Thoughts on a Day: Another Crash!

August 30, 1991, Another Crash!

Utah valley Regional Medical Center. What? Back In the hospital? No not me. I am here with Jay.

Some one said, "When It rains it pours." Perhaps it was the Morton Salt Company. The one with the box with a little girl under an umbrella, a box of salt under her arm slowly leaking out the salt. Anyway, It has poured on us a bit. This has been our summer's fun. So we have the privilege of enjoying modern man's miracles the technology of medicine once again. How about a totally blocked right aorta and an 80 to 90 percent blockage in the others. He never had pain, just a smothering step on his chest like an elephant footprint. We debate as to what to do. Balloon surgery or by pass surgery. It was most difficult to cage a very free roaming animal and expect him to lie still and be told what he should do. As he laid there still free but trying to obey doctor's orders. He fought fences closing around. Not to become an invalid, not to become vegetated, No, he fought and his first impulse won. Submit to the balloon, delay the other as long as possible.

Often we must reach out in faith, holding only to it. And so faith won out. Dr. Asey was uncertain he could balloon past a thoroughly closed artery—but he did—with all our faith and prayers being answered. And the caged animal will now be free, under supervision of course!

He was in good shape before, but will most likely be in much better shape now.

Wow! I hope I can run fast enough to keep up with him.

-EHG

Thoughts on a Day: Creation

9:00 am. August 13, 1991, Creation

How small you are little creation of God. I watch the bigger robin flit from tree to tree eating seeds and bugs. I see the starling rackously chattering searching the ground for dropped fruit. I see the large sharp billed 'pecker’ waiting for a chance to drill on deliciously infested wood.

Overhead goes a black winged flock. Yet comes another white winged platoon of seagulls returning from their night's lodging. Most likely they are going to a great foraging day spent picking up washed out bugs and insects from the farmer's newly irrigated field.

And yet, my attention comes quickly back to the tiny wing fluttering creature by my window. He holds himself as still as possible, spinning as hard as he can to remain in the air. He is so tiny. I would love to reach out and touch him or hold him in my hand to further inspect his tiny bird body and beak. But no, he just lingers long enough for me to see he truly belongs to the bird family.

I know, it is to thank me for placing the humming bird feeder where he and his friends can enjoy a sweet sip of nectar.

Now I see three coming to share the sweetness. At moments they are not sweet to each other. Perhaps it is the first bird claiming the feeder is his alone. They are such small birds yet they speak with loud voices. The intruders hum off and one eats his fill. He leaves and the others return. Hunger will not allow them to remain away for very long.

A creation to study, observe and enjoy--a tiny humming bird.

-EHG

Thoughts on a Day: Sunday, a Day of Rest, a Day of Fasting

Sunday, July 31, 1990

Sunday is the day of rest and rejuvenation for the spirit. I used to think that ‘fast’ Sunday was not fast at all. How could it be a ‘rest’ day when we hurried to meetings and home to hurry through dinner so we could hurry to another meeting?

Dad was gone from early morn til night. There was no time for rest. I hear my mother’s voice saying, “There is no rest for the wicked and the righteous do not need any.” I never figured out if we were wicked or righteous because I tried to do good but I felt I could use some rest.

I did know that the realization, that the fast Sunday did not mean the day would go speedily by, came to me through years of maturing and experiencing beautiful spiritual feasts.

At an early age I began to understand the feelings which permeate my soul. I feel a great uplift to my spirit. I realize that by participating in fasting and prayer I am fed. ‘Fast’ is to hold me ‘fast’ to the gospel.

-EHG

Thoughts on a Day: Daughters

July 31, 1991, Daughters

I am blessed with five daughters. What a joy to one who knew only the male gender while growing up. Yes, the gracious Lord allowed me motherhood of three. From their first baby cry to their wedding day I hope my influence has helped them some. As I watch them be loving wives and mothers I can see some inplaced qualities they mirror of me. Yes, they are my daughters.

I have two stalwart sons. And what have they given me? More than joy as the way they live. More than joy as they serve their God. More than joy as they provide for their families. More than joy as they are efficient loving fathers. More than joy at their potential to become.

The greatest joy they have given me are two more   daughters, not by birth but by marriage. They are choice special loving girls. They are not mine just by in-law rules. They are as my own flesh and blood daughters lovely, loving, sincere, spiritual, motherly, intelligent, creative and ambitious. Oh words can go on forever to list their qualities. 

All my daughters, five of them, rate very high on the scale of my neighbors, friends, and world standards. But most of all they are highest on my standard and I know they are much higher on the standard of God.

Bless them always Ja Layne, Kami, Marne', Dianne and Annette. And especially bless their daughters to have great qualities richly inherited.

-EHG

P.S. And special thanks and blessings on Haymonds and Blakes.

Quotes on a Day

“Take a look at yourself who you are and what is really important." 

-Phil Riesen after a bout with cancer.

Thoughts on a Day: Double Crash!!

July 16, 1991, Double Crash!!

Tuesday morn. Yea, the G. Jay Garlick family reunion. We had a great barbecue. I felt great! It is July 3rd. Hironaka's had the driveway of fire and we loved it. Henry had lots of fireworks and we all ooohd and aahed at them. Kami, Alan and family go on the 6th after here almost a month. She had come to nurse me better. Loved having them here!! Hope we all had a great time. The love of family is so great!

Eleventh to fifteenth. Not coughing and feel better. Monday, took Marne', Maria,and Ruth to Salt Lake. I felt great. We visited the Lion House, Temple Square etc.

Best laid plans can go awry. It is a beautiful Tuesday morning. No warning, headed for a crash again. My blood is royal blue but it comes out bright red. Thanks to Dr. Haymond I get to a specialist sooner than I would have. It looks serious.

Bronchioscopy not good, too much bleeding. I am in Intensive care, lots of good nurses. How blest they should be for the service they give. Oh yes they get a wage but I think there are a lot of things which money can't buy. A smile, a tender touch, a soft sweet voice, patience and more. Eight brilliant doctors giving many more hours of time than most men's eight hour shift. They have stress, questions, trauma, smiles, tears, life and death.

Doctors Haymond, Lewis, Hill, Bishop, Fullmer, Acey, Smith and Badger analysing my heart plus lungs and a problem. The lung cleared for another test. All specimans returned benign. Fear of cancer gone—bleeding stopped.

I had been on the line. I didn't realize that. Red flag warnings were up. As I reflect back I knew how I felt. I didn't realize how serious it was. Dr. Lewis said, "You are between a rock and a hard place." Cumodin gone and you have a real stroke cumodin in and you have a bleeding lung to bleed to death. Surgery is standing by, thus the red flag.

What a way to spend a summer. Great motels but no swimming pool. Breakfast in bed, in fact lunch and dinner too.

Prayers of family, prayers of friends, prayers from the ward, my prayers. Yes, to heaven, if God will spare me and give me strength to breath to have many more years. I feel a great call to influence those lovely grandchildren. Yes, I am selfish. I have often felt a great loss that my mother could not love and cuddle her grandchildren. I feel I should make that up for her loss. Can I do for others? Can I be a good influence? Can I be who I should be? Can I do as I should? Have I been as I should be? Now this calls for pondering. Yes, I know I am a daughter of God. Yes, I think I have used my blessings well. I could develop my talents better. Yes, I am a good teacher, but can always improve. I love being a wife of a partner who treats me as a Queen. He challenges me to grow and better be. He is on day seven, I struggle at day three. But he encourages and waits for me, and we look together at eternity.

David, Annette, and Jessica Ann have moved in to help me get back on track. I must keep myself under control and not create another "Twilight Zone." That is how it feels—this can't be real, but it is.

-EHG