Grizz's Growls

For Cecelia

2004-07-31T11:30:00.000-07:00

I need to take a bit time here to express my gratitude to a wonderful mother-in-law. Gramma Grizz, a.k.a., Cecelia Hayhurst, has been “on-call” since Grizz and I could not drive. Cecelia has taken Grizz to and from clinic appointments, to and from hospital, to and from the UAMS emergency room late at night; she has taken me shopping and to my doctor appointments. She has run errands and done many things that I was not able to do. Cecelia has been patient, and has basically put her life on hold in order to be available to us 24/7. THANK YOU MOM. We love you and appreciate everything you have done for us and are doing for us.

Love,
Ana and Grizz

Hurry up and WAIT!!!

2004-07-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

We are still at UAMS awaiting the commutation of Grizz's sentence. I hope to sleep in my own home tonight, without the interruption of the necessary ins and outs of the healthcare professionals. Just one more round of specialists and off we go, although the longer we wait the more I am inclined to think it may be tomorrow before I can see my cats again. Ah, well, it is not like I have to be home a specific time.

More later as I find out more.

2004-07-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

Grizz is doing much better and will most likely be released to go home some time tomorrow. He will continue on prophylactic antibiotics for a time and one of the neurosurgeon nurse practitioners suggested that Grizz try quinine for the muscle spasms and cramps in his left quadriceps. It seems quinine has more uses than gin and tonic and malaria. That DOES NOT mean he can live on Bombay Sapphire and tonic water!!! ( I know because I asked), however, an occasional gin and tonic never hurt anyone.

Many people have asked if there was anything that they could do for us. If these folks are serious about their offers, then please consider donating blood in Grizz’s name.
T. “Grizz” Hayhurst
POB 339
Damascus AR 72039
Thanx, and remember each pint of blood donated can help a dozen people or more. Besides, you can get a cookie and coke if you donate! Not to mention the feeling you get when you know you are REALLY helping someone.

Mama Ana

Just a brief update

2004-07-27T07:53:00.000-07:00

Grizz had a CT assisted* biopsy done on a pocket of fluid that had formed beneath the incision site. The culture report indicated that there is nothing but Grizz inside of Grizz (no infection). Yeah!!

We are waiting to see Dr. Pait to find out when we get to go home. One of us will post more later.

*CT is used to guide the needle to the right place.

Status is not Quo

2004-07-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well, Folks, Things have been normal around here…that is, organized chaos. Grizz is back in UAMS. There have been some problems with the incision site and they are going back in tomorrow (20040726). He had to drink a contrast fluid and they took some “pictures” just a bit ago. I am told that this is not that unusual to occasionally have some complications with the type of procedure that Grizz underwent. Once again, I am being allowed to stay in the room with him (Dr. Pait ordered a private room because of the infection potential) and I bribe the staff with Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses, oh, I mean anti-oxidant nutritional supplements. I have a very comfortable bed to sleep in, bedding, and the run of the general supplies. It does not hurt that I offer to change his bedding and bathe him, which allows the patient care technicians to actually do health care instead of maid service. I even get access to the goody refrigerator, filled with an assortment of fruit and moo juice. I will update tomorrow as I find out more. I can be reached at 501 733 0754 (cell phone), but my time is cheaper after 1900CST. Room # is 205, 501 614 2212, but if that number is busy, I am probably online. Once again, Grizz would prefer no flowers or cards. Just send a bit of positive healing energy our way.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation for all those who came to Morgan’s memorial service last Monday. To all of those who came up and hugged my neck and hugged Grizz with their support, I cannot convey how much it meant and means to us. Morgan will always be a part of us.

Blessed Be to all,
Mama Ana

The Passing of a Great Man

2004-07-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

It is with great sorrow that that I am posting this. Around noon today, we received a telephone call from the son of a very close family friend. Morgan Hetrick, of Heifer Creek Airport and Ranch, Springfield AR, was horribly injured in a fire following a general aviation aircraft incident at the HCAR this morning approximately 0900CST. I just received the phone call (2047CST) to let me know of his passing.

He went the way he wanted to go. He loved flying more than life itself. On many occasions he stated that life was not worth living if he could not fly.

William Morgan Hetrick came into this world on 7 December 1931. When he was about 12 years old, he bought a motorcycle to run his paper route with. His parents and grandparents were uneasy with him riding this contraption, and offered Morgan a deal he could not refuse. They would help him buy an airplane if he would just get rid of that scary two-wheeled menace. At the tender age of 14, William Morgan Hetrick was a captive of flight. He has since flown everything non-military that flies, from gliders to commercial jets and everything in between. Fixed wing single and multi-engine, rotorcraft, jets, turbo-props, motor gliders, sail planes, experimental aircraft of all stripes. And some things that he has flown, he would not say much about.

Morgan flew for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. He was Richard Nixon’s private pilot before Nixon became president. Glen Campbell was best man at Morgan’s wedding. He imported exotic animals from Africa and South America. He was a test pilot for Bill Lear, and holds multiple STCs (the aircraft equivalent of a patent) including one for an anti-skid braking system for aircraft. He was qualified to instruct students on any civilian aircraft, commercial or experimental or homebuilt. He restored and rebuilt, with the utmost love and respect for the machine, many antique aircraft. One was a 1928 Travel Air 4000.

Morgan’s love of flying was shared with his students and apprentices. Nothing delighted him more than to watch a first solo flight.

There is no way to determine the influence Morgan has had in everyone who was ever fortunate enough to intersect his life. He will be sorely missed by all. Those who where fortunate enough to participate in his life will keep Morgan’s memory alive every time they take off a grass strip or tighten the brake lines on the landing gear.

Grizz and I were some of the more fortunate ones, as we were granted the privilege of living and working with Morgan and his wife Joyce at Heifer Creek Airport and Ranch. We will miss him terribly.

We send our best wishes to his family and friends in their time of loss.

Our thoughts are also with the survivors of the incident, David Howlett, Bill Welshman, and a minor whose name cannot be released at this time. All three will recover physically, but the emotional loss will take longer to heal.

Blessings to all, the Hayhurst Family

Home Again

2004-07-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

All is well as I am home again. I was released this morning and made the trip home in comfort and ease. I highly recommend injectable morphine for a smooth ride. Called ahead and picked up my favorite burger on the way through Damascus. Just go to JDs and ask for a Grizz Burger and you will get a world class big bacon cheese burger with the works (mustard not mayo). If you like burgers, you have to try this one. Anyway I got here about 2:00. It will take a little time to get up to speed but I will stay at it.

Almost Home

2004-07-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Grizz is doing better each day. He has been walking more, and I smuggled a Backyard Burger (with pepper jack cheese) and some fries to him for his lunch today. He was starting to go through withdrawal as he had not had a burger since last week Wednesday. He was about to be released today to go home, but the dressing on the incision site was not dry enough to suit the RN. They want it to be pretty much dry for most of the day before they will release him. Hopefully tomorrow, things will be dry enough to suit everyone, and we can go HOME.

Grizz is really doing well. Dr. Pait said that the challenges that were presented in this procedure were greater than Dr. Pait had anticipated when studying the MRI and CT scans. I have always known that Grizz is special. Dr. Pait has done this procedure at least 400 times before, but Grizz made him work harder than any of the others.

Steven Dunlap of AGFC stopped by yesterday for a visit. All is well with him and his lovely wife Mindy and their three children, Katy, Jonathan, and Nathan.

I cannot say enough good things about the staff of health care professionals here at UAMS. From the housekeeping staff to the patient care technicians to the nurses and the residents, all have been kind, considerate, and very professional. I would not recommend this place for a vacation, but if you require hospitalization, this is the place to be. They have let me stay with Grizz since he was admitted. The recliner in the room is very comfortable and I am provided with all the bedding I need.

Hopefully, Grizz will be up to doing the next post for this blog himself. Thanx for putting up with the rambling of his ditzy wife.

Mama Ana

Post-Op day Three

2004-07-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

I did not get to UAMS until 1100. When I got here, they were changing the dressing on the incision site so I did not stick around. Those who know me know that I am a WIMP. At any rate, the IV stand is gone, along with the oxygen tubes up Grizz’s nose, and the morphine pump. His is on oral pain meds now (Percocet, I think). He has been walking much better (still with the walker), and may get to actually walk around in the hallway and go outside for a bit tomorrow. YEAH!!!!! His appetite is a bit down, but that is probably from the morphine. Ian, Daniel, and Brian from the Boy Scout summer camp staff stopped by yesterday for a quick hello and brought Grizz some real coffee. It was a nice surprise for him.

Thanx again to all.

Grizz, Two Days Post-Op

2004-07-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

Grizz was a bit restless last night, however, he slept better than the night before. As soon as the doctors make the rounds, Grizz got out of the bed and, using a walker, walked around the room several times today. He is looking better, and says he feels a bit better, too. I want to thank all who have sent their best wishes our way, and express my gratitude to all those (and you know who you are) who have helped us out. Thanx to those who came out and mowed the yard for us over the last several months, those who acted as drivers and errand runners, and those members of our extended family who have been here for us both for what ever we needed. I will be going home this afternoon, but will be back at UAMS first thing tomorrow morning.

Grizz Post-Op

2004-07-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

This is the latest and greatest about Grizz and his MAJOR back surgery. He went under the knife on 1426 2 July 2004, and came out of surgery at 2130. Dr Pait of UAMS was the wielder of the scalpel. He said that Grizz came through the surgery with flying colors, and not too many surprises, other than the fact that Grizz put up with the pain for so long. There is no paralysis, and Grizz has already commented this morning (about 0800) that his back did not hurt….but the incision site on his left side did. They sliced him open just under his left ribs from front to back, dumped his guts in a bucket, cut out L3, replaced it with a carbon lattice block, mortared the carbon block with the removed vertebra, then used two rods screwed into vertebra above and below the block to stabilize the area. His guts were dumped back into place, and the incision closed. He will be in UAMS room 207 for five to seven days. Send no flowers, please, just money. Thanx to all of you for you positive thoughts and good wishes.

Love to all,
Mama Ana, a.k.a. Biscuit Wench, Mizz Grizz

Back Surgery

2004-06-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not know I am going to have back surgery July 2nd at UAMS.

I will be using this blog to keep all of ya’ll informed. We are taking a laptop and Ana will be posting updates while I am under.

I am very fortunate that my back is so screwed up it is an interesting challenge for Dr. T. Glen Pait. I am going to have the front half of my 3rd lumbar vertebra removed and replaced with a carbon block. The incision will be on the side of my abdomen so they can work from the front of my spine. I am expecting to be in hospital for a few days and then home for a few months recovery. I hope to be back out and about a least part time by Thanksgiving. Look for me at the Petit Jean Rendezvous.

The very best federal scientists available?

2004-06-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another small bit of news overlooked by most of the “Liberal, Left Wing, Bush Hating Media”.

You see we (the U.S.) loan scientists to the World Health Organization aka WHO. Until now, WHO has requested specific scientists with specific expertise, and we (the U.S.) have honored the requests. The specific scientists go out in to the world and, putting science above politics, represent us (the U.S.) in a positive way.

No more! The Bush administration now requires a politically appointed hack, William Steiger, a special assistant to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, to approve each request. Only scientists that advocate official U.S. policy first and scientific policy second will be approved for loan to WHO.

Therefore; we (the U.S.) will no longer provide scientific consultation to WHO for anything the compassionate conservatives don’t like, including, but certainly not limited to, global warming, AIDS, stem-cell research, birth control (except abstinence experts), evolutionary studies and anything else they (the compassionate conservatives) find goes against their (the compassionate conservatives) limited Theo political view of the world.

I know we (the U.S.) will all sleep better from now on knowing we (the U.S.) are represented in the world scientific community by the very best federal scientists available, who can pass the administrations screening test.

The lies continue

2004-06-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

OK so enough of this bullshit about not showing flag draped coffins because of respect for the families of dead service people. We aren’t talking about combat photos or dead bodies. Were talking about large numbers of anonymous boxes. Let’s cut the crap and tell the truth. We don’t want the American people seeing what this war cost us every day. Go see Fahrenheit 9/11. Go read about how the prez and vice prez skipped out on their duty to serve. Pay attention to what is going on. Do something. Bitch out loud in a coffee shop. Register to vote. Get our people home. We don’t have to continue to pay with lives for Bushes unjustified war.

Grizz's first Growl

2004-06-21T17:31:00.000-07:00

I am Grizz and this is my firts blog post. I will be ranting about all manner of things I think you might want to give some thought. I'll link you to current news bits I find of interest such as this http://radio.about.com/library/weekly/aa082603a.htm