Back in Utah County

The surgery to clean the infection out of Heidi's head went really well! She has now been moved to a rehab center in Provo.

Heidi is doing very well. She is talking more and her voice is getting stronger. She rides a bike in physical therapy and walks with help. She still has trouble with her eye sight (she still has double vision).

Before visiting please call Craig 801-636-9996 or Jennifer 801-636-2958

Here is a letter that was given to us by Alexander J Cowan, the following is a statement about when the incident first happened to Heidi Stay around 10:15-10:20am Monday January 26,2009

I was walking into dance class a little late and while I was putting my shoes on I heard Heidi Stay, talking to another girl, about how tired she was and that she had a head ache. As I finished putting one shoe on and about to put the other on she turned to me and asked me "can you help me out of here. My head feels like it is going to burst." I said of course and went to give her my hand. She could barely pull herself up. I thought she might be overreacting a little so I helped her up onto her feet. When she put her arm around my shoulder, she couldn't hold her own strength and was burning hot. She was so hot that I started to sweat just from her body heat. I helped her out of the class but while we were walking out she was complaining about her head but holding her stomach area. She couldn't take any light at all and had her head buried into my shoulder. When we got out of the ballroom in the MC I took her over to a chair. She wanted me to get her stuff so I had someone stay with her while I went back into the ballroom to get her belongings. When I got back out there she was lowering herself to the floor. She did not fall on the floor, but you could tell that gravity was playing a part. I saw her go from the chair onto the floor and at no time did she strike her head on the ground. She laid on her stomach so that she could hide her eyes and said that she felt like she was going to throw up and she needed water. At this time I could barely understand what she was saying, extremely mumbled and broken speech beside this she had said nothing, just grunts of pain and exhaustion. Someone had come over to us and I had him stay with her while I went to get the water. When I returned an adult was there. I went back to her side. She was barely grunting and it seemed to me that it was difficult for her to breath. I tried to communicate with her but no response, and then she had stopped responding all together. No grunts or moans, nothing just breathing. The adult there was telling me that it's all good cause she had talked to him. When he asked her name, she gave him a different name than Heidi. (I was not there when he asked this. I am just saying what he was telling me) at this time we turned her on her back and tried to open her air passage way. She was breathing steady now, as if she was sleeping. She had saliva in her mouth and air way. I tried to clear it away with a paper towel. We waited for the ambulance to come. When they arrived I stayed nearby for questioning, until they had taken her away on the stretcher.

To the University of Utah

On Saturday afternoon the nurses at the Health South Rehabilitation Hospital noticed the incision from Heidi's surgery had become infected, they started her on an antibiotic, which didn't give the desire results so Heidi was sent to the University of Utah hospital.

She had to undergo a minor surgery in which the neurosurgeon opened up the incision again and had to clean out the area. He pulled out the cap that was put in place during the original surgery in Idaho, he said that it had become infected.

The good news is that the infection was only on the surface, and that they didn't think any had gotten inside to the brain. But, just to be on the safe side they made some cultures from some brain fluid and are going to test them for any bacteria. In the even that there is any bacterial infection inside the skull, the University of Utah will derive an antibiotic specifically to treat that infection.

Isn't it a miracle what doctors can do with modern medicine!!

We are so grateful that this is only a minor issue, and that Heidi will continue to recover. Heidi's family was able to go and visit her about an hour after the surgery, she was doing so well, her only complaint was that she was really hungry (they didn't let her eat for 24 hrs) and that she had a really bad headache from the surgery. Other than that she was doing good, talking quite a bit and very aware of what was going on around her.

We want to thank everyone that is praying for Heidi, and for all the comments and support that we are getting. We really appreciate everything that everyone is doing for the Stay family during this trial.

Closer to Home

Sorry this post has taken a while. As many of you already know Heidi is no longer in Idaho. She was moved by ambulance, no flashing lights or sirens though, to the Health South Rehabilitation Hospital in Sandy, Utah.

Initially she was going to be transported to Provo but after a mix up with discharge and acceptance she no longer qualified (when she had the tracheotomy removed that disqualified her as a long term rehab patient).

We are so happy that Heidi is closer to us now. It makes it a lot easier; sorry to all those still in Idaho.

At this rehab center she will be going though a very rigorous rehab process, she will be doing different activities that will be stimulating her and helping her to get back to normal. This is a very intense program that takes most of the day (visitors are advised to only come in the evenings)

Heidi is feeling very happy to be closer to family, the night she arrived all her sisters were there to greet her, she was smiling and laughing with them. We are so happy to see Heidi in high spirits. She appears to be happy to be back in Utah, knowing that she is that much closer to home.

Heidi's parents and sisters have been sneaking her little pieces of chocolate, which she loves, even though the nurse have said that she can't have it. She is still a girl (chocolate cures everything).

She is doing really well with eating, she sometimes has a hard time swallowing some foods, since she still hasn't totally relearned how to swallow. Her physical therapist has her put her chin down against her chest, this opens the throat the best for easier swallowing.

Tracheotomy Removed

Heidi got her tracheotomy out and she is doing really well. She is beginning to make sounds and can talk a little bit, though the words are very raspy and quiet.

Bishop Sevy gave her another blessing, in it he said, angels are with her...before she came to earth she knew that she would have to go through this trial. And that she will be a blessing to many people because of what she is going through and that she needs to be patient.

With the tracheotomy out she can eat more, she really likes the pudding, and she is getting stronger, she can sit up straighter.

She is still doing her therapy (physical, occupational, and speech), they are still working on getting her to swallow better.

She is gaining a better understanding of why she is in the hospital, and she is very determined to get better.

When Craig (Heidi's dad) and Aubrey (Heidi's sister) came in tonight to visit she shed a tear she was so happy to see them.

Sister Sevy came and brought her some Valentine's Day balloons, and a nice letter. Jennifer (Heidi's mom) wants the letter posted, it will be posted later.
The letter talks about everything that has happened the last couple of weeks and all the many blessing and miracles that have happened to Heidi.

Brenda Jamison (Craig's second cousin) has come and given Heidi foot massages every day - Jennifer says Heidi loves it and is so grateful that Brenda comes and helps out.

Some more pictures from this last weekend

Tuesday update

Heidi is doing so good. She has been able to breathe on her own now (the tracheotomy is still there though). She is doing really well with her physical therapy.

She is still in the ICU and has a lot of recovery to do still, the doctor told us that she would probably be in ICU for 2-3 weeks still.

She became a little more aware of her surroundings today, she wrote on a white board "Am I dreaming", and then started to cry, we believe that she is just beginning to understand the magnitude of her injury.

Today during physical therapy she saw herself in a mirror (for the first time) she just looked at herself with short hair, and just reached up and touched her hair.

She still has a long way to go, but has already come so far. We are so proud and grateful for the miracles and progress that she has made.

Benefit Concert Pictures

Plugging Along

Heidi is doing good, a lot better than she was a week ago. The progress is a miracle. I don't want to make everyone think that she is jumping out of bed or anything. But she is awake quite a bit now, and she is signing letters to communicate more. She has started some more physical therapy, they want to have her walking, she has been taking a few steps the last couple of days (with a lot of assistance)

Yesterday and again today she was walking in physical therapy (she went about 40 feet) but she did need a lot of help, she is really proud of her accomplishments. When we saw her yesterday that was the first thing she signed to us, was that she was walking.

She still has a lot more to do, she is still a long was from walking by herself. The doctors say that she might be well enough to transport to another hospital in Utah in 2-4 weeks, so she still has a ways to go, and a lot more recovery to endure, but she is a fighter. She really looks forward to her therapy sessions, she really wants to get better fast.

The Benefit Concert was Awesome

The benefit concert was so good, we really want to thanks Brad, Jared, Juan, and everyone at Locus Live Music that got it put together.

We want to thank the bands for donating their time and talents for Heidi, and also all the people that came to support a good cause. We will be posting some pictures shortly.

We are so thankful for all the donations and sponsors that helped out.

We really liked the Staystrong shirts that were made for the concert.

Heidi Stay Donation Account @ Zions Bank

Several people have been asking us to set up an account for donations. Because they want to help out.

We set up an account for Heidi at Zions Bank, its the Heidi Stay Donation Account,

To donate all you have to do is go to any Zions Bank branch and ask to donate to the account and they can take care of it. They cannot do donations over the phone or online.

If any of you want to donate that would be greatly appreciated, contributions will go towards hospital bills, and hopefully we will be able to raise enough money to get Heidi back to Utah for rehabilitation, an expense that the insurance will NOT cover (transportation to Utah).

No one is obligated to donate but we will be grateful for any help. We have never done anything like this, so I don't know if the bank will give me donor's names or not, but we would like to thank anyone that donates.

Good Improvement

Heidi is doing really good. She is a lot more alert today than she has been. She is starting to open her eyes more often than before. She is also trying to communicate more. She has been signing letters asking all sorts of things, she appears to have more energy today than in days past, hopefully she will soon be able to keep her eyes open whenever she wants. We are so happy to see such great improvements.

Jennifer was telling her about all the people that have been visiting and about this blog, she was pulling some funny faces. She is starting to use facial expressions to communicate as well. By the look of the expressions we don't think she expected everyone to make such a big deal out it. But we all love her and want to keep everyone up-to-date.

We hope to see everyone at the Staystrong Benefit Concert of Friday.

Staystrong Benefit Concert

Some of the folks at Locus Live Music in Rexburg, ID approached Craig and asked to put on a benefit concert for Heidi. The concert will be Friday Feb 6, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. at

Locus Live Music
125 Valley River Drive in Rexburg, off 2nd East by K-Mart.

We really appreciate those that will be performing. There will be 5 bands playing.

For more information visit www.myspace.com/locuslive

The suggested donation is $5, if you don't have $5 bring what you can and come anyways, if you can bring more, that would be wonderful, we just want to fill the place and show support for Heidi!

In other news, Heidi got a tracheotomy today, the procedure went well. She is opening her eyes a little longer and more often each day.

Today she signed (using sign language letters only) asking if she was going to fail school for missing class.

She had more physical therapy today, and she did very good, she is moving her arms and legs; still with a significant amount of help, but she is getting stronger.

Doing Good

The doctor wasn't going to be in until Tuesday so the tracheotomy got postposed until then. Heidi mostly rested today, but did have some physical therapy (the therapist helps her move her arms & legs).

She did open her eyes for a little while, as she does a couple time a day; however, this time she was able to focus her eyes a little and looked around. She looked at her bishop who gave her another blessing.

Minor Setback

As you may had read already, Heidi had her breathing tube removed. She was trying to adjust to breathing on her own. It is difficult for a person to make the transition from a ventilator to breathing own their own, especially after several days of assisted breathing. Heidi wasn't able to maintain this on her own just yet.

The doctors had to reinsert the breathing tube early Sunday morning and are going to give her a tracheotomy today (Monday). This will allow her to breath on her own as much as she can as she gradually becomes stronger and able to breath better. Having the tracheotomy will allow her to speak when she is able to, whereas the breathing tube would not.

In better news, Heidi's stake president came to visit, President Henry J. Eyring (President Henry B. Eyring's son). He looks and sounds just like his dad. He gave Heidi an incredible blessing. In it he proclaimed that Heidi would make a full recovery. He also said that there are angels in the room helping Heidi and her family, and that they are also helping the doctors. It was so incredible.

After he finished the blessing he turned to the family and with a tear in his eye said, "I'm so happy with the words I've said." -- meaning, he was so happy with the things that Heavenly Father had him say. It was very spiritual.