Monday, January 10, 2011

Visiting

It was a relief to see my dad in better spirits. I have never seen my father as emotional as he has been the last several days. His voice is hoarse, he's wept a lot, he has been exhausted and anxious. But today he was hopeful. And more relaxed. He even thought he might come home for a couple of hours later today (he didn't. She had a rough evening, apparently).

She saw family members one by one. She started with Brittany's husband Heber (who she hadn't spoken to at all yet), then Karlee, then me, Grandma (her mom), Jay, Elliot, and Lilian (Elliot's wife, featured in the video link in my previous post). She even saw Wes. She calls him Hal. Not because she's crazy. It's because she thinks he looks like Harold in Harold and the Purple Crayon. It must be his perfect bald head.

She smiled. That is a big deal. Many of you have mentioned her signature laugh. She can't use it right now. As I mentioned earlier, she has to be cautious. When she speaks, she is careful to emote very little. This has been hard to adjust to since she is by nature very animated. But as Dad explained to us on Sunday (before we were able to see her): "She can't tolerate it. She feels love too deeply. Seriously. She sees you guys and her mind registers deep love, and her heart skips beats." We saw evidence of this when she played with Weston, even insisted on holding him, and experienced a few PVC's (irregular heart beats) which corrected without defibrillation.

Her method of communication has improved drastically since Sunday, but it isn't typical Betsy (not that I should be expecting typical Betsy right now). She is very direct. She says what she wants to say. She knows that if she talks too long, it will exhuast her. She knows if she emotes too much, the defibrillator will shock her. So she says what she needs to say as calmly and directly as possible.

I told her that her name was being offered in prayers all over the country. I told her I had heard that she was prayed for in a Relief Society meeting in our old home town of Gig Harbor, Washington. She said, "I don't deserve it." Maybe that part is typical Betsy.

4 comments:

  1. Karl and Betsy-
    Inspiring updates...hang in there. You two are pretty important to lots of friends and family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Karlan Hoggan and family

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  2. Sounds better; we're so glad your dad is more hopeful, because that gives more hope to all. And about love, that's the great thing about it; it has nothing to do with what we deserve or don't (although, she does of course!). Keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers.

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  3. I think it's very sweet and very Betsy that even the thought of seeing her family excites her heart too much. There is an army of people thinking about her and praying for her. No one deserves it more.
    -Sharalyn Edmunds

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  4. From Klayton Holt (Betsy's cousin):
    Ya know I don't have any problems texting and I think your sis needs to think of better ways of getting the families or cousins out of the wood work.Would ya pass the word on to her that I am thinking of her and love her and you all. And that she does not have that much to be stressed about life is to important to let stress get ya down I know I always let it get so I always have to forgive those and myself every day. Here I am rambling on. Sorry. I have a tendance to be able to talk better this way. I love you guys and thank you for being the way that ya are.
    Klayton Holt

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