year to say the least.  I have done more than my share of crying.  I have been in hospital several times with two surgeries, we have lost Ken's neice, his sister, my aunt and very nearly lost our son-in-law.  Jen has had 3 miscarriages and we have moved her business twice.  She is now expecting a baby and I have shed happy tears for the good news.  There are times I feel like just crying out of nowhere and times, like the night our home was broken into that I have sobbed, out of control, because of the invasion of my last bastian of safety.  It is therapeutic for me and forgive me if you must, I am not going to quit anytime soon.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Feeling Safe

Well, what an interesting 10 days we've had.  I have written about Bill and not becoming bitter.  My "last straw" test was Friday night when our house was broken into.  That is what I wanted to write about.  I am not doing a recap, that will follow later.  I am doing a piece for and about you, my friends and family and about my feelings.

I have had a great deal of time to think this over.  In fact, that is about all I have done the last 24 hours.  I have gone through the whole range of emotions that someone has in this kind of situation.  I have had disbelief from the moment I walked in the door until now.  I have been angry but that has passed for the time being.  Something in a prayer Ken said which originally came from his Mission President has gone over and over through my head.  Ken said' "Thank Thee Father, that I was not the one doing this awful thing!"  President Rasmussen always talked about how we should be grateful that we do not find ourselves in situations where we have to resort to such terrible things to make our world work.

I don't know who broke into my house and probably never will.  I have not yet forgiven him but I can't help think of the terrible gremlins he must have in his life that would cause him to do something like this.  Our house is full of pictures of the Savior and my children.  This man did everything he did in the face of those I hold most dear but he probably didn't even notice.  After all, they are only pictures or statues and they didn't really feel did they?  Yes, they did!  Everyone I know has been touched by this invasion in some way.

To all of you, please do not live your lives in fear.  I am not and neither should you.  Yes, someone came into my home uninvited but I am safe.  He came while no one was home, most probably because he didn't want to deal the consequences of facing someone.  He did not want to be seen or hurt and I choose to think he did not want to hurt anyone.  His "wants" are important too but we seldom think of those.  He did this to feed his "needs".

The police think he broke in only to get money, probably to support an addiction.  He took nothing else of value.  My cameras and computers and T.V. sets and jewelry were all easily within
 his reach yet he dragged an 800 lb. gun safe which was full into another room to try and get it open.  He did very little to damage my home but he dumped drawers, we think to try to find the combination to the safe when he couldn't get it open in ways that had worked for him before.  He wanted money.  That is all.

Nothing that has happened is worth living in fear.  I now have a new alarm system and new dead bolts.  They do make me feel more safe and comfortable.  Nothing like being broken into to get you same day service.  I have now learned to be more careful when walking into my home.  It didn't register for a couple of minutes even though the safe was sitting on it's back in the middle of my family room.  I have learned thre are things you should and shouldn't do because he was probably in our house when we came in the driveway.

I have learned to do what you can to make yourself safe, then trust in the Lord to lead your life where it should go.  Bill is alive today because of how everything lined up exactly right for him.  I have learned from that.  Ken and I are safe and lost nothing of value because we were being watched over.  I have learned from that.  I have learned from this experience, again, that I have everything that is important.  My house was empty a lot then full of security people, policemen, family and friends, children and laughter in the last few days.  I think most about the children and laughter.  Do not be afraid.  Most people in the world want to be good.  Most people in the world ARE GOOD.  There is much to find joy in!!!  I love you.

P.S.  Had the man gotten into the safe, he would have found things of value.  That is where we keep genealogy books, family records and cd's of pictures of our family to protect them from fire and water etc.  They are the things that hold real value for us.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bitter or Better!

Well, things are calming down around here a bit. Bill is home amazingly quickly. Things are moving along as well as they possibly could on the physical plain. The mental, emotional plain is a whole other issue. I find it interesting that most of us "suck it up", "pull it together", "make it work" etc. as long as we must. The trick is in not falling apart when things slow down and are not so intensely necessary.

That is where our little family is now. A friend hugs one of the children who seems to be doing okay and she falls apart. A simple question is asked and receives a "snappy" answer. Some of us want to hide and never deal. Some of us talk about it repeatedly. It occupies every spare minute of our brain "free" time. While sitting at church or at school or anywhere else, while driving along, you suddenly realize that your mind is occupied with thoughts of the event that so drastically changed your life, your whole family's lives. Everyone feels like they are the singular one experiencing these feelings until you get together and begin to talk.

Life is full of these events. None of us knows when the next one will pop up. So we start living our days as we always have, trying to push those thoughts to the back of our minds, hoping the next thing will never come about. The next one comes and somehow, even though we hate it, we repeat the process. Each time we're hoping nothing like this happens again.

The cycle of life involves people dealing, each in his/her own way with events that we never would choose. The difference then is to make the best of each event, to learn and grow rather than become bitter. We all are hoping to become better through our experiences. What is the difference between those who do and those who don't? I wish I knew but I do know that resilience is a gift that some of us are born with and some of us learn. It is one of the most precious gifts we have. Some of us use it, some don't.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Miracle of Bill

The Miracle of Bill
February 5, 2011
February 3rd and 4th I watched a miracle. It was not a single small miracle but a collection of many miracles all come together to make one very large miracle happen. It was not "dumb luck" or serendipity. Although I believe in those things, (I don't believe that the "stars align"), I believe these events were an orchestration by a master to bring about a symphony. I believe Heavenly Father intervened to help us keep one gentle soul in our family to be with his wife and raise his children and bless all our lives.
Everything that happened, happened at the right time and in the right way. Bill, my son-in-law, had a very serious heart attack while running on the treadmill and when Heather, my daughter, found him, he was in cardiac arrest. She and Bill are the heroes of this story or more accurately, they were the tools in the hands of the Master. They were not the only tools however. This is a recollection and gathering of information from various individuals about the day of his heart attack and the 2 days that followed. It is written mostly for Bill, Heather and their children but I hope many others will get some understanding of a miraculous number of small events that made this marvelous outcome.
Bill often runs out in the neighborhood. The temperature the last few days has been in the single digits so he chose to run at home. Had he been out, or in SLC alone hanging out with Carson as he was the night before, or in Monroe away from timely services, or driving his car, or had he sat down quietly when he felt some pain, no one would have found him and he would be gone. Instead, he kept on running and then passed out. Heather and Amanda heard him fall. Heather was reading in the next room with her hearing aid on. When she found him, she started CPR and told her kids what to do to get help. Heather had taken a CPR class a few years ago and this kicked in as she began chest compressions. Amanda, who often stays with Aunt Jen but tonight decided to come home and was studying in the family room, called 911. She had also heard his fall and ran to his aid. Kenny, who is often with friends, ran to get the neighbor who happened to be home and very capable and was also incidentally, their bishop. Kenny then called Jenny and Tim. Bishop Kofford took over CPR for Heather.
The ambulance and crew and several officers and fire-fighters arrived in a timely manner. Bill had CPR pretty much the whole time at home. How in the world did the younger boys sleep through all that commotion? Carson was asleep in the next room to where all this was taking place. I think angels were watching over them. Two officers arrived and they took over CPR duties. The third officer that came had a defibrillator in his car and they used it to start Bill’s heart while still at the house. An ambulance arrived with capable paramedics. Jen and Tim arrived at the house. No one knew just exactly how long Bill had been without oxygen to his brain but we do know it was a while. Jen thinks it was probably about 10 to 12 minutes. The time elapsed from when Kenny first called Jenny, to A.F. Hospital and then to when Bill was on his way to Utah Valley was 35 minutes. We figured it out from cell phone call times.
The American Fork Hospital intubated Bill to assist his breathing, the tube helped him breathe but was also to play another very important role later. They gave him medication and did an EKG which they relayed to the cardiologist. Everyone at the A.F. hospital did their jobs well and realized that Bill needed more help than they could give so they stabilized him and in 15 to 20 minutes sent him on to Utah Valley but not before Tim anointed him and Bishop Kofford gave him a blessing. Time was of the essence which is why Utah Valley was chosen but Jenny had to talk Heather into sending him there. Jenny was terribly afraid that if Bill didn’t make it, Heather would never forgive her. Here you need to understand something that is very difficult for Bill and all his family and many of the rest of us. Bill's dad died in Utah Valley Hospital during a violent reaction to a procedure done there after he had a heart attack. This threw another gamete of feelings into the mix! We weren't treated very well in that incident and none of us knew if we wanted Bill there. Thank goodness things have drastically changed in the intervening years. Thank goodness Heather listened to her sister. The tube which AF placed began pushing oxygen to Bill’s body from the machine to which it was attached.
Jenny and Tim, who happened to be home from work were available to go up only after they found someone to watch their children. Understand that there are very few they trust to do that but a good friend had just moved in next door and she came running to help. They were dearly needed because Ken and I had gone to Vernal for business and had decided to stay there for the night and of course, most of the Schoemigs were in Monroe. Jen and Tim would become Heather’s support system and our communications link for the next few hours. The awesome neighbors stayed with the children and saw that they all received blessings of comfort until Aunt Jeannie Pierce, Ken’s sister, could get there to stay the night. Of course with her there, it became a movie watching, game playing, slumber party to distract the kids from their fears and concerns.
Ken and I were on our way in from the Uintah Basin in -3 degree weather all the while relaying messages between Jenny at the hospital and Schoemigs at their home and then on their way up. I think it only took us about 5 minutes to get dressed and pack up our things and then we were on the way back after receiving the first call from Jen. Kenny had called us first and when we didn’t answer, called Jen within a minute. Everything was a blur until we saw the cow elk start onto the road and then decide to stay there. Lucky for us there is no traffic on the road at that time of night because the opposite lane suddenly became ours. That kind of got us back into the place we needed to be to get home safely. At Strawberry Summit, the wind started to blow the snow across the road and we got behind a truck to find our way. I continued to relay messages.
In my mind, there were thoughts of all the things that could be wrong even though the spirit was telling me that everything would be okay. The devil always wants us to think the worst and often we aid him in his quest. My mind kept going back to the concern that they lack of oxygen might create serious problems for Bill and by extension his little family. If he did make it, for death too was a possibility, would he be able to continue in life as he had in the past. Would he know his family, his friends, remember his work, his life, would he function at all and so forth. His job involved intricate work, artistic skill and fine motor skills. Would he still have those to take care of his family. How would Heather raise a family of six children without him or worse still, would he need full time care from her while she raised 6 children virtually alone.
Back at the hospital, they rushed him to the cath lab. They had been informed of the allergy Bill’s dad had to the dye. While there wasn’t time to test Billy for that, they prepared ahead to deal with it if it happened to him. Jenny said they told them it would be 45 minutes to 2 hours and she thought it took about an hour. In that time, they placed two stents, one in his left anterior descending artery which was 99% closed and one in his right coronary artery which was closed 80%. It is amazing that he had gone as long as he had without incident. We arrived at the hospital just after they finished the stents. Bill had no bad reaction to the dye.
What he did have a bad reaction to was being tied down. It took four nurses to hold him down until he was sedated because he was so young and strong and fighting them all. He fought when it was the most important, for his life. Because Bill is deaf, communication was very difficult for him and for those serving him. He didn’t understand what had happened to him nor all the procedures he had endured. He didn’t understand why he had tubes and wires coming from everywhere. He didn’t even understand that his hearing aid was not one of the the invasive devices and he didn’t want it in. Many professionals did everything possible to help him understand to the best of their abilities. They called an interpreter to help.
He threw up repeatedly. We were told that the tube which had helped him breathe also helped prevent him from aspirating all that liquid into his lungs. This could have been dangerous in many ways, the possibility of pneumonia or even suffocation was real had the tube not filled the airway. In the cath lab, most people are not intubated. When he came out of the lab, many of us were waiting for him. They gave him propofol to calm him because he was fighting everything but this meant he had to continue to have help to breathe. We all waited to see if he would be able to breathe on his own.
During this waiting, one of the most amazing parts of this whole episode took place. Of course, many of his family and some friends were together there. Dad thought it would be good if everyone there joined together to evidence their support and faith with another blessing. All the priesthood holders there laid hands on Bill’s head to ask Heavenly Father’s blessing on him. Those involved were Ken, Tim, Tracy, Josh, Bishop Kofford and Bro. Taylor. Heather, Jen, Kathleen, Heidi, Leslie, Amy and I added our faith. It was a very spiritual few moments and when it was over there was absolute assurance that Bill would be fine.
Repeatedly, we were told that we should be prepared for the possibility of neurological damage as well as damage to his heart. We were told that most young men who came in under the same circumstances spent days, weeks or even months in a coma and many of them never came out of it. Removing the ventilator tube was very traumatic and again Bill repeatedly threw up. When it was through, he was breathing on his own. Slowly, every apparatus was removed and Bill reacted better and better. He asked repeatedly what had happened and why he was there. We had been warned of this earlier and were prepared to deal with it but even that improved quickly.
48 hours after suffering cardiac arrest, Bill Schoemig was sitting up in bed without tubes coming from everywhere. He is in good spirits and visiting with everyone unselfishly even though he nearly left us. Some might call this coincidence or luck or whatever but those of us present in these last 48 hours know from whence our blessing came. Heavenly Father has more work for this young man here and we are the beneficiaries. Thanks to everyone who took part in facilitating this miracle. Thanks to the ward members, the friends, the family who were where they needed to be when they needed to be there. Thanks Jen and Tim for filling in for some distraught parents who could do nothing. Most of all, thank you Bill for maintaining a strong body, mind, spirit and will. Thank you Heather for exercising strength and self-control in the face of incomprehensible stress and being obedient to the principles that helped you deal with it. You are both amazing. Thank thee Father for the gift thou hast given us today and please help us all to remember and appreciate it!