Ronald's Road to Recovery

Hey there!
Wanted to just update specifically about Ronald current road to recovery:

Haven't updated much because not much to update really.... over a week or so ago Ronald had aquired two hospital acquired line infections which slow him down a few days until the specific antibiotics were identified and now he is on only one antibiotic to cover both infections and has responded just as doctors desired.... as far as his platelets, they are kinda at a standstill as they are not dropping but also not recovering too fast so like everything else he is just finishing up a few more days of medical observation and we hope to have him cleared and on to a closer rehabilitation facility by the end of this week!! All of his organs and labs have continued to trend the directions they were hoping and so it looks good!!

Thank you for your continued faith and prayers and all the love and support that is consistently showered upon our family!!! We welcome and continue to rely upon all faith and prayers in his and our family's behalf... especially our hope of no negative surprises as we move toward the next phase of recovery!! Please please please let us know how we can help and support any of you and your families!!!
WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

Saturday's Warrior - Line Upon Line (Lyrics)

LINE UPON LINE....THAT IS HOW HE TEACHES HIS CHILDREN

So the words to a song from a  popular , stage play from the eighties SATURDAY"S WARRIORS has been running through my mind lately. The song is "Line Upon Line" and the lyrics go something like this:

                                             Line upon line, precept on precept.
                            That is how he lifts us, that is how he teaches his children.
                                            Line upon line, precept on precept.
                               Like a summer shower giving us each hour His wisdom.
                                              If we are patient we shall see
                                       How the pieces fit together in harmony.
                                      We'll know who we are in this big universe
                                          And then we'll live with Him forever.
                                                       But until it happens...
 
                                          Line upon line, precept on precept.
                          That is how he lifts us, that is how he teaches his children.
                                      Line upon line, precept on precept.
                             Like a summer shower giving us each hour His wisdom
           LINE UPON LINE UPON, LINE UPON LINE UPON, LINE UPON LINE..... UPON LINE!!!

     It is just crazy how I have heard and sung this simple little song a million times in my life and yet 
this past week as I have thought on those words its has been like I am hearing them for the very first time....I've decided that is because those words have gone from being just  lyrics to a fun song from a feel good play... to becoming serious doctrine that has been tenderly, intimately, patiently and personally tutored  and lovingly woven into my heart to the point that now the message brings me increased power of patience in the Lord's will but even more so in the Lord's timing! I have ALWAYS been the kind of spirit that will put the work in but I want the results, blessings, benefits  IMMEDIATELY, FAST, NOW, NOW , NOW!!! Strangely and obviously very "taken for grantedly" (i know thats not a real word :) I feel I have received so many desired result relatively quickly throughout my mortal infancy (of which I am including all of my 1-46 years thus far)
More recently, this has not necessarily been the case... I've searched for and wanted certain blessings, answers, results immediately and my way and my timing!! ... What could be wrong with that?? I've been willing to search, ponder, fast, pray, put in the time and work and yet .... not only have not the desired answers and results come the way and time I wanted but- while waiting, it appeared as though another helping of complicating challenge was added to the heap  of questions, concerns, confusions and the overall testing ground! SO WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON IN OUR LIFE????.... Well, I think the simple answer is that  line upon line, precept on precept the Lord, like a summer shower, has been giving us each hour in all of his love and WISDOM opportunity for our family to strip away the layers of pride, selfishness, complacentcy, endulgency, independence ,laziness and "all is well enough" attitude that had distilled over time upon our family- and   is line upon line, precept upon precept helping us replace such with daily gratitude for the very simple, more humble reliance upon the Lord not only for our eternal life but literally for daily mortal life, true empathy, hard work, powerful unity, faith, and living daily with  more eternal eyes and perspective! This is how he has lifted us ( to a higher place) this is how He has taught us, His children, how to love more, give more, appreciate more, empathize more and just over all, become more!!! Although there is NO DOUBT that several prayers and pleadings have been responded to almost instantaneously, most of these such "spirt and character refinements" have  not come quickly, fast or on demand whatsoever, but over the past several months, like over 7 plus months!!... I am just now finally starting to maybe understand the wisdom of some of that timing... It is beginning to make sense to me why several of these answers, concerns, blessings, results, etc. have not been dispersed in large, immediate doses, rather in simple, small, even droplet size, disbursements!... For if having come too quickly I believe we would have not continue to search as deep, work together as intimately, learned to wait more patiently and appreciate as powerfully all the daily droplets and "afternoon showers" that have certainly come!... and as those same lyrics have taught... if we are patient we SHALL SEE how those pieces fit together in HARMONY"! I most confidently can say and absolutely believe that we have started to find where those pieces are starting to fit  and have begun to see the wisdom and feel the peaceful harmony that the Lord has mercifully attached to each piece that he HAS dispersed-- Now, I cannot honestly say that all the pieces have now fit together in harmony as of yet, so we will continue to submit to the Lord's will and timing ..... Until we finally and accurately and fully understand and KNOW WHO and WHOS WE ARE IN THIS BIG UNIVERSE and continue enduring to thee very end and then eventually reaping the ultimate reward as WE WILL LIVE WITH HIM and our eternal family FOREVER AND EVER...."BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS"...  LINE UPON LINE UPON, LINE UPON LINE UPON, LINE UPON LINE.....UPON SACRED, LOVING, MERCIFUL LINE!!!!

Sure love you and appreciate you allowing me to disperse bits of my imperfect yet tender heart in this way and through this medium as a record and remembrance of precious lessons taught and learned as well as hopefully a way to unite all our heart a bit more together!!! Love to hear from any and all of you and the lessons and wisdoms that you have and are experiencing as well!

_______________________________
Now, I haven't included really any photos of Ronald's latest unexpected health challenges mostly for his privacy
and have felt really no positive need to do so... UNTIL NOW! So...  To maybe put into a visual this LINE UPON LINE and through small and simple things/progressions... GREAT THINGS COME TO PASS I feel the desire to share the following pictures:
above: 6 weeks ago                               above: YESTERDAY just following Ryker being
                                                             ordained to the office of a Teacher in the aaronic priesthood
                                                             by..... HIS DAD!!! one example of how these very hard
                                                             challenges has magnified every joy, and enlarged our
                                                             gratitude for such simple yet powerful pleasures like
                                                            having your dad/husband not only alive but mentally and
                                                           physically able to use the Lord's priesthood power to
                                                            ordain his son! I am embarrassed yet so humbled to admit
                                                             that I have NEVER felt more sincere gratitude for any  
                                                            priesthood ordination let alone even father's blessing as
                                                            I did this time!!!.. so... something is working huh?? :-)
                             
                                                  TRULY, TRULY GRATEFUL!!
!

STARTING TO FEEL A BIT GREEDY... BUT......

We are starting to feel a bit greedy asking and drawing on all the love and collective faith that we have so freely been given power from these past several weeks, but....

We would love to ask you all to join prayers with us that Ronald's platelets will start producing on their own... all of his other past concerns and labs have only strengthened but for some reason his platelets are not growing on their own... he has been receiving platelet transfusions almost daily now for weeks and the physicians are somewhat baffled as to why all other labs are doing so well but platelets not so much! We would love for this concern to remedy itself before other more drastic measures may need to be taken, but if not we will deal with that for sure, just want to cover all the bases before that is entertained!!

oh, and we were JUST informed that apparently Ronald has somehow developed a "line infection" which means he has an infection that originated in one of his pic lines and will now need to be treated for that! Kinda crazy since he has not really had a fever to speak of and feels well, so just please include in your prayers this new concern as well.... if you feel comfortable!!

Hmmm guess we have more to learn before we are to move on huh? Thanks again for allowing us such a wonderful throng of faith- filled and loving family and friends to draw love , strength and power from!!

We love You!!

AN EMBEDDED FOUNDATION OF FAITH = ENDURANCE THROUGH ANY CHALLENGE

We watched this short video together this morning and just want to bear testimony of the truthfulness and power that was found in every word of it! Like many of you we have been,  CALLED UP even CHOSEN to GROW through some pretty intense and possibly draining challenges.... YET we can say this day more than ever that it truly is a deeply embedded foundation of faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, His will, His gospel, His plan of eternal and lasting happiness and His infinite and ALWAYS EMPOWERING atonement that we can 'freely' draw from to FILL  IN our gaps, FILL  UP our resources, STRENGTHEN every mental, spiritual, emotional and physical weakness, HEAL our "wounds" ,  INCREASE our capacities and abilities, tenderly CRADLE and NURSE us through our times of pain and insecurity  and even generously BESTOW BLESSING in, over, around and through out our lives even to that that of truly overflowing- How that is even possible at such a time of depletion is an absolute miracle, yet it is real!!... And even more extraordinary is that this principle is miraculously UNFAILING!- I can and do testify that with the unconditional and most tender love of our Heavenly Father, the infinite and all powerful atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ and embedded and unshakable faith in them and their perfect plan of happiness, ANY and ALL despair and even hopelessness absolutely can be transformed into some of the sweetest and most stunning love and joy that is possible to find in this world as well as in the world to come~ and is really THE ONLY WAY ...atleast if we want it to LAST ETERNALLY!

Sure love you!! Thank you for allowing us to share portions of our hearts and testimony with you during this time!!

SACRED TUTORING ALL ALONG THE WAY!

OK...So thankfully Since about last thursday, Ronald's "touch and go" health has been way more GO than

TOUCH and although Ronald would just LOVE to be 100% up and running back at top performance and speed, the Lord is allowing all of us to practice and internalize the virtue of patience as this next phase of wellness is a lot of watching and waiting for organs to continue to refresh, wait for his belirubin to go down more, for his platelets and hematocrit to level back out and intermittent physical therapy session to  strengthening and build new muscles tissue that atrophied during his several days in coma state... as well as continue hourly to be grateful and prayful for such mercy that has been shown toward our warrior husband and father as well as our imperfect family! SO.... during this particular phase of decreased activity and anxiousness (of which we are so deeply grateful for) I figured, instead of leaving too many days un-posted on our blog, I would every few days or so write about some of the intense and eternal lessons we have learned and continue to learn during this particular season of our mortality as we feel truly blessed to have been allowed such personal and sacred tutoring during this time. We hope that in doing so , maybe even one person may receive a bit of desired eternal tutoring from these such entries. 

LESSON  LEARNED:  -Petitioning the Lord with all that is in our hearts, even to the point of wearying the Lord with our prayers.... and then truly committing to trust the Lord with WHATEVER he knows to be the exactly right action(s) to take and create for us in regards to those tender petitions!

Just this morning Ronald and I read a general conference talk, given by Sister Jean A. Stevens of the general primary presidency, entitled "Fear not, I am with thee"! Through out this talk I realized she put words to many

of my tender and deep rooted feelings in regards to this subject as this particular lesson was taught like constant dew distilling upon my heart and testimony these past several weeks and months, so the following is somewhat of a collaboration of Sister Stevens words and my testimony of the reality of those words in my recent life especially:

We can trust that the Lord will help us, important to realize that the Lord WILL help us but not necessarily in the way we want, but in the way that will best help us to grow. Submitting our will to His may be difficult, but it is essential to becoming like Him and finding the peace He offers us. I can understand more fully C. S. Lewis'  feelings regarding approaching the Lord, when he said  “I pray because I can’t help myself. … I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.”

We have truly felt as many examples ,through out the scriptures , of those who have pleaded with the Lord and then put their trust in Him and have been helped and delivered by Him. Such examples are  David, who escaped certain death at the hand of the mighty Goliath by relying on the Lord.  Nephis pleadings to God in faith brought deliverance from his brothers who wanted to take his life. Young Joseph Smith, who prayerfully sought the Lord’s help. He was delivered from the power of darkness and received a miraculous answer. Each faced real and difficult challenges. Each acted in faith and put his trust in the Lord. Each received His help. And still in our day, God’s power and love are manifest in the lives of His children. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN GOD'S POWER AND PURE LOVE  HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO BE MANIFEST IN OUR LIVES! During the past weeks and even several months  I have felt so much like a woman mentioned in the pre-mentioned general conference talk...I feel we have been carried. I have learned that you can feel peace and even excitement in the midst of turmoil. We KNOW the Lord was and is watching over us. We have learned for ourselves once again that If we trust in the Lord, truly you we can overcome any of life’s challenges. To simplify maybe, and keep clear...I would never have asked for this/these trial(s), but I would never give it away. We have been surrounded, even engulfed with God’s love and his intimate tutoring and in some unexplainable and even more miraculous way, that has made it all worth it!

We surely know we don't always receive the outcome that we hope for- Ronald's life being spared, at least at this time, and his continued progress and amazing improvement certainly was what we prayed and hoped for, while being separated for a time from our sweet Rylan so unexpectedly and painfully certainly was not what we had or would have ever prayed and hoped for BUT in both incidences  we have learned that  our crisis does  not need to be a crisis of faith.  We have also learned for ourselves the absolute truth in the quote: "The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a checklist of things to do; rather, it lives within us-The gospel “is not weight; it is wings- It carries us! "We can and have felt peace in the midst of the storms. We can and have held fast to each other and to temple covenants we have made and keep! We can and have  grown in our ability to trust in the Lord and truly be strengthened by our faith in Jesus Christ as well as the faith of countless others magnified so stunningly by  the Lord's great and infinite atoning power.

We have also have learned, and pray that we always will remember, the truth that wherever we find ourselves in this life,  whatever our worries and challenges may be, we are not alone. We are not forgotten. We can choose to reach for God’s hand in our need. We can face our challenges with prayer and trust in the Lord. And in the process we become more like Him.

The Lord himself lovingly reminds us of his full proof promise.... “Fear … not; … I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; … I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” 

What  more do we really need than pure belief in that blessed assurance!

Just want to thank you all AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN.... for all the love and sustaining power you are helping the Lord generate in our behalf!! We love you and we continue to weary the Lord in petitioning him that you and your families wilt not only be blessed for all of the love, faith, sacrifice and compassion that you have so freely given for us but that every blessing, protection, ability and your health will be magnified to the greatest potential that is available for you at this time! We are truly blessed to have you in our lives!!!

THERE ABSOLUTELY ARE MINISTERING ANGELS ALL AROUND US!!!

For those of you that just really only have time for an Ronald Update:
He was just released from INTENSIVE CARE and now moved to Intermediate care... he is off ALL medications and treatments EXCEPT dialysis (which he only receives about every other day now for about 3 hours, his feeding tube removed and is on soft and liquid diet, and is talking more each day! His body is EXTREMELY weak from muscle atrophy from even just 2.5 weeks in his coma combined with the extraordinary amount of stress his body had to endure and all the muscle it had to draw from just to help sustain life, and so he will continue to need some intense rehabilitation in and out of the hospital for some months ahead but we are ONLY thankful and ONLY humbled and ONLY a million percent full of joy for the opportunity to have this stalwart and strong man in our lives and we absolutely LOVE serving an loving him stronger for as long as it takes!!
All the doctors here have labeled him a true medical miracle... he's pretty famous around here for living through all that medically he just should not have!! The power of the Lord is real and the power of the priesthood in irreplaceable!!!

ALERT:  THIS IS AN ETERNALLY LONG POST as my heart is past overflowing and I have just reached the time available to express a tender portion of my heart.. so read on only as time and mentally ability allows :-)

"Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men (we) began to exercise (increased) faith in Christ; and thus by this faith, they (we) did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ."

So, since the moment our sweet Rylan passed away ,just over 4 months ago, I have made no secret of how I have been on the consistent look out for him and the angelic ministry he may be able to personally serve directly within our family. I always have my physical and spiritual eyes open for any type of a vision or visual of my bright blue and twinkly eyed angel boy! As of this dayI have not had the sacred privilege to have him physically appear to me although I have certainly felt his presence and the joy that his specific spirit so powerfully radiates around me quite often! 
I begin my thoughts this way because of an extraordinary lesson that I have been taught so exquisitely the past several months and even more concentrated these past 3 weeks!.... As desperately as I have desired to witness the miraculous appearance of my angel missionary son , I was so focused, almost insistent, on wanting this blessing so badly that I was missing the powerful miracle of all the other literal angels that were ministering all about me and even physically appearing to me so consistently. It is these such ministering angels that I would like to dedicate this particular post to this day! Let me try to mention just several of the throng of angels that have taken up their discharge to appear and serve me and my family:

*-Fathers, Mothers, brothers and sisters, extended family and friends that within truly minutes of hearing of my warrior husbands new challenge appeared at my side....dropping EVERYTHING, sacrificing work and vacations and time and financial means and  traveling from 50 to thousands of miles away, coming by car, plane and many both to stay at my family's side to sustain and support us and encircle us with love no matter what the will of the Lord was to be for us! It is no wonder to me why the family is central to the creators plan... for they are are the root of strength and work directly with the Lord to intimately and powerfully bless one another! Never want to find out what mortality would be like without a family like I have been so richly blessed with!! They would do, go, give up and sacrifice anything for my greater good!! Like one of our old family theme songs states, and my big brother steven has recent so tenderly reminded me... "when the going gets, rough and and journey is tough, PULLING TOGETHER WE CAN WORK IT OUT"... we can and we DO!! Sure love them all sooo very much!!!

*-Angelic gardeners that were intermittently found working to up keep our weeding,mowing, edging and landscape around our home. These sweet angels came in the form of mothers (leaving their own flocks to serve mine), darling achievement day girls (whom also brought lasagna full of love), full families, and unconditionally patient neighbors!

*-"Food and Nutrition angels" who would spontaneously show up at our Huntsman Institute family kitchen and seriously FILL and REFILL the refrigerator and cupboards with all types of wonderful food and snacks, show up with trays of sandwiches, fruit and treats for all and even deliver not only gourmet food but also fresh garden fruits and vegetables from their personal gardens! It has felt like manna from heaven meeting up with the fishes and the loaves!! Pure love in the form of food!!

*-Close loyal, lifetime angel friends (mine and ronald's) that lept to our side with NO thought of how well we have kept up consistent communication, supported them throughout their personal challenges, or how inconvenient the timing may have been... not to mentions how much personal time, concern and love they have already so generously extended toward me and my family throughout the past several months of my somewhat "high maintenance "life! Spending one's childhood and youth in finding and nurishing such angel friendships truly has to be one of thee choicest gifts anyone can reward themselves with in mortality...because such friendships continue to just keep expanding as now THEIR ANGEL CHILDREN have become dear friends and examples to me and have also spent hours visiting, caring, giving and loving me and my family.... these type of friendships obviously continue to expand throughout the eternities! Such a sweet gift!

*-"MIDNIGHT BATHROOM ANGEL" that so perfectly and suddenly appeared to me to minister directly and so personally to me! Sounds strange? I know but one truly did as I was washing my hands in the 5th floor bathroom at midnight! Not only does she look like the sweet, compassionate angel one usually may visualize when they think of the word angel, but she responded and attended to my heavy heart and tired mind at thee most perfect time, putting even aside her own personal concerns to tend to what she most likely saw In  my eyes and then spent extended time ministering to my heart and sending me off uplifted and even "stealing" a bit of her glow to magnify my abilities at that time!
AND THEN... later in the week searched me out and even recruited Angel family members of hers to continue to minister to me and my family, even specifically my son, on the eve of his birthday!....AND THEN... continued to call, check up and even resend Angel Family members to minister AGAIN and infuse another inoculation of joy to our family!! I am
so ridiculously amazed at how the Lord touched one of my dear "sisters" to find me and touch our family so personally and powerfully through her!! 

*-Dr. Simmons Angel Employers and work associates! Oh Ronald and I have been so thankful for MONTHS for the miracle and great blessing associated with his recent association with 3 new employment opportunities ALL that were willing to not only take on a freshly diagnosed cancer patient but worked so generously with his unique schedule and felt they had all been so patient to the point that when this newest of challenges was thrust upon us I had no reason to feel like they needed to continue to be even MORE patient and understanding with the possible strain and back up support that would be needed to be put in place as a result of Ronald's sudden absence and unavailability.  I was brought to tears many times in the past few weeks at the extraordinary compassion and patience and genuine concern that these angel employers and associates have shown regardless of all the inconveniences and strain it has placed on them. When Ronald started coming out of hims coma state one of the first things he wanted to know was in regards to his employment and work status and he was so touched by texts and support I was able to show him immediately! SOO thankful!

*-Angel Missionaries around the world... missionaries from at least 5 missions around the world have reported to have specifically prayed and held fasts for Ronald! Our own darling missionary daughter and missionaries from her mission in the Pennsylvania, Philadelphia mission and their families have special fasting days for his healing and our families comfort and well being. And Sister Simmons Angel mission president served as such a powerful comfort and personal messenger to our fragile yet faithful family during some of our most tender moments! There is obvious and extraordinary power bestowed upon our full time missionary daughter as her strength, faith, commitment, and steadfast desire to stay focused on those she is to serve for whom she is to serve has had and electrifying type of effect upon all the spirit of each of our family members as well as Ronald! Sister Selleka Simmons faith and testimony and complete faith in the Lords will was and is stunning and has been an honor to witness and benefit from. We have also had the missionary children of several of our friends whom have extended even palpable power to our family through their inspired faith and fasting! The power of truly committed and faithful missionaries is MATCHLESS and powerful!!

*-"Angel Children"... "Heavenly Father, are you really there, and do you hear and answer every childs prayer?".... the answer is a loud, enthusiastic and resilient YES!!!! OH, we know this to be true more than ever! Early on in Ronald's challenging journey of cancer, when we would fast and pray for specific instruction and tender heartfelt blessings, we would get such clear and sweet assurance that was absolutely confirmed by the spirit of our Heavenly Father- that the prayers of a multitude of children will be one of the greatest sustaining powers of all that is ahead... at the time we thought it only meant his cancer journey, we had no idea the great power that would be added to sustain this newest and even more challenging journey! Oh thank you for the magnificent power of the pure faith and prayer and love that you beautiful angel children have generated in behalf of our warrior dad and husband. Please know we pray for you to each be personally blessed for your powerful childlike faith and purest testimony!!

*-Stranger Angels... sounds funny but so wonderful!! Some of the sweetest ministering we have had these past few weeks have also come from angels we have met on elevators, in lunch rooms, waiting rooms, lobbies and hallways! Each carrying a sweet thought or timely message that a would hit straight to into the heart or bring back eternal perspective or focus outside ourselves that truly promoted portions of love and healing!

*-Medical Staff Angels... the men and woman whom have sacrificed their time, talents financial means and energies to gain abilities and knowledge that the Lord was able to use and magnify to bring to pass miracle after miracle for Ronald's physical healing. Also,some specific even humble,hopeful and compassionate staff that were not only willing to go above and behind their job descriptions to  bring to pass increased comfort and healing but were willing to even join in prayer with our family regardless of their faith and give the credit of Ronald's life and well being up to the Divine!

*-Ward and Stake Angels... members of at least 15 of the wards from the past 4 stakes that we have lived-in the past 20 years all joined in fasting and prayer and frequently checked in , sent well wishes and support and genuine love and faith for our family and our ability to sustain whatever we were called to bear as well as celebrated each new victory with us each new day!!! Truly a bit of ZION!!

AND...

*-My ANGEL CHILDREN... who have been physically, emotionally and most importantly spiritually committed to WHATEVER the Lord's will was, and is to be ,NO MATTER WHAT!
Giving up personal plans made months ago, work, financial increase, valuable summer breaks days, stability, "normalcy," limited support and attention for personal life transitions, numerous motherless and fatherless days and night...and so on, and so on.... WITHOUT ONE BREATH of complaint but only pure faith, commitment, loyalty, support, long suffering, patience, kindness, in power, and unconditional love! These angel children have been called to trek along some pretty rough trails and tred through some very deep and rough waters emotionally, spiritually and physically the past six or so months and I am so happy to report that they have held strong to their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and their knowledge that the family in central to the creators plan for the eternal destiny of all of Heavenly Father's children.. that is ALL OF US! They have stayed strongly fused to their knowledge that making and keeping sacred covenants, available in holy temples, make it possible for family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave and that through the eternal covenants Ronald and I made, going on TWENTY FIVE years ago, in the Salt Lake City temple our family can and will be UNITED ETERNALLY! We have discussed why we believe that our family relationships, as well as personal testimonies have NOT been diminished one whit the past several months, despite such adversity but have actually been strengthened.... and we certainly and absolutely believe that Ryker and Syvanna's commitment to attend the temple at least once a week for the past 67 weeks along with our overwhelmingly increased temple attendance has produced the miraculous power to overcome any and all pull to turn from what we have always know to be true and everlasting!! We love the blessings that overflow from the Temple; It truly is the House of the Lord!

These certainly do not cover all the angels that have ministered to our family personally and as a whole these past months, as if you are even reading this right now you have most likely fallen into one of the Angel categories mentioned above and/or one of the multitude of "service angels" that have most certainly magnified our families abilities and strengthened our hearts and joined our personal family throng of angels that have all contributed to produce the power to allow the Lord to allow the extraordinary miracles that have most certainly come to pass!! We genuinely need you all to know we choose to believe that these miracles could not have been granted without all our ANGELS combining our faith, righteousness, love and submission to the Lords ultimate will! No words celestial enough to express our heart filled gratitude!!

So to bring this eternally long post full circle... the great lesson I have learned these past few months is... that I HAVE SEEN RYLAN.... for the Lord has magnified my great desire and allowed me to SEE HIM in each of you.... multiple times a day!!!

WE LOVE YOU D.U.E!.. (Deeply  Unconditionally and Eternally)

BEHOLD THE GOD of MIRACLES

 Mormon 9:11
"Behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them"....... and certainly the God of Ronald Brent Simmons!

This scripture has been so engraven upon my heart so permanently these past weeks and once again throughout this entirely glorious day!!! As of this afternoon, Ronald became so much more alert and aware that he was able to get extubated (have his intubation tube taken out!) and then.......
.....much to our delight he very soon after started TALKING! The medical staff around here are so stunned and delighted!!! He is very weak but able to tell us what his name is, where he is, who is in his family and even the MONTH... along with many other things as me and the kids began asking him a multitude of questions because we were all so happy and we felt like we haven't talked to him in months! Although he is very tired and not real strong yet,  he loves to keep winking at me and smiles at me soooo much! He is breathing pretty well all on his own but he has a oxygen mask to feed humidity into him to moisturize his throat to help ease any discomfort and dryness due to the tube having been down his airway for the past few weeks! Tonight he is so warn out from our extraordinarily exciting day and just wants to sleep! Ronald still has the rest of the mountain to climb before we can begin the down hill run, but we know that medically already we have witnessed a grand miracle even up to this point of survival and healing.  I knew he had already beaten some pretty steep odds this afternoon when the doctor said.... "we are needing to look more closely into what the plan should be made for him now because patients that have faced what you're husband has haven't usually made it this far and so we're not used to that and need to access help as to the treatment plan that should follow and what is to be expected now"... so they are consulting other hospitals and doctors in different areas for their expertise! 

So there is no doubt in my family that we truly HAVE been shown a God of Miracles...the same God who created the heavens and the earth and all things that are in them (including Ronald's strong and steady body) most certainly can and has touched our circumstances as well as our hearts and the results of such is absolutely stunning marvelous work and even a wonder that has been worked amongst the children of men! 

So honored to be so intimately a part of this sacred experience in which the powers of heaven and earth mercifully were able to merge and not only bless us so personally but also stand as a witness and testiment of the glorious power of God enabling him to create such order and even peace from such extraordinary disorder and chaos!

Oh, how I love this extraordinary righteous warrior husband of mine, and oh, how I love God, our Eternal Father and His son Jesus Christ! So richly and powerfully blessed we feel!! Thank you is so shallow for expressing what gratitude we have for each of you who have and continue to faithfully call upon those powers of heaven and earth to watch over and protect Ronald and our family is such wondrous and superior ways! We love you!

-HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL DAY to all our youth!!! Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our children that are back into school shining their light so brightly among the world as well as all parents that are having to send them back again with somewhat heavy hearts as we love having them close to us so much and miss being apart from them more during this season of the year!! We wish all a wonderful new school year!!

HOUSTON ...WE HAVE CONTACT and..... DEEP GRATITUDE!!

Oh the joy, joy, JOY felt at the dawn of this new day when my dear warrior woke up with brighter
and more purposeful eyes. That joy transcended into elation when we started not only realizing he was tracking people moving in the room and as hearts began to overflow with thanksgiving for that he was asked to squeeze the hand of one of the medical staff and...... SQUEEZE HE DID... over and over upon request as I took a turn and michelle took a turn etc.... AND IF ThAT WASN'T ENOUGH to  make our own eyes brighten and our hearts shine... he NODDED his head when asked a question!!!     WE'VE MADE GLORIOUS CONTACT!!! and could not be more thankful!!!

On that note, I want to add a thought I had last night regarding living in gratitude for EVERYTHING!
I noted that in the past 14 days my prayers have become so much more personal, continuous, and truly sacred, and I have found myself so deeply thankful for even some of the most minute and in the past possibly overlooked things... like abilities to make expressions, maintain a steady heart rate, use of vital organs according to their proper form and function, to open eyes, and now to squeeze the hand of someone you love so deeply and have them squeeze back.... and then I have been brought to the realization of so much that I have taken for granted and have truly missed and will be sure to be more eternally grateful for in the future such as...scripture study with my husband and family, to eat dinner together, to disagree and make up together, to wash dishes and load the dishwasher just the way Ronald so specifically wants it done :), to attend church together, to take a walk together, to rub feet after they have spent the day working to support our family, doing laundry(never thought I'd say that), doing yard work , .... not to mention just thoughtlessly breathing and waking up and going to sleep together all under the same imperfect yet loving home (even rented home :) .... even though I have always sincerely and tenderly loved the temple and the ability to attend... I feel even more of a sustaining and generating life line of power that flows from spending time there that I had not allowed myself to feel as strongly! I guess I am trying to express 2 things with all these words...
1. That the Lord is extraordinarily merciful in his ability to help us feel not only lifted, but even stand stronger and taller and more confident even when the burdens placed upon us are thee very heaviest and even as get us to a place (if we allow him) to see those burden/challenges as honored sacred mortal gifts that cause all else simple, lasting, real, and beautiful to be magnified and so much more powerful!
2. That even though what we have been called to go through at this season of life certainly appears to be pretty enormous and so all related miracles attached seem to be so enormous and worth our sweetest gratitude...... I truly hope I (we) take the time to remember that every hour of every day is full to the brim of a multitude of tender mercies, abilities, protections, love, sustaining, growth, opportunities, courage, powers and so on that  are ALL worth our most loving expression of gratitude-and most especially the infinite atonement of our Savior- who's suffering has become so much more personal, intimate and real to me and our family these past few weeks and how freely he offers the irreplaceable divine sustaining, as well as rejuvenating and renewing power that is made possible for us to draw upon no matter how simple or enormous the need!

Oh, that sweet warrior of ours has SO much father to go but for me and my house we will not only choose to serve the Lord but live in daily gratitude for the opportunity and honor to have our stalwart husband , father and priesthood leader in our mortal lives each new day, but also for the even greater gift that we will have our entire family in our eternal lives FOREVER!!... and that is the greatest reason to soak ourselves in gratitude each new day!

SURE LOVE YOU ALL!!
***the following is a video/link to a wonderful clip of our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson that can express what I have been trying to much more perfectly, purposely, and concisely!!!

HOUSTON.. WE HAVE CONTACT.... and DEEP GRATITUDE!

I have certainly reflected through the past 14 days how much more personal and continual my prayers to my father in heaven have become... as well as how much deeper , sincere and real my gratitude has become. I pray I (we) will not let any degree of that gratitude diminish over time!

The Power of Faith + the Lord's Will = Eyes opened

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?  John 9:10


The miracle we have been praying for has begun to be witnessed. Yesterday Ronald became increasingly able to make purposeful movement from his head to his toes. He kept his eyes open about 60% of the day. No eye tracking or connection yet but Doctors say that comes back slowly after such traumatic experiences.  " How were thine eyes opened"? We know it to be the power of faith combined with the Lord's merciful will for this awesome warrior! We are absolutely certain there is no coincidence in the timing of this sweet miracle. We are running out of words to express our gratitude for the power that is being drawn down from heaven because of the faith of people like you.  We hope to sometime soon get some pictures on here, we are just trying to be sensitive 

THE MIRACLE OF BEING ABLE TO SEE THOSE BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES!!

            ANOTHER  MIRACLE  DAY......  because we had another day and that 
                                 in and of itself is  ANOTHER   MIRACLE!!!

BEST NEWS: Ronald opened his eyes, both of them to the point that you could see both pupils
                         completely!! It was soooooo nice to see those beautiful blue eyes of his again!
                         So, we have certainly made some much desired progress. He will SLOWLY 
                         open both eyes when being spoken to and keep them open as long as he can and
                         then he seems to get very tired and will close them again, until he is spoken to and
                          will continue the same thing until we just let him sleep un interrupted! It has been
                         really hared this afternoon to leave him alone with out wanting him to show us
                          his eyes over and over! 

NOT AS GREAT NEWS: Still really have not made real "contact" as he doesn't track things with
                          his eyes yet or look as those he is responding , or following any requests. Apparently
                          after such trauma as septic shock this may take longer to "reinstate"....possible as
                          we would  hope to see his organs slowly try to improve over the next few weeks,
                           his brain and cognition should also be able to improve as well!

                           Also, for some reason, unknown to the doctors, he will go a fairly long time with
                          stable blood pressure and then OUT OF NOWHERE his blood pressure will take
                         a huge dive and then a few minutes later will spike back up too higher and sometimes
                          continue this for several minutes and so they end up tying to figure out a balance 
                         of heart pressor med(for low pressure) and mild sedation med (for high pressure)
                         until he is stabilized and then they ease him off of both meds until he starts that
                         up again. ( which can be between about 2-6 hours later) The doctors are finding
                         this highly unusual and pretty baffling. If anyone out there has heard anything like
                         this or has any ideas of what is triggering this/treatment please leave a comment for
                          us. Meanwhile..... 

                Thank you so very much for your care and concern and for you faith , fasting, prayers and love!!
                Just want to close this post with a thought just sent home this week from our darling, brave and 
              faith filled Sister Selleka Simmons which secured more of my perspective and need to pray to  my
                                                               Father  in Heaven:

".I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me!         -CS LEWIS

This past year and these past couple of day the need to pray defintiely has flown out of me. I am so gratelful for the true and undeniable power that comes from prayer and fasting!

                                                        SURE LOVE YOU ALLLLLLL!

                         

AWAKE and ARISE!!!!

"Let them AWAKE, and ARISE, and COME FORTH, and NOT TARRY, for I, the Lord, command it"

Ok Everyone!!! We really need to get Ronald to "WAKE UP" out of this deeper sleep than

intended or expected! Nothing seems to be working right now and no one is really understanding why. There are many possibilities but nothing at all conclusive.

We would like to invite all, young and old, no matter religious affiliation- no matter where you live or how well you know Ronald or our family to join us in a unified fast

throughout the day tomorrow, Friday August 15th. We would like to petition the Lord for his blessing to "Let RONALD AWAKE and ARISE, and COME FORTH out of this 'sleep' and 

NOT TARRY any longer in this coma state..but restore his cognitive faculties- for we know it is possible that if it can and is His will....the Lord can Command it"....

....but if not....we may know with a surety it is not to be at this time!

There really is NO WAY nor words celestial enough to express to you how deeply grateful we are for the power everyone is calling upon and gathering in Ronald's and our family's behalf!! Someday after allllllllllll this fasting.... we will need to have the most glorious and festive group potluck EVER!!

WE LOVE YOU, and WE LOVE our HEAVENLY FATHER and our dear SAVIOR and are absolutely positive of there hand in this specific earthly experience and we know this is so difficult but sacred as it is helping us all to progress toward perfection as we strive to ultimately realize our divine potential.... There is just NO DOUBT!!

(we will be completing this fast at 5:00pm mst if you are interested in a unified completion)

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK is STILL ATLEAST...... ONE STEP FORWARD!!!

So...after having another very progressive day yesterday ending with our long awaited and prayed
for bowel movement as well  as even a unexpected and celebrated urination- both giving signs that his kidneys, liver and bowels have a shooting chance.... this morning Ronalds blood pressure took a
very unexpected dive and then became very irratic and wouldn't seem to normalize so he had to go back on a bit of pressor meds AND his lactate came back up again for no real obvious reason and so doctors are concerned about infection (either same one or possibly a type of pneumonia) possibly starting to fester back up. ALSO... he is still unresponsive and staying in what appears to be a coma-type state and so they have decided to administer a full body cat scan to see what they could be missing. It's not really making sense and adding up too obviously or clearly so they are covering all the bases again until get some answers, so they started another antibiotic as well!

SOOO.... not as wonderful update as we were hoping for yet still so thankful that he continues to show regular bowel activity and is make some of his own urine and that is truly a blessing.

We would really appreciate the tender mercy of Ronald regaining his cognition as immediately as can
be granted and so that is what we are petitioning the Lord for this time of the day and on this road of the journey! We continue to invite you to join with us!

We choose to follow the counsel in 2 Nephi 31:20:
"Wherfore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ having a BRIGHTNESS OF HOPE, LOVE OF GOD and OF ALL MEN.  Wherefore if you PRESS forward, FEASTING UPON THE WORD of CHRIST and ENDURE TO THE END, behold, thus sayeth the Father: YE SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!".... Sounds marvelous and celestial to me!!... LETS DO IT!!!!

We LOVE you all SOOO much!!


(PS:  I think I would like to restate and correct (a more accurate way) the title of this particular post- the correct interpretation should be ... "50 MIRACLES GRANTED AS WE MOVE FORWARD,  AND EVEN IF A MILLION SET BACKS COMING AHEAD is STILL......... EXTRAORDINARILY and TRULY BLESSED!")

THE EXTREME BLESSING of DRAWING UPON THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH, POWER and COMFORT

What an amazing source of strength, of power and of comfort is available to each of us. He who knows us better than we know ourselves. He who see the larger picture and who knows the end from the beginning has ASSURED us that He WILL be there for us to provide HELP IF we but ASK. We have the promise "Pray always, and be believing and ALL things shall work together for your good'"(d&c 90:24).  
                                                                               -President Thomas S. Monson


So Ronald is continuing to beat the odds (the medical odds) and has had another bump up in his overall improvement of health status.  Listen to all the good news:

Currently he has been taken off the dialysis machine, all sedation meds, all heart pressor meds, in fact all meds except his antibiotic and his glucose and medicines to try to stimulate his bowels!

His current labs have now shown that his liver and kidneys are beginning to recover which in itself is just another grand miracle. Of course full recovery of these vital organs will takes much time but it has been such a sweet relief to see signs that they just may do that eventually! So powerfully blessed!!

Meanwhile.... he still in what is being termed a Ammonia induced coma... to simple explain this...When Ronald's body went into septic shock his body released increased amounts of ammonia which in itself causes self sedation. The only way to rid his body of the increased ammonia is through a bowel movement.  Unfortunately his bowels, although having been stimulated and medicated to do so, are not coordinating! SO!!! After deeply and sincerely thanking our Father in Heaven for the shower of miracles he has granted us thus far we are addressing the Lord humbly with our great desire for Ronald's body to be blessed with an prompt ability to have healthy and activate bowels in order to expedite his ability to remove this sedating ammonia from his body and
assist in Ronald regaining cognition and faculties to their full capability!!!!  We would once again invite any and all to join with us on praying for Ronald's bowels to begin to function properly and effectively as soon as possible!!

We are all so full of gratitude for our enormous and faith filled army of friends and family that is most certainly joining forces with the Lord to sustain our family and even more specifically our unbelievably strong warrior  as we all continue to fight this powerful yet sacred battle!! 

We love you all and please know we are praying daily for all of you, that you and your families will be not only blessed for your true love, compassion and faith but that all the blessing available for you will be increased and magnified for the overall well being of each of you!!

So grateful for another blessed day of love, gratitude, and even more miracles!!



 .

MIRACLE TO HAVE THE FAITH AND POWER TO DO WHATSOEVER IS EXPEDIENT!

"...the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ , that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power there of; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men (to US).
For Christ hath said; If ye will have faith in Christ ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."

The sweet distilling of tender miracles have blessed our current mortal adventure. These sweet miracles have taken many forms and have been bestowed through incredibly unexpected yet perfectly orchestrated means. Throughout the night last night the Lord bestowed upon Ronald the 'power to do whatsoever was expedient'...that miracle of power today was that of allowing the ability to finally start extract more fluid from his body than was being pumped into his body..... THREE LITERS so far!!

This may not sound like such a great miracle but it truly is....just by that fluid being extracted so far it has allowed is heart much less pressure around it so it is pumping strongly  which made it possible to pull back on many strong blood and heart medicines that had been also  increasing all that fluid buildup and allow the ability to finally extract greater amounts of fluid pressure which is absolutely necessary for his kidneys, liver and bowels to be revived! With just the 3 liters his heart is pumping so wonderfully and his blood pressure so much better, he has received some respiration in his kidneys and they have finally detected some bowel sounds (which at this point are some of the most beautiful and sweet sounds ....just amazing what one can take for granted , and bowel sounds are one thing I most certainly have). Ronald is still currently in what is now referred to as mostly a self induced sedation, meaning between the sedatives given to him within the past few days (that have not been completely metabolized due to inefficient liver and kidneys) along with the fact that once his heart finally was relieved of so much fluid pressure he is now more able to "relax" much more than ever in the past 5 days, he is most likely allowing himself an extremely deserved deep sleep while trying to recover.

He looks good, his body has responded more positively and more rapidly in the last 24 hours that ever since tuesday morning!!! All involved medical personnel are thrilled and uplifted by these "expedient"/miraculous new development... even saying word like "very optimistic" and "hopeful"...and we all know that both words are wonderful ingredients that will continue to ignite all of our faith-the kind of faith that produces that promise of power to do whatsoever thing is expedient.... what is next to be expedient , we do not know, we would absolutely love it to be that Ronald's liver and kidneys "refresh and respond" faster than medically expected, but whatever is to come, we are sure the Lord is captaining ever single whit of what has, what is, and what is yet to become!!

WE LOVE YOU ALL beyond measure and certainly ability to comprehend! We continue to plead with you to join with us on this most current unexpected adventure!!!...We truly feel and NEED the power you are extending!!

Another Glorious Day for Miracles

We have been so miraculously blessed to be given another day to be supplied with blessings. The doctor consult today was that they are going to try to increase the fluid output a bit more aggressively today because his gut is not working well at all or receiving near the blood flow it desperately needs to heal. Please petition with the Lord with us to bless his kidneys, bowels and liver to begin to perform their proper form and function as soon as absolutely possible. Any input? Questions? Thank you for being so available for our family. Your friendship comes with such powerful peace.

A time of Miracles

On Tuesday August 5, my dad woke up with an 104 degree temperature and fainted and was taken back to the Huntsman cancer institute. Upon further testing it was found that he has Eccoli with gram negative rods and sepsis. This is common for cancer patiences to get during chemotherapy treatments, but for my dad this came very unexpectedly and progressed rather quickly. Over the course of the past couple of days it has resulted in a more serious problem  than originally thought.

As of right now, he is still in the Huntsman Cancer Institute they are working on creating an immune system for him as seeing that his immune system is down due to his last round of chemo. They have intubated him and are working on getting dialysis set up to help get his kidney and liver functioning again. Today is a critical day for success and recovery. He is sedated, and under antibiotics as well. He can hear all of us but due to his state can't respond but we know he is listening and wanting to chat with us. Each day we have seen miracles that remind us just how in charge our Father in Heaven is. We have been blessed to see how mindful the Lord is of us.

We ask for all of the fasting and prayer you feel to join with ours to petition the Lord for any miracles that are able to be reserved for Ronald and his recover. We know miracles are possible to witness and that angels minister on this earth today and we pray for all of the power and help available at this time that is according to the Lord will. We love all the calls and questions but we ask that you leave comments, questions and anything you want on this blog, and please try to communicate via text only outside of this blog.  We have and continue to feel the power and love that has been already extended in our behalf! Now go love your serve, forgive, and deeply love your families!! Thank you for loving ours!

Update!!!

hey everyone!
I know its been a while since anyone has updated this blog. We have all been occupied with other things.

As for my dad: He just finished his 5th round of chemo!! The doctors are calling him "in remission". This means that he won't have to go and do more chemotherapy unless the cancer starts to appear in his blood again. This means no more hospital stays. He goes in for transfusions and will go in once a month to check his blood. This is truly a wonderful thing! None of us know if the cancer is really gone for good but we like to celebrate the fact that he has made it this far and done so well.

This blog is called unexpected adventures, and as all of you can tell we have had more than just the cancer. We as a family, have learned so much. We know that we don't understand everything but we continually hold on to the truth of eternal families. We know that no matter what this life brings, we will be together forever.


Thank you all for your prayers and love and support. We continually feel your love and faith. We know that we have added strength from you , our angel on the other side, and our wonderful family member who is serving a mission ( she is doing fantastic btw).

We will try and keep you posted on what other unexpected adventures arise :)

CELEBRATION OF RYLAN'S ETERNAL LIFE!

For those able to join us to celebrate Rylan's eternal life, we will be holding services for that  on Monday, April 21 at 11:00 am at the Marriot-Slaterville 2nd ward chapel located directly next to our home at 161 north 1500 west Marriott-Slaterville, Utah. You will be able to see and spend some time with Rylan between 9:30am-10:40am prior to those services! Whether you are able to attend or not, we KNOW of your love and support and Rylan is also very aware of your love for him and concern and compassion for our family!