27 Years

July 17, 2017 brought about two events.  One a celebration and the other a sadness mixed with blessings.  The first event was the celebration of our 27 years together.  What a journey this has been.  I'm blessed with good memories and struggles that have made me stronger and continue to show me the strengths I have.  Neal and I still love each other very much and continue to work together to be the best matriarch and patriarch of this family that is possible.  Neal was teaching a morning class and an evening class today so surprised me by coming back to Salt Lake between classes and taking me to lunch at - yes you guessed - Market Street Grill.  We do love that place and will continue to visit it often during the year and especially each year on our anniversary.

After lunch it was back to work for both of us.  After work I went to the gym and walked for an hour and then home to wait for Neal to get home from class.  It was about 10:30 and we were just settling in when my phone rang.  It was Maren and she was on her way to the IHC Hospital here on 5600 S and State Street.  She told me that Taylor had been in a serious accident and would Neal and I come quickly.  We immediately dressed and found ourselves waiting in the ER at 10:45 p.m.  A nurse came out looking for us and took us back in the emergency room where we would wait for the doctors to finish testing Taylor to find out what care she needed.  They finally sent us to the 5th floor waiting room.  About midnight the nurse came and escorted us to the room where they had Taylor.  It was hard to see her hooked up to all kinds of tubes and to have her so quiet and still.  The doctor came in and told us that she had broken her spine in two places and that she had a blood clot that ran the length of her spine.  At 3:00 a.m. they took her to surgery.  Greg anointed the blessing and Neal gave the blessing just before she was wheeled down the hall.  The surgeon said the surgery would be about 3 hours long.  So Neal and I went home to try and get a few hours of sleep.  We were back to the hospital at 8:00 and found out that Taylor had come through the surgery with flying colors.  Here is a picture of her spine with the two rods running along both sides of her spine. 

Taylor's story continued . . . .