tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-127261432012-01-31T15:10:48.866-07:00Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1301100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-90398796384495858342012-01-05T16:10:00.005-07:002012-01-05T16:26:08.872-07:00

I know this has been a definitely a long time since I've written. I have had several promptings to write in a journal but just have not. I don't even think I've written anything really on this blog but I do want to start fresh. Well not fresh, but start again for myself. I can't appreciate enough the love my friends and family have given me to help me through this accident. It has been almost 7

Ryan_Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09594663984571217403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1150614666405135132006-06-18T01:08:00.000-06:002006-07-01T00:05:17.523-06:00

We are having a hard time keeping up!! I am learning that Ryan is Superman, but I am not superwomen!! I wish I could say that life was getting easier, but... Ryan is doing really well in school. Technology is wonderful. Most of his Algebra class has been on-line; he and Scott found an on-line calculator, which has really helped too. With Excel and the calculator he has become pretty

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1148311344551213632006-05-22T09:19:00.000-06:002006-05-22T09:22:24.566-06:00

It has been a busy week. We have had an appointment of some kind everyday and now with Ryan in school it keeps us hopping. We had an appointment with his physiatrist to see if anything could be done about the nightly pain. The doctor changed some of his medications, hoping that that will help. Ryan started taking the medication earlier this week and the pain doesn't seem quiet so bad,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1147441069349803462006-05-12T07:16:00.000-06:002006-05-16T15:13:46.373-06:00

We haven't forgotten about the Blog, we have just been overwhelmed!! One year ago today (5/4/05) we received the telephone call which effected every aspect of our lives; changing our lives forever. While trying to survive the day to day concerns, we also realize the many many blessings which we have received; starting in Idaho, then on to Colorado, back to New Mexico and now in Utah. We have

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1143485882367111222006-03-27T11:57:00.000-07:002006-03-27T11:58:02.386-07:00

This week was a bit emotional – to say the least! We were able to go to the Provo temple on Tuesday, which was another “first” for Ryan. When he was on his break from BYU-I he would come to Provo and work with his uncles. Once a week, while here, he would go to the Provo temple so as we entered the temple Tuesday, it brought back lots of memories – those when he was able to walk. He had a

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1142870255333034372006-03-20T08:48:00.000-07:002006-03-20T08:58:42.423-07:00

Snow, snow, snow and more snow! As the last minute household goods were being put into boxes Friday morning, we looked out the window and there was a blizzard like we haven't seen in years. We hadn't had much weather, to speak of, all winter in Farmington but that morning we couldn't see past the front porch. I had looked at the weather reports earlier in the week and told Dean and Ryan that

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1141930699034061362006-03-09T11:43:00.000-07:002006-03-09T11:58:19.066-07:00

We're on our way. We had snow this morning in Farmington so I checked out weather.com and looks like we will be traveling in the snow. I showed Dean what the weather looked like on Friday and then asked him if we should still go – dumb question!! He said, "Yes". We are looking forward to the move and trying to get settled in Provo. Ryan received a call from BYU-Provo letting him know

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1141144990019369322006-02-28T09:37:00.000-07:002006-02-28T09:43:10.096-07:00

Oh, it's hard to know where to begin!! We are working to make the move to Provo; trying to line out home health care, doctors, Utah Medicaid, the Utah Waiver Program, housing, etc. etc. We are looking forward to the move; to get settled and to get Ryan back in school. We purchased property on the west side of Provo and are waiting for the architect to finalize our house plans; then we can

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1139594744834553612006-02-10T11:00:00.000-07:002006-02-10T11:05:44.840-07:00

It is hard to know where to begin—so much happens in so little time!!! We are doing good, just trying to make lots and lots of decisions. It is a good thing that I love my children, or I would send them all to an orphanage!! Dean and I needed to go to Provo to make some decisions on housing. The house that we thought would work is not going too, so we have purchased some property and are

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1138286182091138972006-01-26T07:32:00.000-07:002006-01-26T07:36:22.110-07:00

Ryan told me I needed to write, even though the “cloud” of despair is hovering over our lives. We keep hoping that things will get easier, but the refiner’s fire is still at work. Thanks to new tretraplegic acquaintances, we are learning about the “little” things that make life a little bit easier. We learned about a Passy-Muir speaking valve which should allow Ryan to speak without pausing

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1136303239902689382006-01-03T08:30:00.000-07:002006-01-03T08:47:19.956-07:00

Happy New Year to all. We weren’t able to go to Gallup; Ryan didn’t get past what ever it was that made him sick until Wednesday. It is difficult at best to try and diagnose the ailment, being that he can’t tell us where it hurts. Tristen had a stomach flu bug for several days and didn’t feel good at all and Dean and I had head and chest congestion so we think it was one or the other –

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1135627657641903832005-12-26T13:03:00.000-07:002005-12-26T13:07:37.690-07:00

We are truly blessed. As hard as this holiday season has been, we find comfort in a loving family and many many blessed friends. We are so fortunate to have so many “giving” folks in our lives; we have been the recipient of the goodness, kindness and generosity of so many, which has been a very different Christmas for us. Santa, as usual, was very good. Among other things, he brought Ryan a

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1135347091413609422005-12-23T07:08:00.000-07:002005-12-23T07:18:56.636-07:00

To all friends and family:     This is my first time in writing the blog. So please excuse the different writing style :-). I just want to thank everyone that has been a part of my story from the beginning, middle, or just joining. Know that I think about you and love you.     I just finished reading the Book of Mormon; how remarkable it is to be able to learn from the Prophets of the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1134658935153733932005-12-15T07:59:00.000-07:002005-12-15T08:02:15.180-07:00

Well, Ryan’s on another antibiotic. He still has infection in his system. The laboratory has cultured the samples and the Doctor has prescribed meds to target the specific bacteria; but, then with the next lab analysis something else pops up!! Hopefully we are going to get past this; although, bladder infections are the #1 complication with spinal cord injuries. We will keep a close watch.

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1134371846754255452005-12-12T00:06:00.000-07:002005-12-12T00:17:33.596-07:00

Ryan is feeling better physically. Tomorrow morning he will have some lab work done to see if the UTI is cleared up. We are keeping our fingers crossed!! Friday we paid a visit to his doctor to go over his medications to see if we could decrease or stop taking some altogether. He takes fourteen different medications regularly and up to seventeen on an as needed basis. We were able to quit

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1134060242598097882005-12-08T09:39:00.000-07:002005-12-08T09:44:02.646-07:00

Sunday night I played catch-up on some e-mails and talked about how we are learning to tell how Ryan feels by the way he looks. However, sometimes it’s hard to tell because he is sooo good looking!! Only a mother!! Ryan has been looking really healthy for several days, but boy when he takes a dive, he takes a dive. Sunday, as the afternoon wore on, he got quieter and quieter. He had been

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1133777641476887352005-12-05T03:12:00.000-07:002005-12-05T03:14:02.053-07:00

Dear Uncle Ryan, I wanted to write you a letter and tell you my mom and dad told me that we are going to move to Gallup the first of the year. I made a big fuss and told them I wanted to stay here so I could see you everyday, but they told me I had to go with them. I know I’m little, but one of these days maybe they will listen to me. Grandma said I could stay and live with you, but mom

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1133447186224234152005-12-01T07:21:00.000-07:002005-12-01T07:26:26.346-07:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Geralyn is a great cook – we had to rearrange all of the furniture to get everyone around the table, but it was well worth it as we laughed and carried on, reminiscing about “old-times.” Rearranging the furniture made it possible to get Ryan in his standing frame as well. We are learning that all of the equipment that is available to Ryan is

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1132814330649805512005-11-23T23:37:00.000-07:002005-11-23T23:38:50.900-07:00

Well, we have good news and bad news. The good news. Today Ryan’s standing frame came in. It is a very nice one and our son-in-law, Steve, was the guinea-pig in getting it set up. Steve is pretty much the same size and shape as Ryan – tall and skinny!! It was eye opening to get it set up; Steve would tell us where it hurt or when there was pressure on the knees, tail bone, hip bones, etc.

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1132581428936286192005-11-20T06:53:00.000-07:002005-11-21T06:57:08.966-07:00

Two weeks ago, today, we went out to get in the van to go to church and the doors wouldn’t open with the keyless remote. I was able to unlock the doors with the keys, but still couldn’t unlock the side door with the automatic door locks. I finally figured out that the battery was dead. Dean was already at the church so I called him and told him the problem; he came home and jump started the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1132281288264701882005-11-17T19:34:00.000-07:002005-11-17T20:09:20.456-07:00

It was fun to see Lisa in Rexburg, but it was tough being there and seeing all of Ryan’s friends and Ryan not able to be involved; he has associated with some really fine young men and women and made some lasting relationships over the years. Lisa played in a volleyball tournament while I was there. She played in the same gym that Ryan was hurt in – pretty tough!! Ryan was “daydreaming” this

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1131600574850865552005-11-09T22:25:00.000-07:002005-11-09T22:30:05.376-07:00

We are making a little headway with the caregivers. We have had the same people come four days in a row – yeah!! They have also been successful in getting Ryan ready in less than two hours. When we met with our doctor, she told the caregivers (who were taking between two and one-half and three hours to get him ready) that it shouldn’t take anymore than one and a-half to two hours – we are

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1131385249193139462005-11-06T10:39:00.000-07:002005-11-07T10:40:49.220-07:00

We hope Ryan makes it in spite of his parents!! I was giving Ryan a breathing treatment the other day. The machine we use is portable so we move it to wherever he is. He was watching TV, sitting right next to Dean’s chair. I plugged the machine in, attached the nebulizer chamber to the flex tube which is directly connected to his trach. I reached over to get a quad pad to support the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1130996966941876862005-11-02T22:46:00.000-07:002005-11-02T22:49:26.956-07:00

Ryan had an appointment with New Mexico Vocational Rehab (NMVR) on Monday. He was hoping that NMVR would assist him in getting a job, but after discussing Ryan’s goals, it was determined that getting back into school should be the main focus. Mr. VocRehab asked Ryan what he would need in order to get back into school. Ryan replied with, “24/7 care, lap top, lap top tray for wheelchair, tuition

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1130764879193209302005-10-30T06:17:00.000-07:002005-10-31T06:21:19.210-07:00

De Bed, de Bed! We received the overlay for Ryan’s bed! The overlay or mattress was scheduled to be delivered on Friday for several weeks. We received a call from the company that ordered it early Friday morning letting us know that they had tried to contact the vendor of the overlay in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida since early Wednesday without any luck. With the recent hurricane in that area

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1130387441689115952005-10-26T22:27:00.000-06:002005-10-26T22:30:41.873-06:00

Our challenges with Ryan’s care givers are just that, challenges!! We had no shows Monday and Tuesday as well as Saturday and Sunday last week. I received a call from the CEO of the company on Tuesday informing us that they wanted to do the job and felt like they would do a great job for us. She apologized for what happened over the weekend and then I let her know that she had two more no shows

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1130164122691911752005-10-23T08:23:00.000-06:002005-10-24T08:28:42.706-06:00

It has been such beautiful weather here in Farmington. We love the fall. We have learned that if Ryan is on the heated humidifier at night, he doesn’t get as cold during the day. The air mattress that he is on right now (the longer one should be here Friday!) has heated air pumped thru the cells, but it doesn’t require a mattress pad or a fitted sheet, it has a synthetic cover with a sheet

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1129816050047849562005-10-19T07:43:00.000-06:002005-10-20T07:48:01.383-06:00

We have had a busy week and it is only Wednesday!! Ryan had a very difficult day Sunday and then Monday he got to go to the dentist. Over the years I have said that I would rather have a baby than go to the dentist! No, I am not going to have another baby, nor go to the dentist!! The dentist we went to has a new office and each exam room has state-of-the-art equipment. They had him

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1129559638559973222005-10-16T08:32:00.000-06:002005-10-17T08:36:02.623-06:00

Well, we are learning that we still have good days and bad days. Ryan has had a couple of really "hard" days; more emotional, mental and psychological than physical. He is struggling to try and figure out what his purpose in life is. It is sometimes difficult to stay positive for him; all I want to do is cry!! He knows that he is not alone in this, and we all know that there is a reason

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1129182783017261632005-10-12T23:48:00.000-06:002005-10-13T07:02:49.613-06:00

Ryan seems to be getting stronger and stronger each day. People who haven’t seen him since the accident say that he “looks really good.” I have always known that, but hey, I’m just the mom!! He does look good, his skin color is good and we think he has put on a little weight; we don’t know for sure because we don’t have anyway of weighing him. Dean said that we could go down to Mayflower and

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1128955675682564412005-10-09T08:24:00.000-06:002005-10-10T08:47:57.060-06:00

We have had a busy couple of days, but it doesn’t seem like we ever get anything done. Today I got ready for church and couldn’t find my “winter” church shoes. Since we have been in Denver, I have been able to wear sandals. It rained most of the night and turned a little cold here so I needed enclosed shoes; they’re all in boxes in the garage – but which one!! I try to unpack at least one box

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1128606547827141452005-10-05T07:44:00.000-06:002005-10-06T07:49:07.836-06:00

Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma, we finally got a bed, but the mattress came in and it is the wrong size!!! Things that used to seem so simple have become so complicated. We are hoping the new bed will be much more comfortable for Ryan; not only will it be long enough, but the head of the bed will raise to 40◦ - 50◦, which is critical for watching TV…not to mention keeping the airways in his

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1128311810476243832005-10-02T21:54:00.000-06:002005-10-02T21:56:50.486-06:00

It is good to be home, but we are experiencing reality!! Ryan’s caregiver resigned. Caring for Ryan is a “big” job and his caregiver wasn’t up to the challenge. We had heard from several patients after leaving Craig that they had to go thru two or three caregivers until they found one that worked for them. We were hoping that we would be able to “sing a different tune” but we are not exempt.

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1128014587112470402005-09-29T11:18:00.000-06:002005-09-29T12:49:03.066-06:00

My mom asked me to post their new address information: Griffin’s 4525 La Colina Court Farmington, NM 87401 Ryan: obfuscateEmail("ryangriffinblog", "gmail.com"); Dean: obfuscateEmail("dean", "redmesa.com"); Terry obfuscateEmail("griffin.terry", "gmail.com"); - Note that this has changed!! Mom's redmesa address will not be valid much longer. Thank you all for your letters, love and support.

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127959704292205652005-09-28T20:04:00.000-06:002005-09-28T20:08:24.300-06:00

The caregivers are overwhelmed!! They can’t believe that there are so many “minute details” such as changing the trach neck tie each day, making sure that his feet don’t get caught between the lift and his chair, making sure the vent tubing doesn’t get caught in the sling when transferring him, make sure he is padded correctly, putting cream on his halo scars, putting cream on dry skin areas,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127748850597651922005-09-25T09:32:00.000-06:002005-09-26T09:34:10.606-06:00

It feels good to be home. We have had a few ups and downs trying to get the hang of things on our own. We are teaching the Farmington caregivers the “tricks of SCI” or the “little things” that make such a difference; thanks to the help from those at Craig. We have to learn to keep track of time; Ryan has to have meds at certain hours, a lung treatment four times a day, intermittent suction,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127484219212870942005-09-22T08:02:00.000-06:002005-09-23T08:03:39.216-06:00

Well, we made it home!! It was quite a journey. The nurse and EMTs made it to the hospital about 9:30 and we were on our way at 10:15. I didn’t think that it was a rough flight, but Ryan had a rough time. He and Darlene, the respiratory therapist that came with us from Craig, were “green” most of the flight. We were told that we were going to fly in a Lear-Jet, but we were bumped to a Cessna

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127481194650376702005-09-22T07:11:00.000-06:002005-09-23T07:13:14.656-06:00

Well, Ryan made it home! He got to the house Tuesday at about 2:00! The flight went okay. Ryan came home looking very cheerful and happy. It was good to see him that way. Things went relatively smooth. At times, we actually think we have things under control and know what we are doing. My parents are very incredible. They were actually training everybody what to do. They sure know a lot

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127140558103830742005-09-18T08:33:00.000-06:002005-09-19T08:35:58.113-06:00

We had a great day yesterday. Ryan was feeling pretty good, so we went to the Denver Aquarium. We are both getting more confident in our abilities to maneuver the chair, the van, the vent, the suction bag, and everything else. His new wheelchair is “new and improved”; they have changed the way the vent tray is attached to the chair. This chair is “closed looped” so you can’t hang anything on

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1127024147384908542005-09-17T00:10:00.000-06:002005-09-18T00:15:59.393-06:00

Ryan had a rough couple of nights. He didn’t sleep well Wednesday night because of pain. Thursday night he didn’t sleep at all. I took my favorite grandson, Tristen, over to the apartment to put him to sleep and Michelle stayed with Ryan until about 1:30 a.m. when Ryan made her leave because she was driving home by herself with the baby Friday morning. When she got to the apartment, she told

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1126752698168360112005-09-14T20:51:00.000-06:002005-09-14T20:51:38.176-06:00

Dean and I traded places again!! Our lives are in such disarray, but it was good to be back here with Ryan. The airlines have “tagged” us as we keep buying one-way tickets, since we can’t plan very far ahead. Last week when I went home, I got the “wand” treatment and they took about 20 minutes to search my purse – they were sorely disappointed!! Dean and I pass notes on the way to and from

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1126709166421218782005-09-12T08:45:00.000-06:002005-09-14T08:46:06.433-06:00

Saturday after a rocky start, we had a pretty good day. One of Ryan’s medicines (proametene) is scheduled for 8:00 am. (This is one to help with his passing out). When the nurse found out that he wasn’t going to get up at that time, she made the decision to delay giving him the med. She told Ryan that he could get it at 10:00 am. Well, she forgot to give to him and then when she finally did come

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1126477208668229512005-09-11T15:33:00.000-06:002005-09-12T11:30:37.510-06:00

Last Friday night, after the latest blog update had been sent out, Ryan and I had a wonderful thing happen. One of the tech’s, Phillip Price, has become very close to Ryan. He brought in a nice carving with Ryan’s favorite scripture hand carved into the wood. It was a beautiful gesture and gave us renewed strength and hope; particularly with the day that we had just experienced. Phillip told me

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1126405513276488552005-09-09T20:24:00.000-06:002005-09-10T20:25:13.283-06:00

WE ARE NOT GOING HOME!!!! (At least not next week). When I got off of the plane this morning, (Fri) Terry informed me that our plans have changed. Ryan’s nurse came in this morning and informed him that his discharge date has been changed. With the problems that he has been having with the dizziness and fainting they felt that it might not be such a good idea to send him home until they find out

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1126165560794231302005-09-07T01:38:00.000-06:002005-09-08T01:46:00.806-06:00

The days are getting longer or the nights are getting shorter – maybe both! The last days at Craig are pretty hectic; trying to get both the manual and power wheelchairs adjusted and fitted, getting all the supplies put together, finding a bed, etc.. With a little “friendly persuasion” we got Craig staff to go beyond their “box” and find a bed that was long enough for Ryan, rather than ordering

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1125875984989154622005-09-04T17:14:00.000-06:002005-09-04T20:36:20.476-06:00

This medical stuff is way to complicated for me!! Dr. Balazy came in Thursday and said that the neurosurgeon had read the MRI which was done last week and said the only thing they could see that could remotely contribute the dizziness and blacking out spells was some of the scar tissue from the spinal cord, at the injury point, has attached or “tethered” to the spinal column, which, when he

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1125669138381160492005-09-01T07:48:00.000-06:002005-09-02T07:52:18.386-06:00

We have had a busy couple of days. The nurses from Farmington were here the last couple of days to become familiar with Ryan and get some training. I think they learned a lot. Interestingly enough, one of the nurses was our long time Family Doctor’s head nurse and she knew Ryan. Ryan remembered her giving him his shoots before he went on his mission – the things we remember!! Both Karen and

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1125411250284083692005-08-30T08:02:00.000-06:002005-08-30T08:18:17.473-06:00

Ryan got to stay in bed until 1:00 pm today!! Although staying in bed for Ryan is not all that restful!! He was taken down to Swedish for an MRI around 9:00 and returned to the room about 10:15. I guess during the imagining, the portable vent is not compatible with the equipment in the imaging room so they have to use the “ambu” bag or “bag” him when they transferred him from his bed to the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1125325107089764212005-08-28T08:15:00.000-06:002005-08-29T08:18:27.100-06:00

Weekends at Craig slow way down!! The staffing is at a minimum and I think the cafeteria serves leftovers!! We had planned on going on a “family” outing yesterday, but Ryan is having a tough time with all his friends getting on with their lives; i.e., school, etc. We were able to go out and have a nice dinner at Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant. When we were in Idaho Falls, Geralyn, Keith and Dean

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1125158469053848262005-08-26T09:55:00.000-06:002005-08-27T11:02:17.353-06:00

We have wheels to transport Ryan’s wheels!! Ryan’s van was delivered yesterday. Since Dean is in Farmington, the gentleman who delivered the van wanted to go thru the details of the van with me; so we started at the dashboard and then he asked me if I was aware of the type of chassis it had! I must have had a blank look on my face because he said, “Dean probably knows all about that!” I

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124978335826977182005-08-24T07:55:00.000-06:002005-08-25T07:58:55.833-06:00

Well, we’re not moving – at least here at Craig!!! The nursing administrators are having a hard time making up their minds! We were told today that they are understaffed and so they can’t accommodate us on the east side; so, we are going to stay put! That is not all bad as there is a lot going on tomorrow – we are closing on the sale of our home in Farmington and will be completely moved out,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124849346846917222005-08-22T20:02:00.000-06:002005-08-23T20:09:06.856-06:00

We have had a busy weekend. They are trying to “kick” us out and in so doing we have to cram years worth of knowledge into a couple of weeks. Yikes!!! We are learning more and more about tidal volumes, PEEP rates, oxygen levels, back pressure, etc. etc. My brain can’t soak-up any more!! I guess we will be moving to the East side, they wanted us to do a “modified” version of caring for Ryan

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124574055564443872005-08-19T15:40:00.000-06:002005-08-20T15:40:55.573-06:00

We had two or three days without any dizziness or fainting spells. But, they’re back!! Ryan has passed out several times (8 to be exact!) over the last two days. We continue to hope that the physicians can figure out what is causing the blackouts. Ryan saw an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor earlier in the week, but he didn’t find anything that he thought would cause the problem. Dr. Balazy has ordered

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124339861478240972005-08-17T22:36:00.000-06:002005-08-17T22:37:41.486-06:00

We had an exciting day today – another respiratory STAT – except this time it was parent induced!! The RT’s have told us that we need to get to know the respirator “in and out.” Dean took the directive seriously! He was sitting behind Ryan’s wheelchair trying to become familiar with this life support machine, while Ryan was on the mat for physical therapy. We were all visiting when we heard Dean

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124287884187282012005-08-16T08:04:00.000-06:002005-08-17T08:11:24.190-06:00

Ryan has had some infection and the antibiotics that the Doc put him on make him really groggy. He slept most of the day yesterday and had a hard time staying awake today. He still has the pain that he describes as “buried in sand” feeling in his arms and legs. The Doc has “upped” the Neurontin to the maximum dosage but still can’t figure out why he is in so much pain. We haven’t had the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124113635586430872005-08-14T07:46:00.000-06:002005-08-15T08:22:51.983-06:00

Ryan was up and ready to go to Sacrament Meeting at 8:30 a.m. this morning. The staff were in shock to see him up so early. He has been given the nickname of “Prince” since he usually doesn’t get up until 11:00 a.m. or later. He gives the staff a hard time when they schedule a class before eleven – because it ruins his beauty sleep!! As he came out of his room in a white shirt and dress

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1124036678619781772005-08-13T10:23:00.000-06:002005-08-14T10:24:38.630-06:00

It has been a busy couple of days!! I don’t think I have ever been this tired, not even when I had babies up in the night. I am sure my age doesn’t have anything to do with it! We went on a PT/OT (Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy) outing yesterday. They want to give their patients every opportunity they can to experience the real world, under somewhat controlled conditions. The Denver

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123818309054787532005-08-11T21:40:00.000-06:002006-05-12T15:39:38.776-06:00

Update: The account mentioned has been closed. We want to thank you for your generous support. Please contact the family directly with any questions: 1825 South 1200 West Mapleton, UT 84664 Tele 801-494-2057 Fax 801-494-1464 Additionally the article mentioned in the Daily Times is no longer available for free. The article titled "'Normal' expectations remain optimistic" was in the August 7

Friends and Family of Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123763737992407552005-08-10T06:34:00.000-06:002005-08-11T06:35:38.000-06:00

The “turning” bed or the correct medical terminology – cycling bed – didn’t work. The bed would roll Ryan from side to side, but his legs or arms weren’t getting moved. He was in a lot of pain this morning; he said from just not being moved. We are going to try another bed tonight! He went to a wheelchair-positioning clinic this morning to be fitted for his new chair. I have been really

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123679296116778622005-08-09T07:06:00.000-06:002005-08-10T07:08:16.130-06:00

Today started out way to early!! Dean needed to fly home today; we need to be moved out of our garage by Monday, so the family who is purchasing our home (we will be renting their townhouse) can start moving their "stuff" in! Dean wanted to tell Ryan that he was leaving, so he went to Ryan’s room at 7:10 a.m. while I waited down in front to take him to the airport. When Dean came into the room,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123502527386400022005-08-07T05:59:00.000-06:002005-08-08T06:04:33.203-06:00

Well, it has been busy the last couple of days. Sorry that we have been lax on the updates. Wednesday night, we decided to take our house off the real estate market (we listed our house on the 20th of July) and take Ryan to Farmington and find a way to take care of him in our home. When I called the real estate agent Thursday morning she said she had been trying to get in contact with us to let

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123166031047621182005-08-03T08:33:00.000-06:002005-08-04T08:34:48.633-06:00

Tuesday, Ryan had a visit from Don Digby. He was a graduate from Craig Hospital 4 years ago. Ryan met him last Saturday down at the ice cream shop and had a nice conversation with him. He is the man who owns Navajo Trucking and donated the Friendship Center here at Craig that we have used several times. It was great to meet him and hear of his encouragement to Ryan. It is wonderful to meet these

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1123079936762905702005-08-02T08:38:00.000-06:002005-08-03T08:38:56.770-06:00

Dean and Terry keep insisting that I write the blog sometime, my first disclaimer is that I am not here all day long so I don’t have the day-to-day information. My second disclaimer is that I apologize ahead of time if I don’t do a good job. When I got back from work today amazingly, Ryan was awake! I have to laugh at myself because I hurry back from work so that I can be with Ryan and then when

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122993061125024772005-08-01T08:30:00.000-06:002005-08-02T08:31:01.133-06:00

Yesterday, we had a good day. We were able to go to church with Ryan to the Maplewood Singles Ward. Their Sacrament meeting started at 9:00 a.m., so we had an early start. We were able to rent a van that was able to accommodate a wheelchair. It was a tight fit, but we were able to get him in, wheelchair and all. It had a raised roof, so that he was able to sit upright in the chair but he couldn't

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122825127019549122005-07-30T09:48:00.000-06:002005-07-31T09:52:07.026-06:00

Our day started at 11:00 a.m. down in radiology; they forgot to let Ryan sleep until 1:00 p.m.!! Ryan had a second x-ray on his neck to make sure that the vertebrae remained in place after the “pot-hole” incident. We should find out the results tomorrow. After we came up from the Swedish Hospital, we went for a “walk” down to the corner Ice-Cream/Sandwich Shop. Ryan went thru a door on his

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122698877291682672005-07-29T22:46:00.000-06:002005-07-29T22:52:28.893-06:00

Ryan looks like a new person!! A lot of the staff didn’t recognize him without the Halo! After his hair cut and now that he can wear his glasses, they’ll wonder who the new admit is?? Ryan went bowling today. Recreational Therapy has a mechanism that they clamp to the footrests of the wheelchair. It is a “ramp” that goes from his lap to the floor; it looks like a slide or an elephant trunk!

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122643711600455582005-07-28T07:11:00.000-06:002005-07-29T07:34:33.346-06:00

Ryan had a great day today; he "stood up" and --- was de-Halo-ed!! We never know what a day will bring!! The Neurosurgeon's nurse came in about 12:00 p.m. and said that Dr. Falci had looked at the C-Scan and said that the Halo could come off, but he would need to wear a "hard" collar for four weeks. She was very clear that the collar could not come off except for shaving, trach care and

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122524572319360642005-07-27T22:21:00.000-06:002005-07-27T22:23:22.620-06:00

Well, de-Halo-ing day came and went. We still have a Halo!! As of tonight, the Neurosurgeon hasn’t looked at the C-Scan, but Dr. Balazy seems to think that the Halo will need to stay on for a couple of more weeks. I saw the C-Scan results and not being medically competent(!), I could see that the “fusion” had not been completely achieved. Last night Ryan was quite frustrated and discouraged; he

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122471629075567782005-07-26T07:39:00.000-06:002005-07-27T07:40:29.083-06:00

Ryan had the C-Scan today to determine if the Halo will come off tomorrow, but we have not heard yet what the results were. Oh, the waiting!! If nothing else, I have a greater understanding and appreciation for Job! Ryan has had three “rotten” days! He has complained of his cheekbones and jawbones hurting. We rub and rub and rub them, which helps him to feel better for a short period of time,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122387534751175722005-07-25T08:18:00.000-06:002005-07-26T08:18:54.756-06:00

The big – de-Halo-ing – week is here!! I came into Ryan’s room this morning and they had taken the “extension” off of his bed (they do that so they can get in the elevator to take him to Swedish) so that he could have a C-Scan to confirm that the C-1 and C-2 vertebrae’s have fused properly. The Transport Tech’s took him thru the tunnel to the Swedish Hospital for the scan and found that they didn

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122300426584312312005-07-24T08:06:00.000-06:002005-07-25T08:07:06.593-06:00

Ryan has had a rough weekend; I guess Uncle Keith’s and Aunt Geralyn’s visit was way to much for him!! He got up yesterday and wanted to “do something” but couldn’t get his head off of the headrest on his chair. He was dizzy most of the time! We did have a nice visit from Ted Leslie. His son was in a devastating accident 380 days ago (Meredith asked, who’s counting!!). Dan, Ted’s son, dove into

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1122137752340956152005-07-22T10:52:00.000-06:002005-07-23T10:55:52.346-06:00

Well, it is good to be back in Denver, I think?? It was so nice to see all of our dear friends and family while we were home. After being in Farmington and visiting with Medicaid, our family Doctor, and Contractors/Realtors, we have decided that the soup line at the Salvation Army is not lookin’ to bad!! Ryan is now signed up for Medicaid and will qualify for Food Stamps!! I never dreamed that

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121866250628009242005-07-19T07:27:00.000-06:002005-07-20T07:31:41.480-06:00

We have come to appreciate the writings of Dickens…. “it is the best of times, it is the worst of times.” Though it is very hot in Denver, Ryan still struggles with periods of being very cold. After being chilled, his body will become very hot to the touch. . . it is quite a puzzle. He also “blacked out” a couple of times yesterday and once today. The dizziness is still a big problem.

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121699960218188862005-07-17T09:16:00.000-06:002005-07-18T09:19:56.320-06:00

Saturday was very hot! Keith and I met Dean, Terry, Ryan and Meredith at the Denver Zoo. By the time we arrived, they were ready for lunch in a cool place, thankfully! One of those in the group said his car thermometer registered a 106 outside temp, don’t know if he was right or not, but it was very, very warm. The group was in high spirits and after not seeing Ryan for a couple of weeks; we

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121526121660268392005-07-15T11:59:00.000-06:002005-07-16T09:02:01.666-06:00

Ryan was exhausted after going fishing!! He could hardly open his eyes and hold his head up (I guess he doesn’t have much choice in holding his head up with the halo)! But, he was worn out, he slept most of the day yesterday; although, he felt pretty good. Dr. Balazy came in to check on Ryan and asked how the TED Sock (or tubes) were doing. Ryan seems to think that they have helped; although,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121356380931392632005-07-13T11:49:00.000-06:002005-07-14T09:56:12.246-06:00

Well, Ryan is on calorie count again!! Just when we think we have “something” under control, we get to start over. He is down to 154 pounds, from the 182 he weighed before this all started!! His appetite has increased quite a bit, but not enough to put on any weight!! He gets to be weighed tomorrow, so we are trying to get him to eat lots tonight!!! I hope that he will have maintained the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121264481880326552005-07-12T20:20:00.000-06:002005-07-13T08:21:21.886-06:00

After an emotional late night discussion, we had a hard time getting started this morning!! We then learned that Ryan had to be “bagged” about 4:30 a.m., so he was really tired!! He has a humidifier on his ventilator to help with the “western” dryness. With the humidifier, water can accumulate in the tubing. The night Respiratory Therapist was trying to empty out the water in the tube and

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121214470753858292005-07-11T23:27:00.000-06:002005-07-12T18:27:50.763-06:00

Today has been a good day for Ryan. His first class was not until 1:00 p.m. so he had a casual morning, almost too casual. They were admitting another patient today about the same time that Ryan was getting up for the day. We have learned the transfer procedure so we are able to use the hoist and get him out of his bed and into his chair. What we haven't been taught is how to switch him from the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1121087501595289092005-07-10T23:10:00.000-06:002005-07-11T07:11:41.606-06:00

My apologies!!! When I go back and read the updates, I am “quite” amazed at all of the spelling and grammar errors; I will try to “quit” doing that!! I will have to let Bill Gates know that his Spell-Checker doesn’t work very well!! Or, could it be way too late and “quiet” when we write the updates – hopefully, you can “read between the lines.” Any ideas for controlling dizziness and black

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120956897237272482005-07-08T23:52:00.000-06:002005-07-09T18:55:30.043-06:00

Oh, the ups and downs of Spinal Cord Injuries and the parents who don’t have a clue!!! Yesterday was not such a good day for Ryan. After our Family Conference, he had a downward spiral and it took him a day to recover!! It was quite an emotion day for him, he was also quiet dizzy all day and had a hard time even sitting up, he didn’t want to eat either (not good for his weight!). He has a

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120741658753356302005-07-06T23:06:00.000-06:002005-07-07T07:07:38.760-06:00

We had our Family Conference today. It was kinda like Family Home Evening when some of the family shows up but doesn’t have much good to say!! We learned that Ryan will get his halo removed July 27th, if all goes well. When we get closer to that date, they will do x-rays and an MRI or CAT scan to see if the vertebrae have fussed together properly. If not, they will look at other options such

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120655234547665002005-07-05T23:05:00.000-06:002005-07-06T07:07:14.553-06:00

Today was pretty quiet after the weekend!! Ryan is still having problems with his blood pressure and dizziness. He “black-out” again this afternoon. He was sitting in his chair in his room when his eyes dilated and he got that “glassy look!” Dean called for the nurses and they came running. It seems that his blood pressure drops very low and then skyrockets and he gets real dizzy. Today

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120539855395638672005-07-04T22:57:00.000-06:002005-07-04T23:06:28.510-06:00

What a great weekend!!! We had lots of company and lots of fun!! We wore Ryan out -- but he said he had a great time. Friday we had our big outing; we went and saw Cinderella Man. By the way, it is a great movie -- nothing like the title! There were three patients all together; Scott, Tom and Ryan. All three have C1 or C2 injuries and are on ventilators. Scott, Tom and Ryan went on a bus,

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120221555666596732005-06-30T23:34:00.000-06:002005-07-01T06:39:15.673-06:00

Ryan’s wheelchair was upgraded to a “four speed” today!! Occupational Therapy (OT) reprogrammed his chair so he could have more than one speed!!! He has four modes; Mode -1 is set at 20% (100% = 5 to 6 mph), Mode -2 is set at 40%, Mode -3 is set at 20% but with more torque so he can go on lawns and gravel, and Mode -4 is set for mom and dad!! OT put a control on the back of the chair so if

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120168685976636382005-06-29T23:50:00.000-06:002005-06-30T15:58:22.880-06:00

Ryan has been pretty “groggy” today, last night after his “hypertension incident” he got anxious and started hurting all over. We tried several things to help him; turning him, putting warm cloths on his head, putting cold cloths on his head, putting blankets on, pulling blankets off, etc. etc. We just couldn’t get him comfortable so he asked for some pain meds and some meds to help his anxious

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1120055185305385302005-06-29T08:24:00.000-06:002005-06-29T08:26:25.316-06:00

Well, it is good to be back to my “home away from home”!! After taking Lisa to BYU-Idaho I realize that I’m not college age anymore!! Her car was packed to the brim and after about 13 trips up to the third floor, I was worn out!! We got her settled in after several trips to Target and Wal-Mart to get closet organizers, shoe organizers, etc. etc. I was able to stay in her apartment with her

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119970020233825542005-06-28T08:45:00.000-06:002005-06-28T08:50:10.870-06:00

It is interesting being in this type of hospital (rehab) that you don’t go to the doctors’ office, they come to you. Today in the elevator we were heading down stairs for one of Ryan’s classes and the head of respiratory and a therapist were riding with us and they began to look at the vent that Ryan is using and reset a couple of the settings. It only took as long as the ride from the 3rd floor

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119898509647895722005-06-27T12:44:00.000-06:002005-06-27T12:55:09.653-06:00

Ho, Hum…. Just another no breathing episode for Ryan. It happened around 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning. This time it was caused by an excessive amount of water in the vent tubing. They have installed a humidifier to add moisture to his lungs. Quite often, the tubing accumulates too much water, but this time the tech was unfamiliar on the proper procedure of fixing the problem. So another

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119743746342709012005-06-24T23:49:00.000-06:002005-06-25T17:55:46.350-06:00

Be honest. How many of you use the 5-second rule in your home or work place? (You know the one where food drops on the floor and if you pick it up within 5 seconds, it is still ok to eat). Well, they use the zero second rule here at Craig. Anything that falls on the floor is put in the trash, down the drain, or in the soiled linen. It makes it a challenge with a 5-month-old grandson to not throw

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119589764402787822005-06-23T23:03:00.000-06:002005-06-23T23:09:24.426-06:00

Dear Uncle Ryan, This letter is from your nephew, Tristen. I am only 5 months old so I had my Grandpa help me. I thought I would let you know what it is like down here in my stroller. It seems like you and I have a lot in common these days.The food around here stinks. They put this junk in a bottle and make me eat it. I hear they feed you through a tube in your stomach. OUCH! I think I would

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119511201265694342005-06-23T00:58:00.000-06:002005-06-23T01:20:01.273-06:00

When I came in this morning Ryan told me that the nurse had been in and had lifted his sitting restriction. Apparently, his skin sore has improved enough that they allowed him to sit up today. In addition, his potassium and sodium level has improved but we are still on a fluid reduction to make sure he is getting enough electrolytes. Later Dr. Balazy came in and looked at Ryan and said that he

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119416750198271272005-06-21T23:02:00.000-06:002005-06-21T23:05:50.203-06:00

Yesterday, Michelle, Tristen and I came back to Denver. Michelle is Ryan’s younger sister and Tristen is her son (our first grandchild). This morning around 10, the pulmonary doc came in and talked with Ryan. He listened to his lungs and said that everything was looking good. Ryan said he felt okay. Then the clinical coordinator came in and said that Ryan’s sore looked much better today. We

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119331834822599872005-06-20T23:29:00.000-06:002005-06-20T23:30:34.830-06:00

Good Evening Everybody. Today was an okay day. This morning, Ryan got up in his chair at about 11:30. He was feeling dizzy, his eyes were fully dilated, and looked really pale in the face. He said he was okay, but his color just wasn’t right. The staff came in and checked his blood pressure. It was high, I don’t remember the numbers, but it was high for him. They checked it again a little

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119242117731269002005-06-19T22:30:00.000-06:002005-06-19T22:36:20.800-06:00

Happy Fathers Day!! We had a nice weekend; Ryan was not feeling very well, though. He continues to have the “heavy” and “burning” feeling. He compares the “heavy” feeling to being buried in sand and the “burning” feeling like a sunburn under his skin. The weekend doctor up’d his dose of Neurontin; hopefully that will do the trick. He takes Loritab for pain, but it doesn’t seem to help; we

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1119071505264568232005-06-17T23:11:00.000-06:002005-06-17T23:11:45.270-06:00

We like boring!!! Ryan had his “tulip” filter removed today! He hadn’t felt good most of the night. He was feeling cold, then hot, cold, then hot and achy all over. The docs tell us that hopefully at some point those symptoms will subside. He says his body hurts all over and he has a burning sensation – he compares it to a sunburn under his skin! The docs also tell us that because of the

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1118983643873246282005-06-16T22:43:00.000-06:002005-06-16T22:48:28.200-06:00

Today was kind of boring compared to yesterday!!! Ryan was scheduled to go to out-patient surgery today at 1:00 pm to have the “filter” removed. We got back to the room at about 12:30 from Physical Therapy and got him transferred to the bed, got the portable ventilator w/battery connected, removed the extension from the end of his bed, etc. etc. We patiently waited!! Two o’clock came, three o’

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1118936273544463712005-06-16T09:35:00.000-06:002005-06-16T09:37:53.550-06:00

We did it!! Ryan, Dean, and I went out to eat tonight to a great Chinese Food Buffet. Ryan had butterflies in his tummy before he left (and so did we), but he was smiling and enjoying himself the whole time!! Claire and Cindy, the Recreational Therapist and Nurse, were great. They told stories of the old days at Craig when nobody would come to the “outings” unless there was beer! We are glad

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1118810604020529392005-06-14T22:40:00.000-06:002005-06-14T22:43:24.026-06:00

Denver is gorgeous, after all the rain they have had everything is so beautiful and green. A new OT came in at 9:00 for Ryan’s class and she said that it would be good for Ryan to practice “driving” his wheelchair. She asked him if he would like to practice in the halls??!!! Ryan said, “I went outside yesterday” and she said, “Oh, you have been outside?? You have been in the elevators?? You

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1118756094648882872005-06-14T07:31:00.000-06:002005-06-14T07:51:27.166-06:00

The day started out a little earlier than usual, Ryan had a class at 10:00 a.m. this morning and tomorrow morning he has a class at 9:00 a.m.! I think they are just trying to get mom and dad up earlier! We try to be in his room between 8:30 and 9:00, so we can help him with his breakfast and visit before he goes off to all his scheduled activities!! Eighty-thirty or nine seems a little late to

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12726143.post-1118666727189933222005-06-13T06:41:00.000-06:002005-06-13T06:45:27.196-06:00

We have been here long enough; we are learning that the weekends at Craig slow way down. In fact, they come to a complete halt. Just when we get into the routine of things during the week, there is so much planned; classes, therapy, etc. etc., and then the weekend hits and we have to figure out what to do!!! Ryan is feeling a little better after the pneumonia; he wanted to get up and out for a

Scott Griffinnoreply@blogger.com