My Parachute

I have been wanting to write this "topic" all week after someone from our stake presidency came and spoke in our ward..but I have not had enough time to sit down and ponder and type about it...So the story begins:

Captain Peterson was an outstanding pilot with many courageous medals during theWW2 but his story goes way back to the time he was flying over the Philippines and his plane was shot down.  Like most he ejected from his plane and landed in the enemy's territory and was taken as prisoner of war.  He was able to survive this horrible time of his life due to his positive attitude.  After many years of being a prisoner of war he finally comes home and many many years go by.  

One evening he goes out with his wife and at this restaurant a man younger then himself keeps staring at him and Captain Peterson does not know why.  After long glances and many stares the stranger walks up to him and asks: "Are you Captain Peterson?"


He reply's "I am, and you are?"


"My name is James, I packed your parachute for you the day you were shot down in the Philippines."


Captain Peterson: "James I thank you for packing my parachute that day that I was able to land on solid ground safely and able to learn the lessons that I did.  I will forever be indebted to you for the opportunities that were given to me to be able to teach myself and many others"


So the ? is for you today who packed your parachute?

I would say that my packing started young, by my parents.  They taught me many things in this life that I am very grateful for.  My Dad's never ending strength do what is needed for his family.  My Moms undenying love for each of her kids(and my own now), and her knowledge to know that it will work out.  She has been out of town this week and I realized that I honestly miss out "catch up chats" while the boys are still running around from all the days activities when she watches them 2 days a week.  Not only has her getting to know my boys personally by watching them so much for me, but it has taught me so much about how to be a better Mom.

My packing continued as I got older, I was merged into a family that has felt like my own.  I was very fortunate to marry into a family that not only accepted me as one of  them but has supported and loved me since day 1.  Joe and Marjean have been through alot with Cody, he was the typical teenager that didn't like to listen to his parents.  But they just loved him more, even after all the middle of the night calls.  But now I get to have the opportunity to make all those middle of the night calls!  But I know that when I do wake them, they are there.  Does not matter what time it is they follow me to the Hospital to help take care of Cody.  But this latest blow has got us all.  When Cody's and my parachute opened they were there to help catch us when we fell.  This news was a big blow to us as it would be for many.  They continue to be the strong ones that give us the parently advice, when I know it is breaking them apart inside.  They have been to every appointment with us and have stepped in where we have needed the most help.  They have consoled all the many emotional breakdowns of mine through this jump.  I will be forever grateful for their packing they have taught us.

Last but not least would be all my sisters 8 in all.  Not once have they complained about taking the boys, cooking dinner for us and crying with us too.  It is always what can I do for you? Are you okay? Do you need anything?  Honestly cant ask for anything more.  I know when the time comes that I need them most they are there and with smiles on their faces and so excited to help.  Their only wish is to make this hard time easier, even though they are struggling with it too and want to curl up in that dark room some times too just like me and cry. 

I am grateful for the chance that I have to be a member of the church and feel like I have a better understanding of what and why we have to have these hard times.  And in those hard times have a way to understand it more. 

Who packed your parachute?

WHEW!!!

Well it has finally sunken in of what the future holds.  We went down to IMC to "Meet the Transplant Team" and they are some of the most amazing people that you will meet.  You know they really care about what they do when they can get emotional over talking about their jobs.  I really honestly didn't know what to think when I was done with our long day of information.  I was really really overwhelmed that I could hardly handle it and I am not even the one having the transplant!  We got to meet George who had a liver transplant about 10 years ago that had PSC just like Cody and also has Crohns which is close to Cody also.  He was quite the spitfire of a guy.  He had ALOT of words of encouragement to know that we were going to make it and once it was done only had one thing to say "Life is GOOD if you make it GOOD"

Cody was the youngest person there, which did not surprise us.  One of the surgeons has asked if he could drive Cody's truck for a few weeks :) (Cody drove a large Dump truck and trailer for the last 3 years) He had a funny personality that helped us feel calm about what they do.  He explained to us the actual surgery that is done for transplants, and what surprised me was that when a Liver comes available one of the surgeons fly/drive to where it is then removes the organ then keeps it with them on the way back to the hospital and then they all tag team it and reattach everything.  We wondered how the organ does get to us and Cody's thought was Fedex..yea I heard if it says fragile they drop it more.  So I am glad our surgeons are the only ones with it! 

I am grateful for a job that I have that gives us the insurance to help with all of this.  Cause honestly how could you do any of this with out?  I feel bad for those that do not have it.  The whole "financial" meeting of our day was the biggest shock to me next to the detail of what "signs and symptoms" I should be looking for.  Now our next steps in this is getting a Dental clearance and then we can get the final testing done and officially be on the list, and wait!  But we have much to do in this time to hopefully keep us busy and pass the time away to when we will receive the phone call we have been waiting for.  And from then on will be our "New Life Birthday" one that we will always be grateful for. 

MEET THE LITTLE ANIMALS :)

So had to get the little animals on the Blog finally...They are honestly the cutest little boys you will ever meet!! YES I am a very bias mother..but ask their grandmas they will tell you...:)

Love them so much!!!Love their honest to goodness love that they have for their parents that at times seem really really crazy!! A Mom that seems to be always crying and going a mile a minute and a Dad that looks like he belongs to the Simpson's(hehe sorry hunny gotta love it!!) again... A Dad that no matter what will do what ever he can for them no matter how exhausted he is.......gotta Love em' and yes you all will tell me to give them a little mush for ya...Don't worry I do millions a day!!

Start of the new Anderson Blog!

Well with Cody's recent diagnosing of needing a Liver transplant it has finally made me feel like we need a BLOG! So friends and family far away can still connect with what is going on and know how we are doing.  I believed that we can use this as a journal also as we go through these tough times that are up ahead.  Some have told me that our postings will not only help others in their trials but will help us express what we can't say, and for others to know how to help us(since we are not good askers of help.) 

The story begins not all but 9 years ago when Cody and I met... Love at first sight for us both and so excited to married together forever.  Through what we thought were tough times were really nothing we decided to start a family.  Hutton was born on March 11, 2006 and was so much fun for us both.  Soon after Cody began to fall ill after months of struggles with his health he was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis.  It forced Cody to quit his job  We luckily had sold our home just prior to quitting his Job and were blessed to live my grandmother for 3 years.  In this 3 years Hutton got cuter and cuter and more and more boy everyday.  Cody begun to get sicker and sicker through many hospital stays and doctors visits of "Try this drug" "Try that drug" we tried em all and nothing worked till in 2007 we found a diet that allowed him to start feeling normal.  But with this diet was no real excitement for Cody he wanted to BE normal.  We then began reviewing our other options which meant surgery.  We found a surgeon that we felt could do what is needed and had the knowledge to help Cody get better.

January 2008 we went to the hospital for what we knew was going to change our lives forever!  We knew it was the only way to get better.  Yes granted in the 4 months he had multiple surgeries to help him get better.   But we look back now and know it was the right choice.  I will never forget the nights we spent there wondering why were we the ones that had to go through all this? Little did we know that it was preparing us for what was to come. And what we have to share with others

After some recovery Cody started feeling better and went back to work.  On February 19th, 2009 one more cute little boy: Huston.  Both boys were the joy of our lives. We built us a beautiful home and "Started A New Life" we moved somewhere that not many new about our past and created a "Normal" life.  We loved our new ward it always felt like it was home of close friends and family.

December 2010 Cody got a GI bleed that caused him to be admitted to the Hospital for 5 days.  Day 1 he was great they got the bleeding under control we found the ulcer that was causing the bleeding, he did have to get a few units of blood but he was feeling better till that night....During the night (4 AM)I got a phone call saying: "Cody has been taken to the ICU the bleeding has gotten out of control he is going into surgery to see if we can stop the bleeding."  I frantically get to the hospital and wait patiently(well not really) with Cody's parents for about 5 hours waiting for a reply on how Cody is doing.  Once he is done they could not stop the bleeding completely but slowed it down enough.  Our next set of news is not so good.  We needed to have a procedure done that could help his liver cause it was an underlying issue that we believe the reason the ulcer came was to get us to the Doctor to take care of his liver.  He was diagnosed with: Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or commonly known as PSC (English terms pretty much the liver bile ducts are block and the liver starts not being able to release the bile like it should be and causes Jaundice- Yes Cody does look like he belong on The Simpson's :).  At the time we took it not really understanding what it all entailed.  We set up our follow up next and there we were told by his doctor if he wants to see his 40th B-day he needs to take care of himself-- Liver first.

Next we scheduled the ERCP to have his liver "cleaned" or to help buy us some time before a liver transplant.  Me and Cody's parents sat confidently in the waiting room for the procedure to complete and Dr. Sandhu came out telling us he could not do a thing...anything he tried did not work.  The only option we had was a liver transplant.  He left us and we were all in shock!  We never expected to hear this news so early, we knew it would lead to this but not now, not then.  We picked ourselves up off the floor to go see Cody and tell him the news.  Then he was in a fog from all the sedation he only really remembers waking up at home.  I had to keep repeating myself about what had happened that night on the drive home which was a rough one since the specialist was in Salt Lake.  

But just like the past we didn't rest too long! Cody was in alot of stomach pain and we ended up at the ER at 1 AM just as we suspected Pancreatitis.  But luckily we live in the times that pain meds work really well and he was finally sleeping with in an hour of seeing the Doctor.  We got admitted and continued to wonder and ask about what the future held. 

After Knowing for the last few days about what this road is going to be like we can only sum it up like this:  We feel blessed to have friends and family that care so much about us that they were just as shocked as we were, and can not stop asking what they can do.  We are very blessed to have received the confirmation that this is the road that was paved for us a long time ago.  We think that if the ERCP would have worked Cody may have not been able to get a liver in 30 years really!...HE is young, HE has alot to live for, and honestly HE has 2 cute little boys that he HAS TO raise cause I DO NOT want to do it alone. 

I hope through this blog Cody and I can inspire, confide and express our true feelings to all our friends and family that are so close to us.