Day at the Primary Children's Hospital

Last Thursday started out crazy...in Salt Lake they had freezing rain and in Logan it was snowing.  We made it safely through the canyon and made it to our first appointment which were hearing tests... Ricki had felt like she still had some hearing in her right ear and we were hopeful.   It was an emotional appointment.  We had someone new giving Ricki the tests and the instructions were confusing which added to her frustration. Part way through the test the gal giving Ricki the test stopped to give her a break. We cried together in the hearing booth.  She came back and Ricki finished as quickly as she could. The results were not what we had hoped for... With that finished we took all the items we had brought for the dinner we were providing up to the Ronald McDonald Family Room there at Primary Children's Hospital. We got everything set up for the dinner that night.   It was nice to get our minds off of things.  While there Ricki was able to give one of her poodles to a little girl in a wheel chair.  She was thrilled with her new friend and it brought a smile to Ricki's face.  Besides giving some stuffed animals to the Ronald McDonald house she also donated some  stuffed animals specifically to the neuro trauma unit. Next we were off to Ricki's ear surgeon..another hard appointment. There was just not a lot to be said.Next we finished off her day with the neurologist.  We learned in order to get her drivers permit she has to be on medication and be seizure free for 3 months.   The one thing about being at Primary Children's hospital is the sweet spirit that is there and we come away grateful for the wonderful care Ricki receives. 

Ricki's Friends

The past few surgeries Ricki has been so blessed to be given some special friends that have given her comfort and companionship during her stay at the hospital.  As we have discussed what she would like to do this Christmas she has liked the idea of giving back to others who may need a friend during their hospital stay.  Thursday we will be going to Salt Lake for Hearing Tests and doctors appointments. Since we are going to be down there Ricki will be taking some new friends that we got for her to share with others during our time at primary Children's.  It should make it a fun day.

Miracles

As I was reading my scriptures before I went to bed I read where the Savior is speaking to the multitude and says"Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them." This scripture had new meaning as I reflected on our experiences this past 6 months.  I was reminded that we had been blessed to witness multiple miracles in our life recently.  I am so grateful for the miracles that have transpired in Ricki's life.  The miracles began in May when there were several times that her life lay in danger and she was spared,  The next miracle is that her voice had become so soft because of her vocal chord paralysis that it was difficult to hear her.  Now I hear her talk and laugh without any effort to be heard. The most recent  miracle was recently when she had 3 tumors removed. One tumor removal will potentially give her the gift of hearing down the road.  The other tumors that were removed were nearer to her brainstem and  gave her the gift of life and the peace of knowing she will not have to worry about them causing her more problems in the future.  I also came to another realization of another miracle Saturday night.  Ricki and I had matching pajamas and were having fun being silly taking pictures in our matching p.j.s.  We were laughing and having a good time and as we were scrolling through the pictures we started scrolling back further and looking at some previous pictures I had taken.  Just 2 weeks earlier I had taken a picture of her in the hospital the day after surgery..WOW!  There was such a difference between the two pictures!  As we looked at the pictures we realized we were witnessing another beautiful miracle! She has had an amazing road to recovery...Looking at the pictures we had just taken you can hardly comprehend where she was just two weeks previously!  I am so grateful for the miracles that are happening in our lives today! Some are big and some are small but all are sweet tender mercies.  In that same chapter the Savior says "Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you."  I know that he has had compassion on Ricki and our family and we have had the opportunity to witness miracles in  our lives today. We are so grateful and humbled by his love and tender mercies. 

Road to Recovery

It has been a week of ups and downs.  One day Ricki has a fabulous day, then the next she is exhausted. It has been a full week of getting schoolwork finished up by the end of the tri-mester.  She has been so blessed to have some sweet friends that have come to her aide to help her get caught up in school.  

This recovery has been easier in some aspects and more challenging than others. She is learning to cope with the constant pains in her stomach, shoulder and back. We are still unsure of their cause.. Insomnia and fatigue have also become a challenge that she has not had to deal with before.  ( which aapparently is not uncommon with patients with brain tumors.)

Overall Ricki continues to make improvements every day and tries to keep a sweet attitude of determination to keep going and finding joy in life!  We are so proud of her! 

Amazing Recovery!

Can I just say how so very grateful I am today?  Ricki has gone beyond my expectations and hope for a quick recovery. She has such a sweet hope for her future it truly inspires me. Today she really wanted to attend seminary. She loves her teacher and the way he teaches the gospel. Rick and I sat in the car for awhile and she didn't come out.  She stayed for they whole 40 minute class.  She was so excited when she came out!  The first thing she said was" I didn't cry!"  The first outing after her brain surgery in May had been pretty overwhelming and she had a meltdown...As parents it is like we are watching a butterfly come out of her cocoon.. As I listened to her experience of her first classroom setting after this surgery I was humbled...she handled the questions of others with kindness and was not fearful and she smiled as she explained to us that when students spoke on her right side she couldn't hear but it was o.k.  

I have to acknowledge the many prayers in her behalf and know that she has been blessed with the strength to endure and rise above these challenges.  It was less than a week ago that I knelt at the side of her bed and wept with her because she wanted the nf2 to just go away.. There have been many little miracles along this journey that life has taken but one of the sweetest has been to see Ricki blossom into a beautiful young girl with an inner strength and peace that radiates through her  warm and loving smile!  Thank you for your faith and prayers.

Home sweet home!

Ricki was doing much better today and we got to go home!  Just as we were getting ready Molly stopped by.  That always brings a smile to her face!  The other thing that brought a smile to her face was getting in the car and heading home!  

 

Two steps forward and one step back

This morning started out great with hopes of coming home early- possibly today.  Ricki was amazing! She walked up and down the hall and climbed up  and down 12 stairs. But then she had breakfast... she began having stomach pains and nausea.. It  was the beginning of a long afternoon.  Thanks to a wonderful and attentive nurse Ricki is resting tonight and doing better.  So we are hoping to go home tomorrow!  

Dad,s update on Ricki

Ricki's update. She is pretty miserable today because the balance nerve took some damage in the surgery and it makes her dizzy and disoriented (nauseated) when she walks and today is the beginning of making those adjustments. Tomorrow may be more challenging because her surgeon wants her up every hour. I hope she'll be brave. The more she gets up the sooner she will adjust. Tough kid. The doctors say it is pretty normal and that the other side will compensate within a few weeks. Right now she is not happy with how it makes her feel. Thanks for your faith and prayers. We have felt the power and peace from all of you.

Resting

Ricki has been resting this afternoon between her walks.  She has enjoyed her stuffed animals that have been her companions the last few days.. They don't make her do anything that she doesn't want to do :0). Unlike mom, dad, doctors and nurses! 

Out of ICU

Ricki was moved from the ICU to the NTU.  She has been in a little more pain today.  It breaks my heart as a mother to see her crying in pain.  She told me today she didn't want to do this any more.. It is at times like this that I wish they were closer to coming up with a cure for Neurofibromitosis.  I know that there are many children and adults that face the challenges of NF. 

She has been up a couple of times now for short walks and doing well with them.  

She is improving a little at a time. We feel strength from all the prayers in behalf of Ricki. We are humbled by the outpouring of love and kindness.

Halloween 2013

Since Ricki's diagnosis of NF2 in May there have been some long nights that seemed to never end and then there have been some that come to an end too quickly. Halloween morning 2013 seemed to come way too quickly. We were to be at the hospital at 6:00 a.m.  We had stayed the night at the Ronald McDonald House so we didn't have much of a drive to get there.  Upon arriving at the hospital we were one of the first ones there.  In no time we were checked in and the nurses had Ricki ready and then we waited.... Dr. Bollo then Dr. Shelton came and visited with us. When Ricki's nurse for surgery came we were all relieved to see it was the same nurse she has had for the last  two surgeries that came around 7:30 ....   iIt didn't make the goodbyes any easier knowing that even after a successful surgery Rickis life would be a little different than before. The next time we heard from the nurse was around 9:30. They had started the surgery. We had an update around  noon letting us know they were working slowly and meticulously.... Upon completion of the surgery We missed seeing Dr. Shelton because we had slipped down for lunch but were able to get the Good News from the surgery from Dr. Bollo around 2:30.  They had removed the tumor in her canal but had seen some signs of other very small tumors. After exploring further they found 2 more small tumors.  What a miracle it is to have such amazing doctors and the technology that allows them to work on such a small and intricate part of our body.  Her facial nerves responded through the whole surgery. They also monitored her hearing.   The response was strong at first but weakened as the surgery progressed.  We will have to wait to see the results of her hearing.  Ricki has been strong as she has been faced with pain, dizziness, and nausea.  She has been determined to not use morphine and the nurses have been awesome in helping her to control her pain without it.  She has been sleeping through the night.  For me it has been one of those nights that didn't seem to end.  We have a sweet baby next to us that has had a rough night.  It has brought back memories of the first night we spent here at Primary children's when Ricki was life flighted here. That night was also a long night of not knowing what the outcome of things would be for our sweet daughter.  That night we were also next to a sweet baby that was having a rough night.  As I pondered on where we were that night and where we are with Ricki tonight, it has filled my heart with gratitude for the many miracles and tender mercies I have seen and experienced over the past 6 months.  Though it has not been easy at times we have been blessed with a peace and assurance that we have a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan for each of us,  There are things we each individually need to learn and grow from  so that we may return and live with our Heavenly Father someday. I am reminded of a primary song the children at church sing.  

My life is a gift.  My life has a plan.  My life has a purpose in heaven it began. My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth and seek for God's light to direct me from birth.  I will follow God's plan for me. Holding fast to his word and his love. I will work, and I will pray, I will always walk in his way, then I will be happy on earth, and in my home above.

Although it has been a long night it has been a sweet night.  I am grateful for this time to ponder on the blessings of life.   What a fitting way to begin November with so much to be grateful for!

Ricki's Heroes

Yesterday we went to Primary Children's hospital for some pre-op stuff. Then, to finish off the day we spent the evening at temple square. Ricki had her picture taken with some of her heroes. She is my hero!  I learn so much from her sweet smile and sense of humor as she faces her challenges. 

The Magic of Disneyland

Disneyland was the best medicine! It was truly magical!  It was so wonderful seeing Ricki laughing and screaming in delight as she went on the rides.  What a blessing that we were able to get away from it all for a few days and leave our cares behind.  It was a magical experience.  Ricki's health hadn't been great and we were beginning to wonder if we should even go. In addition to her stomach,back, head and chest pains that she had been having for awhile she had began to have severe stabbing pains in her leg.  Ricki handles it all with such patience, grace and determination I am amazed at her inner strength.  She insisted that she was going to be o.k. at Disneyland, and she was.  We put her in a wheelchair and she did pretty good.  I could tell several different times that she was not doing well but she would insist she was o.k... And she hung in there and made it two days at Disneyland!

Angels among us.

 "

We have been so very blessed. It seems wherever we are, Ricki is blessed and touched by the love and kindness of many. A few weeks ago we were blessed and inspired by a visit to her grandma Jensen.  What an example of faith and perseverance she is.  She can't see yet she still lives alone at her home. You never hear her complain...she just talks about all the blessings in her life.  We are also blessed wherever we go. Frequently at the store we get talking to someone and they tell us they are praying for Ricki. We have felt an outpouring of love and concern. Recently, when we went to California we were again blessed. Family of friends went out of their way to ensure that Ricki had a wonderful time at Disneyland.  We had tours of some of Disneyland. We were given help getting fast passes to some of the rides.  One Angel didn't even know us. We went on our first ride and the cast member in charge was Sooo good to Ricki!  He treated her like a princess.  The second day at lunch Ricki requested we try to ride 3 specific rides to finish off the day.  On our way to the second one we determined we didn't have time for the third.  When we arrived at space mountain ..there was our favorite cast member! It was the same person who started off our Disney adventure with a bang! We were all excited to see him.  When we were getting off the ride there he was again!  We soon discovered he had had come looking for us. He had a front of the line pass!  Ricki was going to make it on all her rides!  Some may call iit luck..but to us he was an angel! 

Halloween at Primary Children's Hospital

Well...to those who were wondering when my next surgery is, it is officially scheduled for Halloween. So they are cutting open my head again...but at least it's not from ear to ear this time. 

Taking a Break

We have enjoyed having a break from the doctors and hospitals..Ricki is enjoying being back in school.   She is an inspiration to us all with her smile and quiet determination. 

We got permission from her doctors to postpone her next surgery. We want to take a trip over fall break.  Ricki has never been to Disneyland and wants to go there. She had a few small seizures this past weekend so we are trying to figure out which Disney attractions will work the best for her. 

We continue to love her sweet countenance and are inspired with her determination to have a positive attitude and cheerful countenance. Thanks you for all the prayers in her behalf. There are definitely days When the blessings are easy to see. 

A first since May 2013

Yesterday we took Ricki to Salt Lake for a follow-up from her surgery. Dr.Smith is so sweet and kind to Ricki...not many doctors come and meet you in the waiting room and walk you back themselves! He said her throat was looking and sounding good. Ricki was thrilled because she didn't have to have the camera through her nose.  The best thing is something we haven't heard from a doctor since we started this adventure...."we will see you in 6 months" 

Update from mom

We apologize for not posting for awhile. Ricki has just needed a break from it all. So here is a quick update of what has been going on...We took a much needed vacation to California and saw parts of California we had never seen before that were absolutely beautiful. 

August 16th she had another surgery on her vocal chord to connect the left vocal chord to a new nerve to get it working again.  The surgery was successful and she bounced back quickly.

August 20th she turned 15! 

August 22nd she started school. We are so proud of her! Even though it is very tiring she keeps going.

August 24th we checked out the NF walk in Salt Lake. We had a lot of fun and will be inviting everyone to join us next year! 

Two weeks ago Ricki began having some severe stomach and back pains and then last week she began having ear aches. We have been to the ER and Insta-Care with no solutions for her pain. She is such a trooper through it all.

We are currently waiting on our ENT surgeon and neurosurgeon on when Ricki's next surgery will be.  

Thank you for all of your prayers in Ricki's behalf.  I have seen your prayers answered at different times when I have seen a peace and a calm come over her, when the doctors or nurses are inspired to know what Ricki needs, when someone calls and visits and brightens her day, and especially when she has the energy to keep going. As a mother it is difficult not being able to " make everything better." We are all learning to go forward with faith and enjoy all the miracles in our life that happen everyday.  They are evidence of God's love for each of us. 

My visit to the voice doctor

This past week I went to the voice doctor. We already knew that my left vocal chord doesn't work...but we didn't know if there was something we could do to fix it. I was pretty excited when the doctor said there was a surgery that could possibly help.  It's a pretty simple surgery and it only takes about an hour and a half:) SWEET huh? It'll probably feel weird because my voice has been how it is  for quite some time. I'm sure it will be worth it though. But I'm excited to get it fixed soon, that will be interesting.. Haha well love ya all and I'll try to update you some more soon;)

Hope

I met with my doctor today!:) he gave me lots of hope. It made me feel allot better about all the stuff thats going to happen to me. It's crazy though I never knew that hope was powerful.. I knew that the pioneers needed hope to make it through all the hard things but I never thought I would go through such hard things at my young age, but I realize now that God has many things in store for me. He wants me to learn. I've learned many things. About what I have in store for me. and other medical stuff it's amazing what technology we have out there. Also all the amazing people who care about and support me. I am eternally grateful for all the people who have helped me and who will help me through my conditions. People like my parents, my friends, others who don't even know me, and especially my doctors, with out them I wouldn't be writing this message today. Heavenly Father loves all of us he cares for us and never leaves our sides. Sometimes it feels like he isn't, but it's only for our sakes. Without trials, life wouldn't have a purpose. Just think about it.. I mean we wouldn't learn anything. Life is a test. Tests are hard. They are meant to be hard. If tests weren't hard we wouldn't learn anything from them. Life is an opportunity to learn and teach those who don't think God loves them, who think that he is never there for them. Life is hard, but it will all be worth it in the end. I can promise and testify of our Father in Heaven's  love for every single one of us. Thank you again  for all of your support. 

Gratitude

Hats

So, yesterday (Saturday) me and my mom went shopping! We didn't go shopping for hats but that is what we spent the most time on:) I had a really fun time and I love my hats.

Answer to my prayer

Lots of things describe how I was feeling last night when we got home from Salt Lake.  Peaceful was not one of them. We watched "Diary of a wimpy Kid" and that didn't really help (sadly). I was sitting on my bed still stressed out.  My mom suggested that I think of my dream vacation..it was nice to think about but it didn't really help my stress.  I just felt like I needed to pray. So I did. In my prayer I listed everything that was making me stressed . As I told Heavenly Father I felt more and more peaceful.  When I was finished with my prayer all I felt was peace that everything would be o.k.  It made me glad to know and remember that my Father in Heaven loves me.

My Break is Over!

I apologize for not writing I just needed to take a break! It has been nice just to relax at home.

Yesterday I discovered my break was not going to be as long as I thought it should be.  I was thinking like a year- but no.  The day started with a hearing test.  That wasn't too bad. It turns out my hearing is really good.  Next stop lunch at primary children's.  After lunch we went to Dr. Shelton, my ear doctor. He is one of the best ear doctors out there and it makes me feel really special but at the same time really scared.  So he tells me( while I am freaking out and just trying to breath because I am afraid of what he was saying)that it is best to start with the smallest tumor and remove it before any damage is done to my ear. That sounds nice but there is still a 50/50 chance I can lose my hearing in that ear.  Whatever, I will just deal with it.

If you think that is bad, well it is, but there is more.  So you know how I have a raspy voice and I am pretty quiet? Well my parents told the doctors they were concerned. Doctor Shelton had his assistant Dr. Crocket check it out. First comes the numbing spray up m noise. That was the worst disgusting part. YUCK! Then they stuck a long skinny noodle flashlight aka camera  up my nose. It looked more like a flashlight than a camera.  It was awkward having a camera up my nose. They asked me to say"ee" several times to get a clear picture of what was going on with my vocal chords. The reason for my rasp and quiet voice turns out that my left vocal chord is not moving.  So what that means for me is more medical stuff....

First Big Outing

I have loved being home around the people I love and just hanging out with my family.  It has been nice not to worry about all the medical stuff, especially any needles!  It has been a nice change of scenery.  

My first big outing was to my cousin's wedding reception.  It was fun to get dressed up. I was excited to wear one of the cute headbands my sister Ashley had made.  When I got there I enjoyed seeing a lot of people that I loved.  I was surprised how tired I got.  I didn't think it would be so hard to just chill and eat cookies. Unfortunately I didn't last long. 

Thanks again for all the love and support. I know I  have been so blessed by all your prayers. 

Love This Quote

I love this quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley "All of us have problems.  We face them every day.  How grateful am I that we have difficult things to wrestle with. They keep us young, they keep us alive, they keep us going, they keep us humble.  And know that somehow there will come a solution.  Just do the best you can, but be sure it is the very best."

I am Home!

I am so happy to be home!  It is so much better than the hospital..It is so great that no one came in last night and said "I am going check your vitals" or "let me shine a light in your eyes".  I have been feeling ALOT better the last couple of days. I love feeling good again. I just love being home! I was even excited to see the cows in Hyrum!  Thank you for all of your prayers so I could come home so quickly. 

Mom's Update

Ricki had a fabulous Wednesday. The day started with physical Therapy. They had Ricki walk down the hall and back.  It totally exhausted her and she slept for 2 hours. The highlight of her day was when she had a visitor "Aiden" a beautiful golden retriever. It was pretty hilarious because he could smell Ricki's pizza.  He even got up on her bed so he could have a better view of what he was smelling. Ricki loved her time with him. Ricki is improving every day! It warms my heart to see her smiling and doing things that she loves.

A Good Day!

Wednesday was  a good day.  My nurse set some goals for me and I met my goals!  I walked for the first time! I probably looked like a penguin waddling back and forth but I was walking.  I only walked down the hall and back but, it was exhausting!  I had to come to my room and take a nap. It is kind of sad but true.  I sure get tired easily.

The days just keep getting better....The doctors say I probably get to come home soon!! Woot! Woot!

Love you all! Thanks for all your support.

Love, Ricki

Priesthood Blessings

Today had been a rough day.  I had a lot of head aches. Then I was stressed because I thought I was getting worse. My grandpa Case and brother VanWagoner gave me a priesthood blessing.  My headaches went away and my day began going much better. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and I can testify that Heavenly Father loves every single one of us.  We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and he hears and answers our prayers. 

Good-bye ICU! Hello. NTU!

Good bye ICU! Hello  NTU!

Today I got a new room! It is pretty snazzy. It has a window with a view  (of the parking garage) a bathroom, and a painting of the ocean.  I like it. Today I received letters from my English class and I would like to thank them. They made me laugh and really cheered me up.;) my goal is to be home by Saturday...we will see what the doctor thinks.  I just got a new nurse...she has really cool red hair.  Well I will keep you guys updated. Thanks again for everything! 

Love ya!

Ricki

Feeling Better

Hey guys! I am doing lots better.  Especially since I have been able to have more food. That's been great!  Thanks for all your support. I can feel it.  It really keeps my spirits up.  Still kind of tired but I am getting more energy.  I should be out of ICU tomorrow! ( intensive care unit) which means I am supposed to get more sleep.  Sleep is Awesome! 

Thanks again for your prayers. I will try to keep you all updated 

Love, Ricki

Mom's weekend update

Saturday The Dr. 's readmitted Ricki into the intensive care unit. It had been a couple of tough days for her and of great concern for mom, dad, and the Dr.s.   After a day in the ICU however Ricki has bounced back and is doing better. Many  prayers, inspired and caring doctors and nurses at Primary Children's Hospital have brought the smiles back to our little Ricki's face. Her brothers were all excited at the improvement  when they came for a visit.  She loved seeing her brothers but was totally exhausted from the visits.   As much as she loved the visits it literally took everything out of her.  She has requested no visits tomorrow. She really wants to get out of the ICU and it is going to take all her strength to reach this goal.  We are so grateful for her improvement and inspired by her ability to smile even when things are really tough.

Elliot the Labradoodle

This Is a picture of Elliot the labradoodle. The owner/volunteer was walking past Ricki's room and Ricki opened her eyes. The volunteer noticed and brought "Elliot" the labradoodle to her bedside. That brought the closest thing to a smile that we have seen all day. Today we are grateful for a volunteer that was inspired to come to our room and bring Ricki a little  bit of sunshine to her day.

Mom's Update

The surgery is complete! Dr. Bollo reported back with us and said the surgery went really well.  He said she is waking up and responding.  Because of the nature of the surgery she will need to remain flat on her back for 2-3 days to make sure the fluid is able to drain. When things have healed up she will be up and running.  We love you all. Thanks again for the prayers.

Dad's Update

Got another update from Rickis nurse. They are pretty sure they got the tumor out. They said the doctors were checking for bleeders and any pieces left from the tumor. We think the surgery will be done in another couple hours.  The doctors of other children have come given a detailed report when they were done. Pretty sure we will get one too. Ricki will be in ICU for a day or two and then transferred to NTU and can have visitors. Things have gone well so far. Looking good for her procedure.

Moms Update

We just received another update from the nurse. Ricki is peaceful and doing well.  They are currently working on extracting the tumor and it is going well.  Thanks for all the prayers in her behalf and in behalf of the doctors and medical staff that are working with Ricki.  We love you all!

Dads Update

I just got the first update on Ricki's surgery. They have all the tubes, monitors, etc done. They have shaved a small strip of hair and have made the incision on her scalp so they can get the bone out of the way and start doing what we are all excited about getting accomplished, get that tumor out of her head. They said she was very brave and fell asleep easily and peacefully. So far, so good.

The tumor is coming out today!

I am excited to get this thing out.  A little nervous..

....I .am grateful for my hair,for all the nice people in the operating room,my family,food,especially chicken,all the prayers for me, all the great technology we have, all the sweet care packages,(I am definitely not going to be bored during my stay here at the hospital! ) grateful no one else has to lose any of their hair and I am grateful for all the love and  support and the peace I have felt this past week.  I know my Father in Heaven loves me!

Enjoying my Break!

I've been enjoying my break!:) sorry I haven't updated my blog for a while. It's been awesome, I got a perm. Yup pretty cool! My hair smells a little funky but other than that I like it a lot! 

My sister Ashley worked on some scrubs for me to wear in the hospital. They are pretty cool!

Thanks to all the visitors and helpers that came today. I am so blessed to have such good people in my life! 

I will try to keep you updated. Again, Thanks for everything.

 Love you All!

Mom's Post

Today I feel so lucky to be the Mother of Ricki Nicole! In the past few days I have felt so blessed and inspired by her valiant and cheerful spirit.  I wanted to share an example of her sweet spirit.  Ricki had flown in the helicopter to Primary children's Hospital and Rick and I drove down to meet her.  Just as we pulled into the parking lot I received a text letting me know she was having another seizure.  I hurried into the ER to be with her.  When I arrived by her side she was starting to come to but was unable to speak...she looked into my eyes, wrinkled her little nose and smiled...In the midst of her challenge she was smiling. As I was looking at the pictures I was amazed that in most all of the pictures this weekend she is smiling.  Ricki, you are amazing! I Love you sweetie!

Home for a quick break

Hello everyone! The doctors say I get to come home for a quick break! I am looking forward to take out the IV! I do not like it! I am excited to see friends and hope you will come to visit. The doctor says I can't go to school.  I am so sorry for those I was working on projects with. I especially feel bad for the prosthetic hand competition.. I am disappointed that I will not be able to go to the Lagoon day with my friends. 

Feeding the birds and stuff:)

I failed to mention that yesterday I got to feed the birds some of my pretzel :) the birds LOVED it and so did I! The birds were really cute and I liked feeding them. The doctors said I might go home today but today they later decided and said that I probably won't go home till tommorow... I just want them to take off my IV! Hahaha oh well I guessing can wait till tommorow,that's ok thanks to all who have been praying for me, I really appreciate everything!!!!:) the food here at Primary Children's is pretty good and I'd like to thank the people who have been fixing my dairy-free food :p (that's supposed to be me licking my lips in approoval) like I said I get to go home tommorow I hope they let me go tomorrow that would be awesome! Thanks again everyone! Oh and I forgot to mention my awesome Young Women's Ward President gave me a monkey! Same monkey I was talking about yesterday... Ha, at least I think it was yesterday ;) but today we called it moe short for more. We called it that because I've been eating losta food because of the steroids they gave me.haha it's pretty awesome! I keep getting off subject, THANKS everyone for reading my blog and supporting me! Love ya all!!!:) 

Yesterday

Yesterday I had an MRI it  was kinda cool since they gave me some goggles that I could see the movie Percy Jackson the lightning thief through them! Ahhhh cool huh? Hahaha it was kinda fun:) the day before my awesome young women's president gave me a sock monkey.. I haven't named it yet which is probably a surprise to them because I name everything and when I say everything I mean everything:) I havent been able to come up with a name? Anyways they've been sticking  all sorts of needles in me... Haha they have taken a total of six viles of my blood. (sarcastic) wahoo! Well turns out a have a medical condition called Neurofibromitosis this condition affects one in every twenty-five thousand people get it woah yeah I'm special and you know it ;) well I'll post again later see ya!!!

Family Update

After being admitted into the ICU, Ricki has been able to finally eat and rest. She has loaded up on slushies and all kinds of good food. Before she got her feast, Ricki was a huge HUGE trooper and sat through a two hour CT scan that scanned her whole body for tumors similar to the one in her brain and shoulder. The amazing doctors at Primary Childrens have been able to team up and diagnose Ricki with a rare genetic disorder called FR-22, which is a genetic disease that generally passes through genes but at times can spontaneously manifest itself in an individual who does not have any known family history of it.  FR-22  causes a type of cell to reproduce without the correct regulation which leads to abnormal growths or tumors in areas along the central nervous system and brain.  They have not grown very rapidly in Ricki’s case. The good news is that the tumors are not cancerous right now, and they are currently benign. The other good news is that if Ricki responds well to the oral anti-seizure medicines given to her, she will be able to go home tomorrow (Sunday, May 12th), and will be able to stay there until the operation, which has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday (May 16th). 

Helicopter Ride Pics!

Pictures!

Helicopter ride

Hey guys! Yesterday I had a some seizures and my brother Nathan and uncle shane called 911.when I came to conscience the. Paramedics took me into the ambulance and drove me to the Logan hospital. they asked me a lot of questions.when we got to the hospital we waited for my parents to come.once they came I had a catscan. The dr. Said I had to fly down to Salt Lake. We waited for the Life Flight and when they got there they carried me out on my bed. I got to kiss my parents good-bye. Then we took off in the helicopter. They flew over the Logan temple and tipped it sideways so I could see it. The temple was beautiful and all lit up.Then I took a nap in the helicopter.this was just the beginning.

Story

Ricki was eating a S'more watching her favorite show, Downton Abby when her brother, Nathan, saw out of the corner of his eye that she had arched her back, and was experiencing convulsions. After helping her through a 5 minute seizure, Nathan ran next door to grab his uncle, an ex-police officer, to help Ricki. Uncle Shane called 911, and put her on her side. After just a few minutes another seizure started, and ended about 2-3 minutes later. The paramedics arrived, and Ricki didn't start responding to them until about halfway to Logan Regional Medical Center. Ricki's parent's were on their way home from Rexburg, where they were helping take care of funeral arrangements for Ricki's grandfather. Ricki was surrounded by friends and family while she was waiting for tests to be done. Her parents got there just in time to go with her to get a CT-scan where they found two golf-ball sized tumors in the frontal lobe of her brain, and one in her shoulder near her left collar bone. Shortly after finding this out, Ricki was life-flighted to Primary Childrens Hospital, and really enjoyed the ride, she talked on the phone with her mom, and was greeted by friends and family by the time she touched down. About an hour after arriving, and bunch of poking, prodding, and questions by many kind doctors, Ricki was admitted into the ICU at around 4:30 am.