Our Aunt Joanne

  Sometime probably on Emery's birthday my Aunt Joanne fell down her basement stairs on the way to the laundry.  She wasn't found until later, and ended up being life flighted to the hospital in Lewiston, Idaho.  She had fractured her skull and had several bleeds in her brain.  It was a pretty serious situation, and no one was sure what would happen.  We wondered if we were going to spend our Fourth of July saying goodbye.
  It was decided that surgery would be needed to stop the biggest bleed if there was going to be any chance of the swelling to go down.  It wasn't without concerns of course because the bleeds were located in sensitive areas of the brain that could affect personality, but there really was little choice.  The surgery went well, and then we had to wait to see if the swelling went down.  The next day she was greatly improved, and responded to others and said my mother's name (which is odd since this is my Dad's oldest sister).  Friday she was sitting up in bed and convinced that she was ready to get out of bed.  When the nurses asked her what she would like to eat she told them she would like some chocolate, so for now she seems to be our Aunt Joanne still.
   Friday morning my sister Nellie and I were able to face time with her very briefly.  Her recovery seemed nothing short of miraculous.  Somehow after she fell she was able to prop herself up at the bottom of the stairs into a sitting position, and that is probably why she is still with us.  Since she was doing so good on Friday my parents came back into town to celebrate my Dad's birthday and my niece Ashlyn's birthday.  My Aunt Dianne and cousin Lisa also came along, and it was really good to see them too.  We know that Aunt Joanne has a long recovery ahead of her and we are going to take things one day at a time.  There does seem to be reason to be optimistic though.  We are grateful for all the prayers and positive energy and thoughts sent her way, and the excellent care she is receiving from the hospital staff.  Aunt Joanne is not very far from our thoughts these days.  Hopefully I will have good news to report in the days ahead.

This is from February of 2011. Starting at the top my sister Nellie and I, then my sister Alex, Aunt Joanne, and my sister DeAnna.