Sour Patch Kids, Stephen Curry, Family, Friends, Prayers, Costco Cards, & Tender Mercies

"Physical restrictions can expand vision. Limited stamina can clarify priorities. Inability to do many things can direct focus to a few things of greatest importance." (Elder David A. Bednar, Chosen To Bear Testimony of My Name, Ensign, November 2015)

We were humbled to see all the people who came to visit Tess. They brought cookies and Sour Patch Kids and hugs and Sour Patch Kids and lunch and dinner and Sour Patch Kids and balloons and stuffed animals and well, you know, Sour Patch Kids. They listened to Tess’ animated babblings about crowd-surfing, college life and Stephen Curry. If you don’t know who Steph Curry is, please don’t tell Tess because she will cry real tears for you because you don’t know how wonderful he is. At least that’s how she was in the hospital. 

Family :)

Coaches

Friends

 Friends

Teachers

And more friends with food.

(There are so many more that came that I didn't get pictures of. THANK YOU!!!!)


My daughter, Bri, took vacation days to be with Tess. She cleaned the blood out of her matted hair, and washed her body, and spent entire days just being there in case Tess needed something. As a mom, this is the ultimate payback—to see your children truly love and care for each other, to put their siblings needs above their own.

A cute boy that Tess had started dating about a month before her accident came to visit. He walked in with a stuffed monkey and Tess very excitedly asked where he got it. When he told her Costco, she was a little perplexed because how in the heck do you get into that place unless your mom is with you with her card?  “How did you get into Costco?” she asked.

“I have a Costco card,” he replied.

“You have a Costco card?” Tess gushed. “That makes you SO much more attractive.”

So, this attractive boy with a Costco card sat by her side and didn’t mind that her hair was all matted and bloody because he came before the sister worked her magic. He listened to her talk about Stephen Curry and he understood what she was talking about. He held her hand while she slept and when she would pull the oxygen out of her nose and her monitor would go off, he would very gently stick it back in her nose. He called her at nights and read scriptures to her because reading is a hard thing to do with brain damage. He talked to her about her future, a future that did not include going to school that semester and a future that did include lots of therapy. He was supportive and kind and so much more helpful than Mom or Dad even though Mom and Dad have Costco cards too.

So, here is the part of the story that happened after the hospital:

About a month after her accident, Tess was cleared to participate in any and all activities except crowd-surfing. What was supposed to be months of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, ended up being a few visits. She has no lasting effects from her accident. No headaches. Her filter is working. She doesn’t cry if you don’t know Steph Curry, although she is slightly miffed. In short, her recovery is nothing short of miraculous. She literally floated on the prayers, faith and kindness of so many.

She is back in her apartment, though not attending classes. She just got a job coaching the Freshman girls basketball team at Logan High School. And although they live 4 hours apart, she is still seeing the cute boy with the Costco card. #blessed



Some of the great people that work at University Hospital:

Nurse Laura, they're still tight.

Nurse Jeremy, no sponge bathing for him--just lots of laughing together and consumption of Sour Patch Kids.

Celine from housekeeping. She sang for Tess and told her about the Rwandan Genocide where most of her family died--a very inspirational young woman. They are now FB friends.