Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Face Plant - July 2017

This past summer I passed out when we were on BYU campus in Provo, Utah.  The temperature was in the hundreds, and we were hiking back and forth across campus (couldn't park anywhere near the dorms) moving Emily and Elisabeth into the dorms for a week of EFY.  I didn't have a hat on, I wasn't drinking water, and I was out of breath ( higher altitude and just plain out of shape from this bout with cancer).  When we were done moving the girls in, we hugged them goodbye, and then Leilani, Benjamin, Robert and I decided to go to the Bean Museum (Alan wasn't with us because he had to work).  We were parked in the Marriott Center parking lot, so I just decided we should climb the stairs to the museum, since things have changed a lot on campus and I wasn't sure we could drive there anymore.  We climbed the stairs, since the buildings all around were locked (it was the 24th of July - a holiday in Utah).  As we started walking towards the museum, Robert decided that he didn't want to go and ran back down the stairs.  Leilani went after him and Benjamin and I continued to the museum.  We were right  above the stairs down to the entrance of the museum when I started having trouble breathing, felt dizzy and light headed, and had black spots before my eyes.  I grabbed a cement planter and yelled for Benjamin (who was in front of me). 

I don't remember anything after that until I woke up face down on the hot pavement of the sidewalk, with Benjamin yelling for Leilani and some random people trying to help me up.  Apparently I fainted - Ben does a great impression of my fall.  He said he tried to catch me and stop me from falling, but he could only slow my fall down...which is a good thing, because I probably would have broken my nose otherwise.  The people who stopped to help were worried that my nose and head wouldn't stop bleeding.  I told them that the bleeding probably wouldn't stop for a while because I was on blood thinners for cancer.  So they gave me a pile of napkins, some ice, and some water.  They weren't sure if they should leave, but I told them that Leilani was there and we would be fine.  I think they assumed she could drive - I wish!  So they helped me down the stairs to a bench in the shade. (I am so glad I didn't fall down the stairs when I passed out!)  Turns out the museum was closed for the holiday too, so the whole trip up there was pointless, but it was an adventure! 

Leilani took control after that.  She called Aunt Doretta - who we were staying with - and told her what happened.  Aunt Doretta called her son, my cousin Tyler, and he agreed to drive her down to Provo so she could drive us and our van back to her house.  While we were waiting, Benjamin hiked back down to the car and brought back a backpack full of drinks and snacks.  Leilani made sure I stayed awake, and kept napkins and ice on my forehead.  I wanted her to take a picture of me so I could see what I looked like, but she refused and said I really didn't want to know what I looked like.  I wanted to take the bloody napkins off my head, but she correctly stopped me and pointed out that it could pull off any clotting material and make it start bleeding harder.  So we just kept putting new napkins over the old ones.  When Aunt Doretta got there (she had to come from SLC and Tyler came from Bountiful), she got the van and drove up to the museum so we could get in, and then she drove us to her house.  For the next week I didn't drive, put antibiotic cream and ice on my face, and rode in a wheelchair at the zoo.  My parents flew Alan to Utah so he could drive us all home when EFY was over.  When Emily and Elisabeth saw me, they were shocked, but I hadn't wanted to worry them, so we didn't tell them while they were at EFY.  It took about 2 1/2 months for my face and head to completely heal, and my head is still tender - even now in December - in a few places.  People kept asking me - jokingly for the most part - if my husband had hit me.  I'm just glad my family was there for me.  I think it traumatized my son Benjamin a little bit, though, because he promised me that I would never fall again on his watch, and he has made sure to put his arm around me and help me whenever he can. 

Here are some of the pictures to show the progression of my wounds:
 Right after it happened, on a bench by the museum.




The next morning.  My right eye was swollen shut.  I wanted a blessing, so Aunt Doretta drove us to Uncle Dick and Aunt Evelyn's house.  As soon as the blessing was over, my eye opened, and it didn't swell shut again.  I didn't go to the doctor, because Alan didn't think our insurance would cover it.  Thankfully I healed completely with no permanent damage!

 My daily headshots.



 
 
 When I got home, and went to my oncologist for an appointment, his mouth dropped open and he put his arms out and mouthed "what" as he walked down the hall with another patient.  He agreed that the fall probably had nothing to do with my cancer in the brain.


This was the last picture that I took as a record of my injured face.  It was in September.  Thankfully my face is completely healed now.  I was very blessed through the whole trauma, and I was humble enough that I didn't let it keep me hiding at home. Too much life to live, and who knows how much time to live it?  I think losing my hair twice in the past year and half has gotten rid of my vanity, so it is all good.  :)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Last Sunday was the Primary Program. This is Robert's part:
 
It was Benjamin's last Primary Program, because he turns 12 in January.  So, they had Ben and Robert sing a duet together.
 
 
Benjamin also gave a talk, but I did not get a video of it.  It was based on the scripture 1 Nephi 3:7, and  he talked about following the spirit and serving others.
 
 

Sunday, October 1, 2017

 
 
Benjamin is playing flag football for the first time this year.  Last Saturday was their first game - played at Autzen stadium.  He got the only touchdown, and he was pretty excited!

Friday, August 25, 2017

https://www.flickr.com/gp/96927049@N02/KQ900k

The kids performing Backstreet Boys and N'Sync mashup at the Walker reunion talent show.

Monday, August 7, 2017

8th Grade Promotion

Elisabeth graduated from Kelly Middle School this year.  Thankfully it was a little cooler for her promotion ceremony than it has been for some of the others we have attended.
 Elisabeth is the 3rd girl to wear this dress that Grandma Bevans made for Leilani's 8th grade graduation.  Emily didn't wear it for 8th grade graduation, but she did wear it to the Modest is Hottest dance (Mormon Prom).


 Elisabeth performed with the 7th/8th grade band.

 Elisabeth was one of 6 students who maintained a 4.0 all the years in middle school.



 Benjamin had to come straight from his baseball game to the graduation.

                                                                     Sisterly love!
                                                          Grandpa and Grandma Bevans
Elisabeth and her friend Avery
                                                    Elisabeth and her friend Alanna
 Elisabeth and one of her favorite teachers and track coaches, Mr. Miller
                                     Elisabeth with one of her favorite teachers, Ms. Young
                                                      The emperor shake from Mulan.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Easter 2017

We started the Easter weekend by doing our traditional egg dying at Grandma Bevans' house.
The girls tried all sorts of fancy techniques using paint brushes, duct tape, tissue paper, etc.
 
 The boys just used the colored dyes.
 Leilani was glad that Easter was late enough that she was out of school and home to join us.

 
After church on Easter Sunday, we had our traditional family pictures.
 

 
 


 
Then we did some Easter pictures.






Then my kids got crazy.  I don't know if it was a sugar high or lack of sleep or both, but they were hyped up.
 They bowled with Easter Eggs...
 and they bowled with Leilani.
They also played some version of football - who cares if they are in church clothes!

 When we went home, I wanted to get pictures with the kids and their Easter baskets.  But they didn't want traditional pictures - they wanted something "fun."  So, we got some interesting shots :)





The final outdoor shots were of my gymnast.  She just can't stop.




 
 
 Later we went over to Grandma's house for the Easter egg hunt and roll.


 Leilani didn't hunt eggs because she helped hide them.
 Emily helped McKinley find eggs.
 When we found all of the eggs, we did the egg roll.  I am in the blue shirt with the nice stripe down the top of my head.  Maybe someday I will have a head of hair again...



Robert learned really quick NOT to roll his egg, because he didn't want to smash it.  But he still had a good time.  We had a nice dinner afterwards, and enjoyed visiting the rest of the night.