Dec
04
2011
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Sabbath Learning – This life is a test.

Don’t worry though it is an open book test.

This life is a test, but don't worry it is an open book test.

Written by curtism in: My Experiences | Tags:
Nov
26
2011
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A Legacy Passed On

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Spoon!!!!!!!

Written by curtism in: Family,My Experiences,Parenting | Tags: , , ,
Oct
29
2011
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A Tale of Two Seizures

What a week!

Monday started as every Oct 24th does. Nicole in the kitchen early, making a wonderful breakfast-in-bed. Presents wrapped and candles ready to be lit. It was Malia Bear’s birthday.

The smell of freshly cooked eggs wafted into my nostrils as I passed through the dining room. I quickly, yet quietly sped down the stairs to the twins room in the basement. I opened the door, flipped on the lights, and scratched Taylor’s and then Austin’s back while I hurried them upstairs to sing a rousing morning rendition of “Happy Birthday” for our Baby Bear – Malia.

They responded uncharacteristically fast and followed me back up to the kitchen where Nicole was putting the final touches on breakfast. Austin wandered around the kitchen with a peculiar wide-eyed look of befuddlement. Nicole asked him clairvoyantly, “What’s wrong?” A mumbled dismissal is all I heard. Taylor stood groggily with his comforter wrapped around his shoulders. I noticed the clock and said, “Let’s hurry. It’s 6:59 and I have to get to my weekly meeting on time.”

That is when it all started.

Austin shuffled past Taylor and I into the family room. I really didn’t think anything of it, besides having a tired teenager. Nicole screamed, dropped what she was working on and zoomed past us so quickly that she nearly created a Doppler effect. The only noise loud enough to trump her screaming was the house shaking thud of Austin hitting the floor. In the half second it took me to realize what was going on Nicole had knelt by our son and lifted Austin’s head onto her lap. I rushed to his side as well just as Nicole yelled again , “Taylor.” I looked back just as Taylor was doing a face plant into the chairs of the dining room table. I left Austin in Nicole’s capable hands and jumped over to Taylor. When I reached him I threw the chairs off of him and tried to roll him over to his back. I say tried because my first attempt wasn’t successful. The amount of force I exerted wasn’t enough. I was surprised because I’m a fairly strong guy and a 140 pd limp body should be easy to roll. That is when I realized that he wasn’t limp but rather completely rigid with his fists clenched and head back.

It struck me that I would have to put my knee in his back and use much more force to get him on his back, otherwise, he would just slide like a plank on the hardwood. I did so and was startled again. Not only was his body rigid but his neck was craned back farther than I thought humanly possible. Because of the rigidity in his entire body and neck, when I rolled him over, his full body weight was being supported, from the crown of his head to his feet, by his neck. I quickly pulled him onto my lap to relieve him from being a human bridge.

A quick glance back into the family room showed that Austin was also stiff as a board. Nicole was calling his name and saying, “Wake up, wake up, wake up.” I was doing the same with no result. We both repeated their names and futilely said anything we could think of to awaken them. Each just lay frozen with eyes wide open staring straight out with a blank focus. One of the worst parts was the horrendous raspy wheezing sound of them choking on their tongues. We continued with this routine of calling their names, pleading with them to return to reality, quick bursts of breath in their nose and eyes to evoke a startled reflex – until the sounds stopped. Each in turn had stopped breathing.

The previous panic seemed mild compared to what I was now experiencing. Panic was now terror. We blew in their faces with all the power and breathe we had to get them to gasp. Nicole was screaming and crying. Austin finally gasped for breathe after about 15-30 seconds and became conscious. Taylor did not. I was blowing and yelling his name and shaking him. Nicole screamed slap him, so I slapped him and still no response. Nicole scrambled over on the floor and said to Taylor, “Austin is awake Taylor. It’s time for you to wake up too.” Then Taylor closed his eyes and inhaled to fill his lungs again.

I held him tightly. He peered around for a second trying to get his bearings and then looked up at me with wondering eyes. I just held him. After a minute he asked, “What’s going on?” I briefly described what happened. Again, I looked at the clock above the stove and it read 7:05. It may have been the longest  five minutes of my life, especially those last 45 seconds.

I called work to let them know I wouldn’t be coming in, we sang Happy Birthday with a peppier tempo than usual, gave Malia presents and hugs, cleaned up the twins, rushed Brooke and Isaac out the door to school, dropped Malia off at our good friends house, and sped to the E.R. The doctor was great and confirmed that they were indeed seizures. Each of the twins have a history of passing out but in the past they would go limp with eyes closed or rolled back. Even though this was such a different experience the doctor said that those were most likely mini-seizures.

Thursday we took the boys back to UVRMC for an EEG and should hear back next week.

Written by curtism in: My Experiences |
Oct
29
2011
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Daddy Daughter Date. Go Cougars

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I love Brooke and we love the Cougars.

Written by curtism in: Family,Love,My Experiences | Tags: , , ,
Oct
16
2011
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Surfing with Robbie Dapper

View Video
I went surfing for the first time in my life last week and it was awesome.

This if my surf instructor ex- professional snowboarder Robbie Dapper.

 

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This was awesome. I must have stayed up an amazing 4 seconds. 🙂

Oct
12
2011
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Sunset for Brooke

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I Love you Brooke. Glad you are feeling better.

Oct
10
2011
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Happy Meals with the Homeless

Whenever I travel to big cities I am inevitably approached by a vagabond asking for a handout. For years now I have made it a habit to not only engage with them but to learn their stories. It started when I was doing my internship in New York City. I had left my family, friends, and the ones I love in Utah and had embarked on a new adventure.

My philosophy was to give to organizations that were focused on raising people from poverty and homelessness and to not give to individuals directly for several reasons. On one encounter in particular I had a small amount of change when I was asked by a homeless man for money. I pulled from my pocket a dollar and eighty six cents which I placed in his palm. He thanked me extensively while purposefully stumbling off.  Our paths diverged only momentarily because I turned around and decided to follow him to see where he would go and what he would do. I followed him into a deli/convenience store nearby. His excitement was more lucid than he was as he entered. He must have known this store though, because, he went straight for the candy isle and pulled something off the shelf. He rushed with a determination that only a starving man has. Patience abruptly interrupted his rush as he was blocked by a row of patrons waiting at the crowded checkout. Finally, it was his turn in front of the register. He put the large sized Kit-Kat on the counter and splayed the dollar and coins next to it. The clerk counted the money and shook his head to let him know that it wasn’t enough for this treat. He was confounded and overwhelmed that his prize was only a few inches away yet totally out of reach. It was apparent by the confusion and number of times that he counted the money that he was innumerate. I slid past the other patrons to the front of the line, grabbed a nearby apple (that was also outrageously priced) and placed it on the counter with my debit card. The clerk took only a second before realizing that I was going to buy this man a snack and a piece of fruit. The man took a little longer than the clerk did to connect the dots but finally realized that it was me who handed him my pocket change on the street and was also standing in front of him now. I paid. The man thanked me again profusely but for only a moment because the hunger overtook him and he ripped open the chocolate treat and started munching as he walked back out into the New York night. I didn’t get to speak another two words to him but wish I had. I wish I knew why he was on the street. I wish I knew how and where he grew up. I wish I knew what set of experiences brought him to that place.

From that day on I have been intrigued and fascinated by the stories and lives of the homeless. I still don’t give them money, but I do sit down for a meal with them and listen.

This is Maya and Ricki. Maya’s Birthday is only 2 days away from my Malia. Ricki Lost his job working at Mayflower and has struggled to find consistent work since then.Ricki does day labor whenever he can just to keep his head above water. They are homeless and living in a hotel of sorts. Maya loves Chuck E. Cheese and Happy Meals. She is full of life and can’t wait for her birthday party.

Happy Meals with the Homeless - Ricki and Maya in Chicago

Written by curtism in: Christ,My Experiences | Tags:
Sep
30
2011
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Go Cougars!!!

One of the best games I have ever seen. Talk about a comeback..thanks grampa Morley for the awesome seats.

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Written by curtism in: My Experiences |
Sep
28
2011
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Smart Women Smart Money – Melody Hillam

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Today my sister in law Melody Hillam took the stage at the Smart Women Smart Money conference. They first showed a video of her to the entire crowd and then brought her up and they (Zions Bank) gave all of her kids scholarships. Congratulations Mel. You are a smart woman, being smart with her money. Nice job.

This is a photo of her being interviewed for the news. See the KSL interview here. Check out KSL this morning at 6:00 a.m. to see Melody talk about the experience.

Sep
25
2011
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Locked INSIDE my house.

You ask, “How can this happen?” Don’t most people get locked out of their houses? Yes most people do lose keys and get locked out. This is actually the fourth time that this has happened at our house. Nicole, had just walked out into the garage with Malia and was trying to get back in. She thought that I was playing a joke on her by locking her out. For us we have had a string of faulty locks. The front door lock I have replaced twice and the doorknob to the garage I have also replaced once before. I unscrewed the casing and saw that some of the metal pieces had broken in two. Because, the pieces inside snapped I had to disassemble (ok, break it apart) it from the inside. The whole escapade only took an hour. I will go to Home Depot and exchange it tomorrow.

 

Hooray, I’m free.

Written by curtism in: My Experiences | Tags: , ,

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