An Apostle Visiting Sacrament Meeting!!

So as many of you know we are moving at the end of this month to my parents ward. My Dad is currently serving as Bishop in the ward. I decided last night I would go to Sacrament meeting to hear my Dad speak during his Ward Conference because it was soon to be my ward as well and plus he is my Dad! So as I was just about to get ready for the day my cell phone rings. My Mom was calling to invite me to church (I was going to surprise them that I was coming) and to get there early because Elder M. Russell Ballard was going to be there in Sacrament Meeting! I got ready in almost half the time it usually takes and came over to their building. I walked into the chapel and found just a few people getting ready to practice for ward choir. I saved "our row" (the 4th row in the middle) and waited for the rest of the family.

About 15 minutes before the meeting started our Stake President and my Dad come walking up the aisle toward the stand, inbetween them was a white haired man in a grey suit it was Elder Ballard! He does not look like what he does on T.V.! I always thought he was a stockey man on T.V. in person he is not. I know I would not have recognized him if I didn't know that he was coming today to Sacrament meeting.

Elder Ballard wasn't sent by the prophet to check things out in the ward, but for the blessing of his 27 great-grandbaby. As an apostle he sat on the stand and was presiding at the meeting. It was so neat to look up and see a member of The Quorum of the Twelve Apostle's on the stand!

The Conference went well. Dad did a great job speaking! He said one of his biggest fears was to speak infront of a General Authority, today he proved he could do it. At the end of the meeting Elder Ballard took a few minutes and spoke. (His voice however sounds the same!) He talked about a former Stake President and serving with him like back in the 50's. He also said he loved the concern that the Bishop had for the youth and such. It was really funny when he said... To the mothers with children on your laps, don't give up they will grow up eventually! He spoke about the children in the ward and the best place for them to be was in church even if they make a little disruption now and then. During the baby blessing the baby was crying almost the whole time! I think he was telling his granddaughter not to worry about it! I love his concern and love for the mothers in the church, he expressed this in General Conference too! His talk was my favorite by far during Conference.

At the end of the meeting my Dad introduced each member of our family to Elder Ballard. He had a very firm handshake and a sparkle in his eye! Today was such a neat day, I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet and hear from Elder Ballard today! I am so grateful for the gospel and the teachings of how to live my life. I love being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Dad's Injury and Surgery!

This is the weapon that was used in Dad's accident! You can see the blood on the board. FYI: Don't read this story if you can't stand to see blood!

While Dad was working on the house yesterday afternoon he had an accident with his table saw. Breanne was there (you can read more on this on her blog as well!) and was able to hurry and take him down to the clinic. My doctor that I work for had just left to go to the hospital so another doctor that was just starting his lunch break started taking care of him. When they walked in I looked at his hand and was shocked at how bad it was. Breanne was freaking out on the phone when she called me to say she was bringing him down - I soon saw why! I told them to go into the Procedure Room and I called down to Dr. Porter that this was a lot worse than I thought and wanted him to come up and look at it before I took him down to X-Ray. I have never seen Dad in so much pain! Dr. Porter was being very gentle looking to see what he needed to do. (Justin however got light headed and I had to get him lying down in an exam room before he hit the floor!) I asked Dr. Porter if I could get Dad something for the pain, he said yes. I left the room to go draw up his pain shot. One nurse asked if I was alright because I ran over to the lock box to get his Demerol. I said I was but my Dad was in here for a saw to hand injury. I tried to draw up the shot but was shaking so bad I couldn't! I passed it to the other nurse and she quickly drew it up for me. I got back to the room and Dr. Porter was just doing a numbing block to his ring finger and thumb so he could go to X-Ray. I gave him his pain shot and he went down to get X-Ray's.


Checking to see the damage to the tendon.

If you look close at the X-Ray in the middle you can see where his ring finger is turned to the side where it is dislocated. The best one is on my phone - sorry!


Final Diagnosis: Hamburgered Left Hand Requiring Surgery!
Pinkey finger lacerated and 4 stitches required. Middle finger lacerated and 6 stitches required. Thumb was cut through the bone and lacerated. Ring finger dislocated, cut tendon, fracture and you guessed it... lacerated! Dr. Porter was able to get his finger straighten out but had to put a stitch on the side because if his finger got bumped it would flop over. (Sounds nasty, but at the clinic this is the stuff we love the most!) The only finger on his left had that was not affected was his pointer finger. (These pictures don't even almost compare to what it really looked like and the best pictures are on my cell phone!) Dr. Porter did a great job, we really appreciate that he was there and willing to work through his lunch time to help Dad!
Dr. Porter working on repairing Dad's lacerations.

After Dr. Porter stitched his pinkey and middle finger we were waiting to see if he could get into the surgeon right then for surgery. His wounds had all been cleaned but you can see the thumb is pretty chewed up looking!

So after trying every Orthopedic Hand Surgeon from here to SLC he was not able to get an appointment for surgery until today at 3:00 with Dr. Sandersen. They called him in 2 hours earlier though. I sat with Mom at the hospital waiting for him to get out of surgery. (After a big fight between the surgeon and the anesthesiologist.) He had the whole 2 hour plus surgery with only local anesthesia! Whew! What a champ! He is the toughest man I know. When he came out of surgery Mom and I were there, he looked so good! He wanted to go home and get something to eat! During surgery they placed a few pins and a bone graft for the tip of his thumb - he had cut the tip off! (It is still in question if he will be able to use or feel the tip of his thumb.) For his ring finger they had to do a tendon repair and place 4 pins.

For those of you who know my Dad well know that he doesn't smile for pictures! Look at this one - right out of surgery and happy ready to get out of there!

The goofy grin in this picture is on purpose - he is not high on meds! Dad is showing off his "One size fits all" surgical underwear. He thought this was so funny - he and the surgeon were cracking jokes about it. It looks more like a Subway ad to me!


We are all so grateful that his surgery went well! Tomorrow I will be sitting with Dad while Mom goes to work. That is if I can keep him at home with his hand elevated! I made Dad some white choc. chip cookies tonight (one of his favorites) so maybe I can bribe him to be good!

Thank you for all your prayers and concern!