The Force

Millennium Falcon in legos  

The force is with her.  Are you ready for another miracle?  Nicole took a walk with Rustin today!  When they opened the doors to let Jeff come into the intensive care unit, he saw Nicole with the physical therapist on one side and Rustin on the other side.  She was going for a walk down the hall!  Not a slow, labored walk either; quite a brisk walk.  Unbelievable - from coma to walking within 24 hours.

A tender moment came shortly after.  She was in her bed and looked up at Rustin.  She raised her arm, put it around his neck and drew his face down near to her.  Recognition.  Love.

Now she is conscious, they took out the breathing tube; feeling confident that she can breathe on her own.  We are sure that her throat is very, very sore.

Clark, Carole & Mandy had sent notice on facebook and on the blog that anyone who wanted to come and sign a giant Star Wars poster (as big as our dining room table) was invited to drop by between 7:00 and 8:30 pm this evening.  We were overwhelmed with the number of friends, family, ward members, Apple store co-workers, and people we cherish, who came to us.  You brought confort, good will, support, and powerful faith in prayer and faith in Nicole into our home and our hearts.  It was palpable.  It was humbling.  It was FORCE-ful.

Her Apple store comrades built a Millennium Falcon out of legos for her.  It must have taken hours and hours of more than techie skill.  The caption on the card summed up the evening, "Nothing says get well soon like a Millennium Falcon".

A Hat for Nicole; Hats off to Kindness!

The day after Nicole's accident, Paul Hicks, Branch President of the LDS Church Bonneville Branch came to see us at the hospital.  One of the ex-convicts that lives at the Bonneville Center where Jeff has fulfilled a church calling for almost three years, wanted to crochet a hat for Nicole.  After hearing Nicole had undergone surgery on both sides of her brain, this kind brother asked Paul to find out what her favorite color was so that he could crochet her a hat to wear while her shaved head recovers from brain surgery.

When our stake president visited us this week, we told him of this man's kind offer.  Our president indicated that the cost of such a gift would be very great indeed, because this man was unemployed and had no income.  His is a state of subsistence living.  Although he had tried, this brother had gone many, many weeks without success in finding employment.

Today at the Branch sacrament meeting, Jeff showed me the darling crocheted cap he had made for Nicole.

Here is the rest of the story.  Paul Hicks had forgotten to get back to him and let him know Nicole's favorite color, so he just made the hat anyway.  And this week, he finally found a job.  By the way, the hat he made for Nicole just happens to be green, her favorite color.

Goodbye Coma, Welcome Back Nicole!

The doctors said that with the extent and severity of Nicole's injuries; it is a miracle that she is even alive.  Miracle One.  Today we got Miracle Two.
The trauma team came by this morning.  No response - again.  But the neurological team came by a little later - a response!  Then just after 11:00 am this morning, Nicole opened her eyes, looked at Rustin, raised two fingers on request and went back to sleep.  It sounds like a simple sequence but it meant the world to us.  It was an answer to so many, many prayers.
I feel such gratitude toward the doctors and staff of the Intensive Care Trauma Unit.  Fox, her nurse was right there when she first awoke of her own volition.  This is a big deal.  She was injured last Saturday about 9:00 pm so she had been unconscious for almost a week.  Shortly after she regained consciousness, she had a visit from the physical therapy team - moving her arms and legs.  That exhausted her.

Nicole & Rustin under the rainbow - Napali Coast, Hawaii March 2011

She has aroused a few more times today.  She cannot speak to us; she still has a feeding tube and a breathing tube in her mouth, going down her throat.  She has responded by moving her head yes or no that she feels some pain.
I can't imagine what it must be like to awake and find yourself  in a hospital with tubes in going down your throat so you cannot talk.  It must be frightening and confusing.  But darling, Nicole, we are so glad to have you back with us.
And to all who have offered prayers in her behalf. our thanks to you is profound. We can never thank you enough.  We have taken the first step on a long journey; we may stlll have a thousand miles to go but we have begun.  Now she is conscious but cannot speak, until she is able to let us know how she feels about seeing people, please no visitors.  (This is her mom just trying to protect her - I don't mean to offend anyone)

Rustin Update for September 10th

Today was the best day so far.  She is responding ! ! !  Better than that, she is answering yes and no questions by moving her head (still has the breathing and feeding tube).  It is so nice to have at least some idea of how she is feeling.
Prayer-wise this is where we are at now:
1.  We need to pray that the broken bones in her face stay ready until Thursday night's surgery.
2.  pray for her lungs to stay clean and clear
3.  pray for her ability to communicate to continue to increase.
Thank you so much for your prayers.  As always we are praying for a full recovery.

The Force Is With Her...

Hey All,

We're feeling the need to celebrate Cole's progress today! If you'd like to come by our parent's house (5256 Holladay Blvd, Holladay, Utah 84117) tomorrow night between 7-8:30pm, we'd love to have you sign a Star Wars poster we're making for her room so she knows the names of the people who have been the driving force behind her recovery this week. We are so grateful for you guys! And if you can't make it, just let me know and I'll sign your name for you. 

Please continue to keep her in your prayers. She made huge progress today, but we still need to pray that her surgery this week will go well and that she'll have a full recovery. Thank goodness for you guys! Nicole and our family couldn't do this without you. 

Much love,

Carole

Rustin Update for September 9th

Things are moving in the right direction.  Her face continues to look better as the swelling goes down.  She didn't respond to verbal commands again but they did a different test later and she did well on that.  Good signs.  Today was a big decision day and we feel confident about choices of doctors and some other things that transpired today.  Prayer-wise this is what is needed now:

1.  still praying for test response.  We have some time on this but not much.

2.  her left eye doesn't seem to be responding to light stimulation as well as the right.  Improvement would be relieving.

3.  please pray for her lungs to stay strong and clear 

and finally pray for comfort for Nicole's mom.

Thank you so much for your prayers.  It is so humbling to watch them being answered first hand.  As always we are praying for a full recovery.

Message from Carole

Nicole holding newborn niece, Gabrielle February 2010

Ok guys, we're for real this time. We gotta start praying that Cole wakes up soon! She needs to start responding and breathing well enough before Monday that the neurosurgeons feel ok about putting her under to have her face and eyes reconstructed before the broken bones set too much and really over complicate things. She's in for an 8 hour surgery here soon, but we need her brain and breathing to be ok first. Please, please send your prayers! She's getting close... I can feel it:) Love you all.

Heavenly Father Has Sent Us a Messenger - Nicole's Primary Teacher

Friday morning Jeff was at the hospital in Nicole's room.  She was still in a coma (not medically induced but her own coma).  She was still not responding to any attempts to arouse or communicate with her.  This was our most difficult day, yet.  Jeff looked up to see a pretty woman standing outside the room.  She said his name and when he got out there he recognized her.  Some twenty-five years ago, she was Nicole's primary teacher and Jeff had been her family's home teacher.  We hadn't seen her for a very, very, long time.

She told him that she had been praying that morning.  As she knelt, she felt somewhat selfish because she was pleading with the Lord about her situation; she had just lost her job and had no idea how she could go on.  The thought strongly came to her that she should get up and go to Nicole in the hospital.  So she did.

She came to tell us her story.  As a young newlywed, she and her husband were coming down Parley's Canyon one night.  A drunk driver going up the canyon in the wrong direction hit their car on the passenger's side where she was sitting.  She was in intensive care for two weeks.  Her skull was fractured.  While she was unconscious, she was on the other side and angels were with her.  She spent a lot of time with them.

When she awoke from her coma, her mother was at her bedside, weeping.  She told her, "It's alright Mom, I've decided to stay."

During her recovery two angels would come to be with her.  As she got better, she was still aware that there was one angel with her; even after her return home.  Later, as she prepared to undergo another one of several surgeries she was hoping to see her angel, but the angel was gone.

She had come to tell us that she believed during this coma, Nicole has been with angels.  

Closing our Fast at Aunt Kath's House

Lucy, Elly, Tommy, Richie, Maggie and Audrey give Rustin the Dr. Seuss quilt, pillowcase and flowers for Nicole.

For the past forty years the extended Cannon family has met in Uncle Roger and Aunt Kathleen's living room to close fasts on behalf of family members who have been critically ill, afflicted, wounded, or in need of blessings. To invoke a thought from "Fiddler on the Roof", it's tradition! At those times this room temporarily transforms into something of a celestial room for the extended Cannon family where the priesthood and faith of family members is brought together in behalf of a loved one.  Miraculously, the Jeff Cannons have mostly escaped being in need of such a fast until Nicole's accident.

At this point in time, Nicole is not the only one in such need.  My niece, Abby Hegewald's husband, Kevin, is in the final stages of his recurring battle with cancer.  As the rest of the family was meeting with us, Tom, Matt and Hyrum were in flight to Southern California to be with Abby's family.  I want them to know that our prayers are with them and Abby and her children.  Thank you Kevin, for coming to the 24th of July family party despite your pain and discomfort to let us reconnect and treasure you one more time.

We heard that Matt's daughter, little Abby Rose, refused to eat breakfast this morning because she wanted to fast at least that much for Nicole.  When I got to Nicole's room yesterday morning brightly colored flowers and decorations adorned the walls - made by Roger and Kristina Brockbank's children; Marissa, Jared, Tyler, Joshua and Allison.  Rustin had put them around the walls nearby the cards made by Kai, Jayce, and Breck Kanistaneau.  That afternoon, Tisa Edmunds came with a giant card of flowers listing Nicole's best qualities and a floral book of notes from Nicole's Miamaids.  Lucie, Elly and Samantha pinnock's delicate layered flower designs will be added to Nicole's now-cheery looking room.

Under the expert direction of Eric Olson's mom, Becky, a Dr. Seuss quilt was made for Nicole compliments of Becky's grandchildren and Nicole's favorite children to tend; Maggie, Jacob, Thomas, Richard, Audrey and their Supermom, Katie.  Anyone who knows of Nicole's happy-hearted delight in all things whimsical and comic book-colored will understand what a delight this will be to her.  The back of the quilt is edged in a Dr. Seuss fabric but the center has been left white.  In this area, the children wrote notes to Nicole and signed their names so that one day she will know that they were thinking of her while she was unconscious.  Everyone at the fast signed Nicole's quilt.  They gave us fabric pens and invite those who may want to sign her quilt to do so.  We have it in her room at the hospital.  

Rustin gave an update on Nicole's condition before we broke the fast.  He has been texting a daily report and specifying some things to pray for.  One of those was, that Nicole could breathe on her own.  That has happened.  Another was that the fluid that was building up in her lungs would dissipate.  That has happened.  Such is the power of prayer.

Jeff closed the fast for us; patriarch Uncle Rich and all the priesthood holders gave me a blessing.  R2 (the moniker we have given young Roger) later told me the during that time he felt his deceased father's presence. Aunt Kath's husband, our beloved Uncle Roger passed away in 2007 from fibrocystic lung disease.  Kathleen felt him with us last night and has also felt him in Nicole's hospital room.  Before his passing Uncle Rog wanted to make photo books for each of his grandchildren.  He wasn't able to do this, so Nicole took on the project and finished an Apple photo book filled with pictures of Uncle Rog with each of his grandchildren for them to remember their "papa" and how much he loved them.  Wherever Nicole's spirit is during this comatose period, we suspect that Uncle Rog, and Granny and Grandad are nearby.  

Our son, Scott, and wife Mitzi gave us a new granddaughter on Friday September 2nd.  Little piper was born just one day before Nicole's accident.  Again in my life, I find great joy mingled with great sorrow.  Scott  got Mitzi, Corbin, Gabby and the baby home from the hospital and settled, then left to join us with Nicole.  Mitzi, thank you for sharing Scott with us in our time of need.  I am sure this was a struggle for you.  

Jeff, Clark, Scott and I left Aunt Kathleen's and went to the hospital with Nicole's quilt.  While there, Scott annointed, and Jeff sealed a beautiful blessing on Nicole.  I felt peace for the first time since the accident.  I felt love.  I felt able to go on.  

Lastly, a word about Aunt Kath.  This wonderful woman has been right with me at each and every crisis of my married life.  Nicole's tragedy is no exception.  The words of psalm 23 continually go through my mind this way - "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me and so is Aunt Kathleen.  

Rustin Update for September 8th

Today was a good day.  Your prayers have been heard and Nicole is being blessed.  The fluid in her left lung is basically gone now.  The swelling in her face continues to go down, and her color gets better and better.
She didn't respond to the tests today the way the doctor wanted, but they all enjoyed how she DID respond.  When the doctor pushed on her chest and asked her to show him a thumbs up, she literally tried to push him away.  It was a good sign.  Not what they wanted, but good.
We are told to make our prayers specific so here is a prayer update:
1.  still pray for reduced swelling in her checks and neck
2.  pray that she will respond to her tests
And as always we are praying for a full recovery.  Again, thank you so much.