Twenty plus years ago, Mike quit his job and went on the road. He settled for a time in Henderson, Nevada. After Henderson, he visited with Steven's family in California for a week and supposedly headed north to visit my sisters, but he never got there. For weeks, we did not hear from Mike. I remember having a dream that Mike came home. I wasn't sure what to make of the dream. Shortly after the dream, my brother came home to live with Mom again. He never set foot off the property again, which is why my mom told her home teacher that her oldest son would probably leave the house in a body bag. In all that time, we continued to pray for Mike that his spirit would heal.
Weekend of July 4, 2015
"Be still and know that I am God." These words from Psalm 46:10 kept coming to me during the 4th of July weekend last year. I was with my sisters on the Oregon coast. And I found the words invading my thoughts as July progressed. Why now? I was pretty much back on my feet after a health scare I had a few months earlier. Maybe it was because of my possible food allergies and being scheduled for another procedure in August. Or maybe it was because Laura and her husband brought up the declining health of my oldest brother. As we discussed Mike's current situation, we discussed his need to be removed from the house in Idaho. Laura could tell he wasn't doing well. Either it was her own observation or the regular calls she got from Jay who would often go to Idaho to buy Mike groceries.
But whatever the reason Psalm 46:10 kept popping into my thoughts, it was reminder to think positive, stay calm and have faith that all would be well as another storm approached.
August 9, 2015
I woke up my usual time and had my liquid breakfast. I told Jay that I would only go to Sacrament meeting since I was prepping for
procedures the next morning. As we were listening to Music and the Spoken Word, a call came from Mary that we needed to get to Idaho as soon as possible.
Apparently Jay got a scary text from Mike which sounded like he needed emergency care. John who lives nearby came and picked up Jay and they headed for Idaho. Their mission was to convince Mike to go to the hospital. After they left, I got out one of new coloring books. After looking thru the book "Mantra Mandalas Coloring Pages - Circles of Healing" by Delaina Miller and Kristin Hatch, I selected one that read "All is Well". Before l started coloring I texted Mike to ask him what his favorite colors were. I had decided to color in his honor as I sought comfort. I also thought of my pioneer ancestors who had crossed the plains with the Willie and Martin Handcart Parties. Pioneer Day had been celebrated a few weeks earlier, so the sacrifices that any pioneer had made to come to the Salt Lake Valley was still on my mind. My great grandfather Philpot froze to death somewhere in Wyoming and later his wife passed away also, leaving his daughters, Julie and Martha, my great grandmother, to come to the Salt Lake by themselves. Ann Grimshaw Jackson, another great grandmother had heart problems, so she and her would walk each day as her older children would push the handcarts. Her son, Joseph passed away shortly after arriving in Utah. As I colored I realized that despite the hardships my an ancestors suffered, all had turned well. I even remember twenty something years ago during Pioneer Weekend when the roof of my apartment building had collapsed and my brothers and I were evacuated. While we hunted for an apartment, my adopted family let us stay with them, even though their kitchen was being remodeled. Remembering these stories reminded me that my siblings and I were not alone and somehow things would be okay. All would be well.
Later that night my brothers came home safe and sound from their quick trip to Idaho. Mike had decided against going to the hospital, even after Suzie, a RN and LaRue, a CNA begged him to go. But my brothers had both mention that his heart had been soften. Mike admitted his health was failing and that he would need care soon.
August 30-31, 2015
Mike had called earlier to ask Jay to come up to Idaho to move a case of bottled water. Jay wasn't able to drive the almost 200 miles, so he asked LaRue to help out. She went to the house on a Sunday morning, knocked on the door, but Mike couldn't answer the door. He was too weak to get up and she couldn't get in because the door was locked and none of the neighbor's had a key. (Mike strictly forbade any neighbor from having the key because of his delusions.) LaRue called Jay or Mary just after 9am. Jay called the home teachers for a blessing and before I knew it he was heading to Idaho solo. I may have been teaching Primary that Sunday and with school starting at the university I didn't go. Jay arrived safely and got Mike off the floor and on to the cot in the living room. The case of bottled water was moved and both brothers slept in the house that night.
The next morning, the ambulance came because Mike got worse during the night. My brothers stayed at the hospital for a few hours. In the afternoon hours, all my siblings except for Mike had a emergency family council by the way of a conference call. The attorney brought us up to date. Our youngest brother, Jay had been appointed temporally as guardian for our oldest brother, Mike, who was being transported to St. Marks in Utah so he could be closer to family. From the attorney I learned that a high school classmate, RoZan was a nurse was riding with Mike in the ambulance. Another classmate of mine, Jay suggested that Mike listen to Gordon Lightfoot during the long drive. Knowing that two of my former high school classmate were at the hospital in Idaho at the time was a tender mercy for me.
After the conference call, I headed to St. Marks to meet Mike. Jay stayed in Idaho to tie up a few loose ends. I caught the bus and got off at the all too familiar hospital.(I've had a few procedures there.) I went to the ER to wait but was directed to go to the waiting room on the second level, near where I had surgery a few months earlier. I sat near the window where I could look over the hospital entrance, but I never saw the ambulance pull up. While I was waiting, I noticed that one of my neighbors was performing a surgery. It was another tender mercy to know that he was there. A man from the ER came up to tell me that Mike had arrived and when he was situated in his room, I would be able to visit him.Then I turned my attention toward the entrance of the Critical Care Unit. Not long after, I saw Mike on the stretcher as he was brought into the CCU. I was still waiting when John arrived a half hour later. We both walked to the CCU and before long we saw Mike. Before we left, my neighbor stopped to talk to me. I choked up when he asked about Mike; how does one explain a 20 plus years nightmare ending as a unexpected miracle.
After I got home from the hospital, my sister forwarded a text from LaRue. I was touched when I read ". . . Many miracles happened today. Your prayers were felt and answered in many ways. The doctor and the nurse did an amazing job; everything worked together like clockwork. . . The Lord worked trough many people today to make things happened. . . My prayers are with you all as many others here, it was an amazing day of miracles."
"Be still and know that I am God."
Psalm 46:10
After the conference call, I headed to St. Marks to meet Mike. Jay stayed in Idaho to tie up a few loose ends. I caught the bus and got off at the all too familiar hospital.(I've had a few procedures there.) I went to the ER to wait but was directed to go to the waiting room on the second level, near where I had surgery a few months earlier. I sat near the window where I could look over the hospital entrance, but I never saw the ambulance pull up. While I was waiting, I noticed that one of my neighbors was performing a surgery. It was another tender mercy to know that he was there. A man from the ER came up to tell me that Mike had arrived and when he was situated in his room, I would be able to visit him.Then I turned my attention toward the entrance of the Critical Care Unit. Not long after, I saw Mike on the stretcher as he was brought into the CCU. I was still waiting when John arrived a half hour later. We both walked to the CCU and before long we saw Mike. Before we left, my neighbor stopped to talk to me. I choked up when he asked about Mike; how does one explain a 20 plus years nightmare ending as a unexpected miracle. 
