Update from Sunday

Greetings Team Wesley,

I just will just come right out and say it. I have not been a very good blogger lately. I will continue posting but I make no promises on how many posts a day. Besides, I need info from my dearest family in AZ and pictures. I LOVE getting pictures. Luckily, I have some for you today. Prepare yourselves: My brother is a stud.

Before giving you the long awaited update I feel like I need to do a 'Random Ryanne Randomness' because, let's face it, you are all reading what I put on this blog so I think you should know a little bit about me. In little doses, of course. So, here it is, on Friday I ate oyster for the first time in my life and I have no real opinion on whether I liked it or not. It was fried, so it was rubber and odd textured but it had a nice Italian sauce on it. Will I ever eat it again? Possibly. Do I crave it? Not so much.

Alright, alright... let's get back to Wes. Sunday was a great day for him... no therapy. It was a day of rest. He has slept pretty well the last few nights. The nurses come in every 2-3 hours to turn him, which prevents bed sores. Other than that, he sleeps like a gem. Which means, my mother and father get to sleep as well.

Because he is still having some issues with clearing his lungs out, respiratory staff wakes him up early for treatments. Luckily, my sister, Brittnee, showed up early as well toting a box of Dunkin Donuts with her little oogle-eyed children in tow. Wesley was excited to see everyone. He was also excited to eat non hospital food. The donuts were delightful. Unfortunately, he was only able to eat 2 out of the 12 because his 3 nieces and 1 nephew felt the need to finish them off.

Because Wes did not have go through the torture of therapy on Sunday, he was able to improve his wheelchair skills. He went on a walk through the hospital with the children and everyone else. Once they were in a more open area the 2 1/2 year old nephew jumps in front of him and says, "Can't catch me!" At this point Wesley discovered that he could, in fact, kick the speed up a notch on his wheelchair. He then spent some time chasing the nieces as well. I'm pretty sure the 2 year old nephew thinks the wheelchair is his. He kept pointing to it while saying, "Mine! Mine! Mine!" Wesley was really feeling daring and gave the 2 year old a ride on the wheelchair. Wesley is his hero. Brittnee supposedly got this on video but can't figure out how to send it to me. Once she does, I will share. While Britt was filming Wesley tried to run over. Her frantic yells and running put a smile on his face.

My Grandma and Grandpa Greene came to visit with Wes. He always enjoys their visits. Later in the evening Grandma Benson came to visit him with food. For those of you who don't know, my Grandma Benson makes the best food ever. Wes got permission to go outside with Grandma and my parents to eat some dinner she brought.

Sunday turned out to be a lot of fun and thankfully, Wesley was able to get some much needed rest. He constantly misses his Montana family but is glad to have so much support in Arizona.

Now for the fun part... the pictures.


Just sittin' back relaxin'

Just waiting to race someone.... or relaxing again

Getting his blood pressure taken while practicing his sitting skills.

Some more learning how to sit

 Here are a few pictures of his room...

 I had issues uploading this picture... that poster is a picture of his school on Wesley Greene Day

 Wow, he has a cluttered window sill. It's ok though because it is full of a lot of cool things; a cactus, Joshua 1:9 framed, Sacramento Kings hat signed by Jimmer, a duct tape NEFF hat made by his friends, a BYU basketball signed by the team, an alligator head from his favorite sister (me), and a picture of Christ.

Mom and Wes just chillin'

Well my friends, I hope everyone is doing well. I hope I have enlightened you properly on Wesley's progress.

I should probably go to bed now because we get up here at 4:30 AM. I will post part 9 of my Dad's journal entry soon.

Goodnight.

update for 2-25-12

February 25, 2012
How did we forget to mention this great news yesterday?  Wes received his
acceptance letter for college at BYU Idaho. This really made his day and
put a huge smile on his face. Last night was Wesley’s best night sleep
since the accident. The therapist worked on his lungs all day yesterday
and then into the night. He went to bed about 11pm and did not cough all
night not even once. The nurses came in only once or twice all night for
just a few moments. Needless to say if Wes had his best night sleep so did
Karen and I, we had an amazing nights sleep and only got up once to
scratch an itch.
Wes started therapy at 8:00am this morning. He is learning to feed himself
which is a part of therapy.  After breakfast he went to physical therapy
until noon.  Needless to say he was exhausted, all he wanted to do was go
back to the room and sleep. The last part of therapy he started coughing
again and during lunch break pulmonary came back in for chest and lung
treatments. I am sure this will continue for a few more days.
We ended the afternoon with a visit from Brittnee and the kids. Even
though it seems like kids are running all over the place and making a lot
of noise there is a peace that comes to Wes and Karen and I in having his
sister and nieces and nephews near. In all of the confusion there is a
sense that the family is together and everything will be fine. There are
lots of hugs and kisses and happy faces.  Sometimes we have Brittnee’s
family and Ashley’s family at the same time and we actually enjoy all the
confusion. We shut the door to Wes’s room and when the nurses come into
the room there are kids bouncing off the wall and they look at us as if
they are saying is this peace and quiet? When we came here we told them we
have lots of family and friends and they said that is great the more the
merrier. Now they think how can anyone have that many family and friends.
We continue to have hospital staff come by Wes’s room and look at all the
posters, banners and cards. We receive cards every day along with
heartfelt letters and they lift Wes’s spirit along with our whole
families. Every day we add those cards and letters to the walls in
Wesley’s room. The hospital staff has never seen anything like it. They
talk about all the love and support that Wes has. Some of the hospital
staff has called Wesley’s room the wall of Love. You cannot walk into this
room without feeling love and faith from every person who is praying for
Wes. We love you all and your love and support lifts us more than you will
ever know. Miracles have happened, are happening and will continue to
happen in the future. Please keep Wes in your prayers and amazing things
will continue to happen not only for Wes but for each of us collectively,
as our faith grows and we have a purpose in our prayers. We have received
the most beautiful letters and cards from children who are also praying
for Wes. We are grateful for the faith it is inspiring as our children
turn their heart to our Father in Heaven.
Wes has two more breathing treatments before he can go to sleep. His
Grandma Connie came by and gave him a very relaxing massage and one for
Karen and I. We are relaxed and ready sleep.

Some Updates and Pictures

My Dad emailed this to me last night. It is his account of Wesley's Day yesterday...

Today has been the first routine normal day at the Barrow Neurological
Institute Rehab center. Wes had  about 3 hours of physical therapy, this
totally wiped him out. He did really well and the staff here was amazed at
how much progress he made in just one day. Some of the things he did, may
seem simple to us but for Wes and his injury he did extremely well. He did
things today that, patients who are here for similar type of injury take
two weeks to do.

The staff here have set a goal that by next week Wes will
be feeding himself 50% of the time, which seems amazing. Staff that come
to know Wes are really surprised that he is only 2 ½ weeks post injury.

Today Wes took his first ride in a motorized wheel chair. Tomorrow they
will give him his driver’s license for the chair and turn him loose. It
will really be nice to have some mobility. He has been in a bed for so
long that he is anxious to be a little independent. Imagine being 16 years
old and having your parents sleep in the same room with you for 2 ½ weeks.
That is enough to drive any sane teenager crazy. No wonder Wes keeps
telling his parents they need to spend some time away from the hospital.
Sounds like some wishful thinking on his part. Those of us who know Wes
really know that he is concerned for his parents. Karen and I have learned
to get by on just a few hours of interrupted sleep each night and for
right now at this time in our life this is just great.

We are blessed to sleep in the same room with Wes each night and when
there is an itch or cough we can help him with it. When he needs to be
moved or rolled we are there. We don’t know how comforting it is for Wes
to have us here but for Karen and I, it is very comforting to be so close.

Tonight Wesley’s Grandma Connie came to the hospital and gave him a facial
and massage which was very relaxing. She helped work out very sore muscles
which will help make tomorrow much easier when he starts a demanding day.
This will really help him to sleep better and more relaxed tonight.

His chest has been congested and the pulmonary people have been in to work
on him working around his therapy schedule. We hope to get his lungs
cleared out so he can sleep better at night. Last night he did sleep much
better, they got the pain killers just right along with a good sleeping
pill. I think it was his best nights’ sleep since the accident.

Tonight the Fordham family in Brittnee’s ward brought dinner by for us and
Britt and the kids also came by to share dinner with us. The hospital
staff constantly comes by to see all the posters, banners, cards,letters,
pictures and cactus in Wes’s room. They say they have never seen anything
like all the support and love coming Wesley’s way. Wes cannot wait to get
back home to Montana to be with everyone. We are enjoying our family and
friends in Arizona it is so nice to see everyone.

We were sad to see Ry leave she was such a pillar of strength to us during
this adventurous time. Special thanks to Ry’s husband Ben for sharing her
with us for the past 2 ½ weeks.

It's Ryanne again. Last night was a tough one for Wes. When he left Bozeman his lungs were strong and he was doing well. The week spent at the specialty select hospital made him regress. They did not do any breathing treatments with him. The pulmonary staff is now having to fix that now. They were with him most of the night.

Wesley drove his wheel chair today. I wish I could have seen him. They sure are working him hard. I spoke with my dad today and he said that as Wesley was working out it was easy to see the determination in his eyes. I also heard that he had some visitors observing his work out and his 9 month old nieces was smiling at him the whole time and Wes smiled right back at her.

Oh WOWZERS! Just now, as I am writing this, I received an e-mail from my dad about Wesley's Day today so I will go ahead and put that in here as well...

February 24, 2012
Wes had a terrible night last night his chest was filled with congestion
and we had the pulmonary specialist in to help with the buildup in his
lungs. He coughed and coughed and Karen and I helped him most all night.
His lungs started clearing this morning and he was much better as the day
went on. Tonight we had him in for more lung treatments and our hope is
that he gets some badly needed rest.

Wes had a full days of therapy and he is worn out.  He comes back to the
room to rest and immediately falls off to a deep sleep. We wish he could
sleep like that at night for his sake and ours. It is really surprising
how quickly he is beginning to improve. He gains better use of his wrists,
forearms, and shoulders. He continues during each session to gain a little
more control of his muscles and strength. We remind ourselves to be
patient that this is going to take some time.

As we watched Wesley today struggle and fight for every bit of improvement
we could not help but admire his courage. As we looked into his face and
saw pain and more pain as he tried to give his very best and then some, we
realized what great inner strength he has. We were admiring his courage
when we looked around the room and saw a room full of courageous people
who all seemed to be doing their very best. For the first time in my life
I had a moment where I realized (I am ashamed to admit) all handicapped
people are courageous fighters and survivors. What physical or mental
limitations they have, they more than make up for in courage and spiritual
strength. The knowledge we have of the resurrection assures me that in a
short period of time all of us will be resurrected to bodies without
imperfections. Those who have handicaps have learned more than the rest of
us. They know what is truly important; they learn to be happy with less
and they have a strong purpose in life and an undying will to survive. As
I have been more observant in public I notice more handicapped people than
I ever noticed before. They are all around us and there is much we can
learn from their courage and examples of inner strength. This is a
wonderful lesson I am grateful I am learning.

Watch out! Wes is driving a motorized wheelchair, he started off a little
wobbly but he is making great improvements. Wes’s routine starts about
7:00am when he wakes up and eats breakfast. Then we help dress him and get
him ready for his first therapy about 8:00 or 8:30am.   He has about an
hour for lunch at noon and then back to therapy. He is usually finished by
3:00pm.  He now does all his therapy in a special gym for spinal cord
injuries with special equipment and great therapist that love their jobs
and their patience.

Wes is hoisted out of bed and onto his wheelchair with
a power lift that makes it easier for Wes. He does not like hospital food
and his regular breakfast is a bowl of Lucky Charms and that’s only
because they are magically delicious. Sometimes he will have a container
of peach yogurt and then off to a workout. He often skips lunch because he
is to tired and usually we convince him he has to eat something and he has
a few carrots with ranch dressing. We try to tell him he is not on a diet
since he has already lost 15 pounds but we think he is just too tired to
eat. When dinner comes around usually some amazing people come around with
a great meal and then he eats a decent dinner.  We always send the
hospital tray back untouched because he does not like their food.

As for the rehab center it is top notch. The people who work here are
truly amazing. They are very patient, kind and caring people. After Wes’s
operation in Bozeman Dr. Speth the surgeon told us that he was not the
miracle worker, he said the miracle workers are the therapist who will
work with your son and help bring him back piece by piece. We think Dr.
Speth was right these are truly amazing people.

We continue to be so grateful for everyone who is praying for Wes. We
appreciate all the cards and best wishes that come through the internet.
Wesley insists on reading his own cards and emails and face book entries.
I think he prefers reading them because they often make his mother cry.
Thank you for making this miracle possible.  Great things will happen
hundreds of lives will be changed including mine because of this challenge
and blessing in our life. Continue to pray for miracles but be sure to
keep your eyes open or you may  miss the many that have already happened.

Wow, this has gotten to be a giant post. I won't take up much more of your time. Here are some pictures...

 What a stud! Just relaxin' in the sling that transports him back to his chair.

 If I was still wit him, I would have gotten a video of him cruising around in this bad boy. We just have to trust that somone in my family will do it. The minute I get that footage I will post it!

Wes and Nephew 1.

 Wes with Nephews 1 and 2. So cute. My brother is a stud. Ladies, this guys is single and enjoys dating!

 Anyone close to my brother... has seen these shoes. Yes, he wears them in bed.

Well my friends, I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. You see, I got home on Wednesday and just wanted to spend all my time with Benny Boy (typing that made me laugh). My husband, Ben, has been wonderful. I missed him too much to stay any longer.

First Full Day of Rehab

Today was Wesley's first full day of rehab. Because it was his first day, it was fairly easy... at least that is what we were told. When I got to the hospital this morning he had a toothbrush strapped to his left hand and a therapist was helping him learn how to brush his teeth. 

Several therapists came in to evaluate and make plans with Wesley. They worked with him to make goals. By the afternoon he was pretty tired. He and I watched movies and TV shows together. We had a good time. Poor Wesley is still dealing with congestion so he coughs a lot. 

My Grandma brought us some Panda Express for dinner. We all enjoyed it. Wesley was also excited to watch the Arizona GOP debate tonight. We couldn't talk to him while he and my dad were watching it. 

Big News: Wesley showered for the first time since the accident today. Yay! I believe he is going to be trying out an electronic wheel chair soon. It is already in his room waiting for him. 

Sad News: Today is my last day in Arizona. I am flying back to Louisiana in a few short hours. I have already said my goodbyes. I am thrilled to see my husband. I am sad to leave Wes. He is going to make so much progress by the next time I see him. I will see to it that the blog is kept updated.

I took some pictures today but I will post those tomorrow. For today, here is a video I begged him for. It is some more arm movements.

Go Team Wes!

update

For some reason I put off updating the blog until now, after midnight. I might be a little delirious so stay with me here...

Today was a big day. Wesley was transferred from the hospital to the rehab center. He is officially healthy enough to begin his rehab. It is going to be tough, but worth it.

We waited until about 3:00 for the transfer. My mom and I packed up the room. The walls were completely covered with cards, posters, and pictures.The transfer went smoothly. Once we got to the new unit we didn't waste any time. The room is a bit bigger but most of the walls are covered. He will be able to get into some real clothes and ditch the hospital gown.

Wesley is doing well. He is ready to start physical therapy. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow so the update will be more exciting.

2.20.12 update

Today was a good day.

When I got to Wesley's room this morning I talked him into playing a game with me. It is called 'Spot It'. My Aunt Tondi sent it to Wes. We were laughing and making fun of anyone who was bad at it. I think we went through the deck of cards five or six times. It was fun to see Wes having a good time.

We also got to go over to the rehab unit at Barrow's. We saw the gyms that Wes will be working in and his room. The staff over there seem great. We felt very welcome and optimistic.

The admissions lady over there is going to come evaluate Wes tomorrow morning and finalize the transfer. We are so thrilled. Wesley is ready to start. He is determined to work hard and get results. The ladies over at Barrows told Wesley to be sure and get a lot of sleep before he enters rehab. They will start him out on 3 hours of physical therapy a day.

Just to give you something to look forward to... Wesley has mentioned he may want to tell me his version of the story to type and put up online. Be patient with him. It may be a while. He is an amazing boy and I love seeing him act like his old self.

I hope everyone is a great day!

A few special thank yous...

We had a great Sunday. Wesley's spirits were up today. He had a few visitors today that made him smile a lot. The two munchkins took turns sitting on his bed giving him kisses and holding his hand. They would try to straighten his fingers for him as well. He likes that.

This little girl smiles a lot around Wes and Wes smiles a lot around her.

Now for a few big Thank yous. I know Destiny Rochford was behind this. She is a few years older than Wesley and has helped out so much. She was able to contact the Sacramento Kings and the BYU basketball team to get some treats for Wesley. Thank you Destiny... so much!

We would also like to thank Jimmer Fredette with the Sacramento Kings for signing a hat and sending it to Wesley. I love how he looks so good wearing a hat. He was so happy to get this hat.

Another package came for Wesley recently and it had a signed basketball from the BYU basketball team along with a signed poster. We were overwhelmed with gratitude as we saw Wesley's eyes light up when he saw the ball. He had me put his hand on the ball so he could feel it.

I love this picture of Wes because he looks genuinely content and happy. I would do anything to lift his spirits and I am thankful Destiny was able to get things done.

Wesley is doing well. He will hopefully get transferred to Barrows Rehab tomorrow or Tuesday. He is looking forward to starting the program. We have heard it is very difficult. He is going to have to work harder than he ever has had to. He is going to need a lot of prayers, encouragements, and love. I will have to post pictures of his room. The walls are covered in pictures and posters he has been given and I know these new items will be placed somewhere he can see them. This guy is tough. He knows he can get through this by putting his faith in the Lord and I know that is what he will do.

I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you for your continued support.

I would like to take a moment to share some bad news I received from my community back home in Louisiana. A couple in our ward (church congregation) and their step son were victims in a robbery. The husband and son were killed and the wife was seriously injured. The brutality of this story made me cry. Please  keep this family in your prayers as well. Here is a link to the story:
http://theadvocate.com/news/police/2108736-123/two-killed-in-home-invasion.html

The Story Part 8

In the early hours of Sunday morning Mom and Dad took took turns checking on Wes; making sure he was doing alright. They quickly discovered that the breathing tube down his throat was giving him a panic attack. He had the sensation that he was not getting any air or that the air going down his throat was not allowing him to breathe. This was very real and frightening for Wes and my parents. My mom would struggle with it so much that she often had to leave the room.

Huge tears would run down Wesley's cheeks and it was extremely obvious the thought he was dying. The breathing tube went down his throat towards his lungs and then was inflated so that it could not be pulled out. My dad would try to hold the tube at angles that would not bother him as much.

My dad said, "I would hold the tube and try to adjust it to help calm Wes down. On one such occasion a nurse informed me that I didn't have to worry because Wesley had been given enough drugs that he wouldn't remember a thing." I told the nurse that was not acceptable. Tell me, as a parent, how I am to get any comfort out of that. My son is panicked and thinks he is suffocating, his eyes are filled with tears. He can't move because of the accident and he is mouthing the words, out the side of his mouth, "Pull it out! Pull it out!" We felt helpless."

The tube stayed in Wesley's throat for a day and a half. It was removed on Monday afternoon. As challenging as that day and a half was, the whole family recognizes the miracle in getting it out so quickly. The doctor had told my parents before surgery that the the tube would remain for at least 3 to 6 days.

"For the day and a half, we would not take our eyes off our his eyes. We would wait for them to open in sheer terror and we would reassure, calm, and do all we could to make it bearable. If we had to leave for a few short moments to speak with a doctor or get a nurse, we would immediately come back and check for tears in his eyes. The other difficult part about the tube was that it made it near impossible to communicate with him. He could not speak and the tube made it difficult to read his lips. We had a blinking system for yes or no. We were able to establish if he had an itch and needed help by asking yes or no questions."

On Sunday morning my dad had to run home to get cleaned up. He was still wearing his ski clothing from the day before. While driving home my dad had these thoughts, "As I started driving home it is somewhat of a surprise that everything continues on despite what tragedies befall us. I got on the interstate and I was a lone. I couldn't help but think of Wes and that yesterday at this time he was happy, whole, and doing great. As I drove the tears started to fall...:"

More to come

An update

I suppose it is time for an update. Wes and I got to hang out for quite a while today. We watched a lot shows about guns. I learned a lot. Wesley seemed to be doing well today. His face lights up every time he sees a niece or nephew... and they want to sit by him.

 We went outside again today for about an hour. This picture was taken yesterday, but we were in the same spot today. Wesley thinks it is way to hot outside to stay out there long. His room is so cold. Today I forgot a jacket and I had to drape a blanket around me the whole time. He is missing his Montana winter.

There really isn't big news. However, I think Wesley continuing to smile and laugh everyday is news enough for me. He loves rootbeer and drank a bunch today. A few packages arrived today as well. I will post about those tomorrow... get excited.

I think everyone knows that I love Wes, but it doesn't hurt to say it again. I sure love my brother.

Goodnight,
Ry

This is my 2nd post today so be sure to check the previous one.

Meet The Family

I have to take a moment to acknowledge my family. Wesley is a lucky guy to have so much family support. Here are some facts and pictures of 15 of his number one fans.

This picture was taken a year and a half ago. We like to pretend we are models and as you look at this picture you will be able to see that we do have talent. (sarcasm)

About a year and a half ago we took a family vacation to Disneyland and California Adventure. We love spending time together and having a good time. Again, note the modeling tendencies.

This is my Mom and Dad. They are pretty cool parents. I have to say they have been by Wesley's side almost 24 hours a day since the accident (2 weeks ago). They sleep at the hospital every night just in case Wes wakes up with an itch, a pain, a cough, or just needs someone to talk to. I have always known they are fabulous but seeing them tackle this trial together has made me see their strengths much more clearly.

The 4 little cuties are my older sister's children. My sister, Britt, and her husband, Nate, have also helped so much to care for Wesley. Nate spent the night with Wes last week so my parents could get a full night of rest in. Britt has brought by treats for Wes... homemade red velvet cupcakes. Yum! The nieces and nephews keep Wesley smiling. They also draw him a lot of pictures. 

These two boys are my older brother, Dallin, and his wife, Ashley's, sons. Wes has quite a connection with them. Dallin flew up to Montana last weekend to help watch Wes and he made him laugh and smile. Ashley visits the hospital almost daily with the 2 boys. They give Wes kisses and hugs.

 Well, then there is me. And there is Ben. We don't have children so I have to actually post a picture of us... so here we are. In all of our glory. When Wesley first met Ben he didn't like him very much. Even though Wes is 9 years younger than me, he felt that he had to be protective. After getting to know Ben they became fast friends, and very close.

 I don't think I need words to describe my younger brother, Trevor... just look at the picture.

I am just kidding. My brother, Trevor, is amazing. He is funny, and funny, and kind, and thoughtful, and good looking. He just got home from serving a two year mission in Thailand and is now in college. He will probably kill me for posting these pictures, but they will make Wes laugh.

This one below is especially a gem. Trevor drove up to Montana as soon as he heard about the accident to be with my parents as they waited for Wes to come out of surgery. He also came up the next weekend. He is talented at getting Wes to smile and laugh.

Wesley is younger than Trevor by 6 years. He is the little brother. I can say, on behalf of my whole family, that we all love him so much. We will do all we can to get him smiling more and more. Wesley is a light. He has always been the quiet, steadfast example of obedience to all of his older siblings. 

2.17.12 quick update

Wesley sat up at the edge of his bed, with a guy holding his elbow, for about 30 minutes today. He is getting better. I wanted to take pictures of that today but I had an appointment I had to go to.

We wheeled Wesley outside today to bask in the sun.

He enjoyed teasing Ari (6 year old niece), it made him smile a few times as she responded as any 6 year old girl would respond to teasing.

Anyone that would like to send Wes anything, I have an address for you. This is my Grandma's address and she has given me permission to give it out.

Wesley Greene
1417 E. Berridge Lane
Phoenix, AZ 85014

We appreciate all the love, support, and comments.

This is my 3rd post tonight so be sure to check out the previous posts.

To My Brother

Dear Wesley,

It must be hard to lay in bed all day in the same room and needing help to complete even the most simple of tasks. You are strong and brave. Every day as I first see you I want to hold you in my arms and let you cry on my shoulder for as long as you need.  When I cry I cover my face with my hands, if you need me to be your hands, I will be.

Somehow, you stay focused on how this affecting others. You worry about Mom and Dad and their happiness. I sure hope you know you will always bring them happiness. Today we wheeled you outside FOR THE FIRST TIME and you were worried that the kids were being too loud right near where a woman was sitting. You told me that you thought she was trying to relax.

I yearn to help you. I don't know how. You are being such a good example to others. You will always be my little Webs.

I love you,
Ry

The Story Part 7

Dr. Speth had warned my parents about seeing Wes for the first time after surgery in the ICU. He would have a breathing tube down in throat and he would be sedated. He would also be in a strange bed. The bed was made for patients like Wesley. The head of the bed is about a foot higher than the foot of the bed. It tilts from side to side almost to the point that it looks like Wes was going to fall out. To keep him in place the bed was partitioned off each part of his body. Each limb was secured and his head was secured as well. Even though the bed was extremely uncomfortable it had major benefits:

-It prevented bed sores
-It keeps the body in constant motion
-It helps prevent blood clots
-It helps prolong muscle tone
-It helps prevent pneumonia by moving moisture in the lungs
-It keeps the blood circulating

Here is a picture that kind of shows the bed.

We were told that Wesley would have the breathing tube in for 4 to 6 days and he would be heavily sedated during that time.

My dad writes about walking into Wesley's room, "As we entered Wesley's room the doctor and nurses had prepared us by saying he would look terrible for a few days. As we saw him for the first time after the operation he looked beautiful to us. He was still alive and we had faith and hope on our side. Wes had IVs, drains, plastic lines, and cords everywhere. He was being monitored for everything that could possibly be tracked on the human body. His face was swollen and there was a large tube going down his throat taking oxygen to his lungs. His head was in a harness of steel that rocked sideways with his bed. We would walk from one side of the bed to the other as his bed moved so we could get a good look at him.

As we hugged him and pulled him close, he opened his eyes briefly and we were able to reassure him and tell him how much we loved him. He was very drugged to help him sleep and fight the pain. Karen and I watched him for 30 minutes and then we went into the ICU waiting room to sleep on chairs that pulled out into small beds. They had already been prepared by friends, complete with sheets, blankets, and pillows.

The last 12 hours had been the most exhausting and tragic in our lives. We lay in our beds and tried to get our brains to stop working. We silently prayed for our boy. When rest would not come for either of us Karen snuggled up to me in my bed. We held each other close, wondered about our boy's future, cried, and continued to pray in fitful rest.

Just holding Karen and enduring this together reminded me how bless I am to have my amazing wife and to be loved by her gives me added hope. We will make it through this together."

This next portion for tonight will be some notes by dad took as he pondered the situation. I am going to quote him almost exactly because I want you to see his thought process. He wrote this last Saturday, exactly one week after the accident.



"Exactly one week ago, Wes and I were headed to meet the group of boys from church and begin an adventure that would impact our family and all our dear friends; we do not know exactly what awaits us. We do KNOW that God is in control. This journey we are beginning will be exciting, challenging, and rewarding. It will refine all who are near. It will make us better and bring out the very best in all of us.

It teaches us in life that we must always look for the positive in every lesson, challenge, heartache and disaster. If we seek out the negative we are imprisoned and doomed to despair through a miserable existence. If we embrace the positive we are empowered and destine to be happy for the eternities.

I have been asked a few times why Wesley had to suffer when there are so many that are so undeserving. People who want to throw their lives away. In other words, why do devastating things happen to good people? I have pondered that thought for the last couple of days. I hope I can explain what I feel.

God did not cause Wesley's accident. He did not plan it out so that Wes or his family could learn important lessons.

Did God know about Wesley's accident? YES

Could he have prevented it? YES

Does God interfere with the choices we make? Very seldom, but it does happen.

If He interfered every time there was the potential for injury, death, or heartache we would fail to learn there are consequences for our actions. We would not learn wisdom or common sense. We would fail to learn from our mistakes or the mistakes of others. Without death, injury, or heartache, we, as a people, would be less compassionate, less understanding, and less able to serve others.

Wesley's accident has had a profound influence on hundreds and hundreds of people. IT has caused hundreds of people to hold their dear children closer, to thank their Heavenly Father for the safety of their little ones, to count blessings, to be united as a community, school, ward, and stake. It has moved us to be more compassionate, thoughtful, and empathetic. To judge less and love more. It has caused some to re-evaluate their lives and focus on what is most important and to draw closer to God.  It reminds us that as we serve others there is a great joy that comes to our hearts and often we forget about our own trials and heartaches. It teaches us the importance of our prayers and God's will. When tragedy strikes we look past ourselves and focus on doing everything in our power to help others. When we have these experiences it compels us to become what God would have us become.

So when I sometimes think how great it would be if God answered all of my prayers the way I want them answered, I am grateful he does not. He sees the big pictures and knows what he wants me to be and allows me to experience it, by not giving me everything I want.

We are praying for miracles and they have come and will continue to come. Just like the promise in Malachi- Prove me now here with, If I will not open you the window of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.

I want you to know, that I know, because of the power of prayer God has already poured out these blessings and continues to do this for all the hundreds or thousands of people involved. All we need is the faith to see it.

If tragedy only happened to the bad, we would all assume they deserved it. When it happens to the good, we are compelled to help because of the light of Jesus Christ.

I am grateful God is focused on the big picture and by so doing gives me the opportunity to grow.

In the case of Wesley, He is truly aware and in control.

If it is to be that Wesley is handicapped all his life, he will always bring us great joy and happiness as he lives the gospel and as we celebrate his successes however big or small they are. Wes will always help bring others to Christ. I have learned through all of this so far that a hug, tears, and sincere feeling say more than words ever could. Some things are not meant to be explained."

Part 8 coming soon

The Color Green

We got such an amazing response to Wesley Greene Day. I loved it. My family loved it. Wesley loved it. I'll try to post them on here when I have a little more time.

I may be just a little bit partial to my husband back in Louisiana who text me this picture last Friday morning...

Look at all those good looking guys in green. They even took the shirt with the W and raised it up on the crane. Ben works with a great group of guys. Ben is the one near the center with his thumb up and his arm raised in the air.

My husband is handsome and amazing.

By the way, this is the 3rd post I have done tonight so make sure you take a peak and the 2 other posts I did tonight.

I am going to bed.
Goodnight.

2.16.12 Update

Hello Friends,

I don't know if I have told anyone this but.... I love my brother. He smiles and laughs everyday. He loves getting hugs and kisses from nieces and nephews.

Today Wesley informed us that he had more feeling in his toes. He still can't move them but he feels them more and has been wanting is feet rubbed all the time.

They physical therapists came in today and sat him on the edge of the bed. One stands behind him and helps balance him and the other is in front and generally holds onto Wesley's arm. Today a miracle happened. Wes was able to sit up without the one behind him touch him. He pushed and pulled against the man holding onto his arm to keep his balance in a sitting position. They were amazed. This boy is determined. I didn't get a picture of it today but hopefully I will tomorrow.

Today when he got in his big chair we wheeled him down to the 2nd floor where there is a big indoor bridge that connects to the parking garage. He was able to look outside through the windows there. By the time the walk was over Wesley was exhausted.

A family friend of our brought the game farkel for us to play. None of us had ever played it so I read all the instructions and learned how to play today. It looks really fun. I put the little tray in Wesley's lap and put dice in his hand and he flipped his hand over and rolled the dice in the tray. He can't hold on to the dice but I was pretty excited he could do that. I made up a game and he won, but I think he cheated. I told him if he rolled an even number he gets a point and if he rolls an odd number I get a point. Well he stopped playing while he was ahead.

We have been blessed with so many great friends and family members. We draw strength from your prayers and encouragement.

Things to pray for:
-Wesley's fever to go away and not come back
-For Wesley to be healthy enough to move down to the rehab center by Monday.
-Wesley's cough to go away.

I love you all,
Ry

The Story Part 6

My parents made their way to the operating room waiting area at about 4:15PM. Word got around pretty quickly about the accident. They began receiving phone calls and texts from family and friends all over. Before they knew it, the waiting room was filled with concerned friends. My parents felt bad that all these people had come to sit with them and that it was taking them away from their families. Every time my dad voiced this opinion he got the same response, "We are with family."

My parents were grieving and everyone who visited that night wrapped their arms around them and cried with them. They knew exactly what to say and do to give my parents the support and encouragement they needed.

Trevor, my little brother, arrived from Idaho around 8:00PM. He was surprised to see the number of people in the waiting room there to support our family. He added so much strength to my parents.

During the operation, a nurse would call every 2 to 3 hours to report on how the operation was going. My parents felt like they were sitting on pins and needles as they waited for those calls. Each call the nurses made told my parents the operation was going well. With so many people there to wait the 8 hours with my parents it makes the time go by faster than it would have had they been alone.

At 11:45 PM Dr. Speth came out into the waiting room. He informed everyone that the operation went better than expected. Because he had repaired the neck so well, Wes wouldn't have to wear any type of brace. Dr. Speth then reminded us that this surgery was only to fix the bones and not the spinal cord. It would not bring feeling or movement back to his limbs.

At that time my parents made their way to the ICU. My dad says, "We hugged all our dear ones who were waiting with us ans sent them home. We will never be able to repay them for their kindness, concern, and prayers.

Part 7 coming soon...

I'm sorry it is short today. I'm pretty tired. I think I say that everyday. 

2.15.12 update

Team Wesley,

I'd like to do a quick update today. Wes is doing great. Here are a few things that have happened the last few days that I may have forgotten to write about last night.

Wesley had his throat scoped today. They put a small camera down his nose and watched his throat as he swallowed varies foods and liquids. His 'swallower' looks great. Nothing is going into his lungs.

Yesterday the physical therapist and occupational therapist came in and helped Wes sit at the edge of his bed. They really had to help support him. It was neat to see him sitting at the edge of the bed though. It almost made me cry.

He sat in a chair for about 4 hours today. His shoulder has been causing him a lot of pain, especially when sitting. Today the nurses put a sling on his arm as he sat and that helped a lot. He didn't need near as much pain medicine as he previously needed.

As I left the hospital this evening Wesley was coughing pretty bad. He still needs a lot of help when he coughs but he is getting better at it.

After being around Wes so much we sometimes forget a few things... he has been handed a phone several time to use or to text someone back on. Boy, do we feel foolish when we realize he can't grab the phone from us. He is a good sport though. He is constantly making us laugh at him, ourselves, and each other.

Some goals and things to pray for:
-We need to figure out why his shoulder is causing so much pain and manage the pain.
-Get rid of the cold he has.
-Help Wes to continually be positive.

I love Wesley and I love that so many people love him. He enjoys reading notes from friends on facebook and that get sent to us. He is kind and thoughtful and is lifted up by your prayers.

Love,
Ry

Pictures, as promised

I was finally able to get my pictures on a computer. There won't be much writing tonight because I'm pretty tired... here are the pics. 

Enjoy!

The boys came to see Wesley off. It had been a long morning; it was refreshing to see these faces. 

Wesley had had an allergic reaction to a medicine they gave him right before the ambulance came to pick him up. Poor guy. It took a lot out of him.

The Airplane

Transferring Wes from the ambulance to the airplane

My mom and I sat in the back of the plane. This is our view looking forward.

Arizona hospital means Arizona visitors... including these two little monsters. They love Wes and give him plenty of little boy, slobbery kisses.

some of those kisses

These are a few pictures from back in Bozeman...

Wes on the tilt table, being a champ.

 The last night we were in Bozeman, the nurses agreed to let Wes be wheeled out into the waiting room. It was a huge moment of excitement. This crowd was there to great him.

Here is the family that was at the hospital with Wes. We all look a little ragged. Ben looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself (far left). Yes, I am wearing pink tennis shoes with a skirt. My feet were hurting after wearing dress shoes.

There you have it. Pictures. Pictures. Pictures.
Love,
Ry

Airplanes and Real Food

Well, well, well family and friends of Wesley,

I cannot express how much your prayers, love, support, comments, letters, and notes lift our hearts and spirits. I have begun to read Wesley a lot more notes and comments than I did last week. He has asked me several times if anyone has written on his facebook wall.

Unfortunately, I am having technical difficulties. I can't get my pictures off my camera to a computer. I will fix that soon though. I have many pictures for all to see once and will post them soon.

On Monday, my mom and I flew with Wesley in a small airplane from Bozeman to Phoenix. It was a two and a half hour flight and poor Wes was strapped in the whole time. When we got to the hospital Wesley had a fever. It took some work but his temperature finally returned to normal.

This morning he was cleared to eat real food. The first thing he asked for was water. He looks forward to some Chic-fil-a.

I do have some amazing news and I saved it for last. The night before we were transferred to Arizona, Dallin walked in Wesley's room and his arm was up on his stomach. That's strange. He put it back down at Wesley's side and asked him if he could do it again. Sure enough, he did. It takes a lot of effort but he can move his arm a little bit.

Miracles happen daily. Everyone is stunned at his progress. Wesley is an amazing man and he will accomplish many things. I love him so much.

I hope everyone is doing well. We are grateful for all the blessings that have come to us.

Love,
Ryanne

P.S. I have an amazing husband. Just had to add that.

I do promise pictures. As soon as I can figure out how to get them on the computer. 

The Story Part 5

I have told this some of this part of the story before but I will go ahead and include it from my dad's point of view.

Dr. Speth had just informed my parents that Wesley's spinal cord was being squeezed by his fractured vertebrae. The next step was to straighten out his neck to prepare him for surgery. Dr. Speth explained the proceedure and said it would be very painful. I will explain this proceedure in a moment.

After Wesley heard how painful it would be to straighten his neck he asked my dad to remove my mom from the room and far enough away so that she would not be able to hear him if he cried out. My dad said, "I did as he requested thinking again his head is much more clear than mine. He is not thinking about himself when so much is happening to him and all around him. Wes is thinking about his mother's peace of mind and well being."

As they walked out into the waiting room they noticed that Lance and Gayla Sieler had arrived to show their support. Their son, Tanner, had been skiing with them earlier in the day and he asked them to go to the hospital and told them why. Lance and Gayla are good friends and neighbors to my parents and my family. Gayla was able to comfort my mom while Lance, Bishop, and my father went to give Wesley a Priesthood blessing.

To give Wes a blessing the three men gathered around him; he was still strapped to a board. My dad asked Bishop to give the blessing because my dad knew he would cry if he did and he did not want Wesley to see him cry.

Dr. Speth was now ready to start the proceedure to align the vertebrae in Wesley's neck. "Dr. Speth and his P.A. put a C-clamp in place. Both ends of the c-clamp were right above Wesley's ears with the 'c' part of the clamp above his head.  Dr. Speth injects a numbing drug above each ear, which he was told will only help a little with the pain. Then he tightens down the screws. It is very painfull in spite of the drugs. After the screws get past the skin and flesh they tap into the bone of the skull. Once the screws reach bone the pain ceases. At the head of the bed the back board is strapped to a pully system with a rope attached which is falling to the floor. The doctor attaches one end of the rope to the c clamp and then asks his PA to put 5 pounds of weight to the other end of the rope, that is towards the floor. The clamp, rope, and weight now start to pull on the skull which starts stretching the spine in Wesley's neck. An x-ray type machine is rolled in which seems to show real time pictures of how the spine in the neck is being pulled into alignment. Dr. Speth asks hi PA to add another 5 pound weight. I hear him exclaim that Wes' neck is being stubborn. He manipulates Wes' neck to try and align it... Wes was incredible as all this is done without any pain killer.

"As I was right next to the doctor holding wes' hand, I marveled that Wes did not cry out ( I felt like crying out). I know he was apprehensive and frightened about all that was taking place, what did all of this mean and how would it affect his life. None of the feeling had returned to his extremities. "

After everything was lined up properly, Dr. Speth added another 5 pounds, making it a total of 15 pounds hanging from Wesley's skull to keep it aligned properly.

After this procedure, Dr. Speth starts evaluating Wesley. He starts with Wesley's head and starts poking and pushing on different parts of his body and continually asking, "Can you feel this?" He works his way down, when he gets just above Wes' elbows Dr. Speth starts getting the answer 'no.' Dr. Speth then blocks Wesley's view and continues down Wesley's elbow, hands and fingers with a pin. There is no feeling. He does the same with his legs- down his thighs, knees, ankles, and toes. No feeling. Dr. Speth had a worried look in his eyes.

At this point, Dr. Speth has one more test to do. This last test will either give him hope or almost complete devastation, as it will tell if there is hope for some feeling to return. As he performs this test, my dad watches his eyes. "Instantly, without saying a thing, his eyes say everything, it is as if the light of hope completely left his eyes. I see sadness in his eyes. It lingers just a moment and then the professional in him kicks in. He tells me we need to get your wife and need to visit."

Dr. Speth takes my parents into a semi private room. He shares with them that their lives will never be the same, nor will Wesley's. For the second time that day, my parents felt sick, as if they would pass out.

"Wes was going to be a quadriplegic. He left no hope for anything else. He did not want us holding on to false hope. The sooner we realized the gravity of the situation and the reality of his injuries, the sooner we could come to terms with it and start helping Wes. Dr. Speth then moved on to the mechanical aspect of fixing his neck. He told us this would not bring back the feeling he had lost. It was just allow the structural portion of the spine to heal. The would remove a top portion of the hip bone and utilize that bone to help fuse the vertebrae in the neck together, along with pines and screws. The operation had two parts; to fuse the bones together in the front, then turn Wesley over and fuse the bones in the back."

My parents then went back to Wesley's bedside to check on him. They wondered if they should tell him what the doctor had just told them. They felt the spirit whisper to them that they should not tell him. Surgery prep began within seconds as the anesthesiologist came in. My dad recalls, "We touched our faces to his. We told him that this was a very serious operation, we were both choked with emotion. We had to be strong and project to Wes a sense of well being and great hope. We told him we had great faith and reminded him that he did as well. We told him we believed in miracles and assured him that Heavenly Father was involved in this. We all had great faith as we told him we loved him, understanding he was in the hands of God. He was asleep now and they rolled him out of the Emergency Room and into the O.R."

"Karen and I cried and held onto each other, we were surrounded by people who cared about us and loved us. We called our children and explained everything to them. Our kids wanted to drop everything they were doing and come. Trevor had already started driving up from Idaho. Ryanne called to say that they had already purchased a plane ticket and would be flying in the next night. Brittnee and Dallin wanted to come as well, but we told them to hold off and stay home to take care of their families."

Part 6 is coming soon... I promise.

Go Wes Go

The Three Forks School System is great. Go Wes Go! The elementary school started this cheer. k

Wesley is doing really well today. He sat in the chair today and he is the second spinal cord injury patient to sit in it before getting sent to rehab. He has now been sitting in the chair for several hours. He is a champ.

1 Week

This is Dallin just doing a quick update on how Wesley has been.  Today was by far his best day yet.  We were able to get him on the tilt table twice today and both times he did awesome!! The first time he beat how far he went up yesterday by almost getting to 65 degrees and the second time he almost got to 70 degrees.  His blood pressure was perfect the entire time.   He could of gone longer but it kind of hurts his arms when he is up on it.  The second time he did it today he wanted to break how high he has gone before so he kept asking the PT to take him higher.  She thought it was really funny and they were very happy to see how well he was doing and to see that he was being very competetive about stretching his limits.  He was very happy both times he did it and had huge smiles.  He does not like to talk about the accident at all.  If he wants to talk about anything about it we let him bring it up and sometimes he does but overall he does not like to hear the details about the surgery or reliving it through words.  I can imagine he relives it enough in his head.  Wesley did not sleep much as all today so he has been sleeping pretty well tonight but he has a little help.  It is a miracle that the ICU is so quiet tonight because I feel like there are a ton of babies in here because of RSV.  Today I was talking with Wes and we were talking about Halloween costumes and I asked him what he wanted to be for this coming Halloween.  He looked at me and with a big smile he said, "oh a quadripeligic."  It was good to see that he is able to joke a little.  I think it was a little of a sick joke but he was laughing after he said it so I agreed with him as long as he was only acting to be one at that time.  I have heard Wes laugh a few times today and it was great.  Ry and Ben were nice enough to hold a kindle above his head so he could watch a episode of modern family and of the office.  He loved that.  We also made some jokes about our siblings and each other and it made him laugh as well.  Some other exciting things are that I kept tickling his feet and he hates it.  He gets mad at me and tells me that it is so annoying.  Today while he was getting some blood drawn they stuck a needle in his arm and he kind of jerked and said that it hurt when they did it.  They were excited that he felt the needle prick even though I dont think Wes was too excited about it.  Then when they pulled out the needle Wesley told the tech that he could feel her now pulling the needle out.  We were thrilled that he could feel a sensation that small.  In the morning we are going to try to sit Wes up a little bit.  It is in a bed that is able to convert into a chair.  I feel that it will be great for him and I will keep everyone updated on how that goes.  Sorry if this seems a little scatter-brained.  Thats why my sister usually does the updates.  Thanks again everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

The Story Part 4

After completing the x-rays and scans Wesley and Dad were escorted back to their room in the Emergency Room. Dr. Speth was to arrive any minutes. As they waited, Dr. Jutzy took Mom and Dad into his office to show him the x-rays and scans. My dad likens these events to incoming storm clouds. As the evening progressed, the storm clouds gathered. When they returned to Wesley's side, Dr. Speth's PA was looking over Wesley. Surgery needed to be done and the sooner, the better. The anesthesiologist asked Wes when the last time he ate was. Wesley was very blessed not to have eaten that morning but he only drank some chocolate milk, so the last time he ate had been Friday night. This means they didn't have to wait to begin the surgery.

Dr. Bozarth, the anesthesiologist, could not say enough good things about Dr. Speth. My dad writes, "We were again convinced that God was calling the shots and that everything was coming together for the making of miracles."

"Again, the storm clouds are gathering around us and blessings are getting ready to fall like rain."

At this point our Bishop, Scott Kiilsgaard arrived at the emergency room. His son, Jacoby, had been on the ski trip that day and text his dad right away that there had been a terrible accident and that Wesley was in the hospital. Bishop dropped everything he was doing and came to support our family. He would be there with us till 12:15AM.

Dr. Speth rushes in around 3:15 PM and apologizes for the wait. Dad writes, "Now the black clouds converge, the heavens open and Dr. Speth starts raining down his influence. The scans and x-rays have already been sent to his phone. He immediately takes control of the situation without hesitance. He is the man in charge and everyone waits for his influence.This is a man that makes thinks happen with God inspired confidence. As he quickly works and directs people, he tells us what we have already been told but brings it all together."

Dr. Speth goes on to explain the Wesley has fractured his neck at the C5 vertebrae and that it is broken horizontally and vertically. The horizontal break was squeezing the spinal cord and has traumatized it and that was why there was no feeling in his arms, hands, legs, and feet.

That is all for today folks. Part 5 to come soon.

Wesley is doing well. It is 1:34AM and I just woke up Dallin for his shift. He has a lot of energy so he is doing a little bit of a longer shift so Dad and I can get a few extra hours of sleep. Wesley has been adjusted and readjusted several times but seems to be comfortable now. He has a bit of fever.

As Dallin said, Wes had quite an eventful day. Here are the pictures to prove it...

60 degree angle here

 Smiling for the camera

 

 I am rather tired tonight. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm going to bed.

Sweet dreams

and

Goodnight