A few days after Tracy got back to Africa, after just being in Utah for Conner and Taylor's wedding, we got a call that my parents were coming home from their mission. Surprise! At first we thought we had the weekend to prepare for them, but then as the doctors starting looking at what was happening with my dad's heart, they decided that he needed to come home immediately. The very next day they were on a flight from Rwanda to Utah with my sister Tracy (the mission mom and nurse) accompanying them.
My dad's heart rate had been slowing for a few weeks and was averaging about 30 bpm. The doctors were wondering how he was even conscious at that rate. They talked about sending him to South Africa because they were worried he may not even make it to the USA. As everyone discussed the options they all felt good about sending him to Utah, so we got ready for them!
We emptied out Peter's bedroom at Lee and Tricia's house (they were in Hawaii on a family vacation), and brought in my parents bed from storage. Then on Sunday, June 10th we went to the airport to welcome home our missionaries. We waited for awhile until we realized that we were at the wrong terminal, and needed to be at the international terminal (luckily Conner came and got us before they arrived). We ended up leaving Corban sitting in the other terminal bravely holding his sign, all alone. Poor kid. Bump realized shortly after we got to the international terminal that Corban wasn't with us and ran over to find him. Corban did what any good scout would do and just waited there for us to come and find him. He only cried a little bit when he finally saw his dad. We won parents of the day on that one.
When my parents came out they were so surprised to see us all standing there holding signs for them! They have never had an airport welcome home before (last mission they just drove home). So they got a bit teary when they saw everyone. It was a nice surprise.
A few of Tracy's kids were there, my family, Jared's family, and even Uncle Jack came!
After we got everyone loaded up in the cars Tracy said that she felt that my dad needed to go right to the hospital ER. So, I took them straight to IMC in Murray and dropped them off. Tracy was glad to have doctors around and not need to be the one responsible for my dad's health any more. After a few hours in the ER, the doctors felt that my dad could leave and set up follow up care with cardiologists, etc. I think my parents were glad to be in good hands.
That evening the stake president of Lee's stake came over and released my parents as missionaries. It was a very sweet thing. Many tears were shed, but it was right that they were finished.
For the next few weeks my dad had several doctors appointments, and was able to get in to see some specialists that normally would have taken months to get in to. Between appointments we got to spend some time doing fun family things, like watching Lewis and Ed play in their championship baseball tournaments.
Waiting at the cardiologists office.
After doing a stress test on my dad's heart they noticed something that concerned the doctors. So, they scheduled an angiogram on my dad's heart. They ended up putting 2 stints in his heart. He had one 90% blockage and one 80% blockage that were just heart attacks waiting to happen. He still has a slow heart rate, but we know that the angiogram and stints that were put into his heart saved him from having a massive heart attack. They saw signs in his heart that he has already had one heart attack and didn't know it.
Photo of his heart before the stints (pen markings showing his blockages)
After the stints were put in.
My dad still has some things to do to get his heart better, but we are so glad that he is home and close to good health care. I am sure that the Lord has more in store for him in this life.
Welcome home Elder and Sister Wright!
