Afton's Infected Lymphnode

Afton gave us a little scare and had to be hospitalized for 4 days up in Salt Lake City in Primary Children's Hospital.

We noticed that Afton's cheek was swollen on Saturday while we were still up at Sundance with the Covey family. My uncle Ryan (doctor) and Aunt Suzie (nurse) both looked at it and thought that she should go to the doctor.

My mom and I took Afton down to my Pediatrition's office and were only able to see the PA because no doctors are in on Saturdays. Ryan called and talked to the doctor on call and asked him to come see Afton. We were only able to talk to him on the phone, and they didn't think much was wrong. The PA told us to keep watching it and to come back and see a doctor if it got bigger or if Afton got a fever.

Sunday things stayed about the same. Monday morning I had the feeling to go into the Pediatritions office again. My cell phone was lost, our internet wasn't working, and I had no way of communicating with anyone except by physically going somewhere, so at about 10:00am I showed up with the kids to the office and asked if there were any open appointments. There weren't for that day, or even the next day. So they scheduled me in Lehi (about 15 or 20 minutes away) for the next morning.

We left to go home, then later run some errands. By about 4:30pm Afton started getting feverish. We went back to the doctors office so I could beg for an appointment so she could see the doctor. By the time we got there it was 5:30pm and technically "after-hours". There are no doctors in the After Hours Clinic and I knew that I would still only be able to see another PA.

We walked in and said hello again to the same receptionists that I saw earlier that morning. I began to tell my story of the reason I was there and that I really needed to see a doctor.

Fotunately one of the main administratiors was at the front desk right before he left and heard my story. He told the nurses to put Afton as the first appointment spot and to bump everyone else down. He also told me that he would call the doctor, who was at the hospital checking on the newborns, to the office from the hospital immediately so he could see Afton.

What a blessing! Everything happened so perfectly. Dr. Edwards was amazing and went right to work to get everything lined up for our little Afton. Afton had a fever of 104 degrees and the swelling in her face was still very large. He sent us immediately to the Timpanogos Hospital to get her blood drawn so it could be tested in a 3 day culture to see if anything had spread into her blood, then had us come back to the office for her to get 2 big, painful shots of Rosephin. This antibiotic is made to help bacterial infections and would hopefully cause her abcess to subside. He set an appointment with me for the following day, Tuesday, at 4:30pm in his Saratoga Springs office so he could check on her progress and possibly give her another shot of Rosephin and talk about the possibility of hospitalization.

The first day that we noticed the swelling...




On Tuesday as I was driving to take Afton to her doctor's appointment I got a call from our good friend Clare. She was crying and told me that her husband Nephi had a terrible accident where he fell off a roof 25 feet onto a cement patio, and was Life Flighted to the University Hospital. She needed to drive to the hospital immediately and had no place for her kids to go. I was already in the car and right near her house. My mom had Lance so I had enough seats in my car for her 2 children, Addy and Benson, to come with me to the appointment.

I got to the appointment with Afton, Addy and Benson and was told that Afton needed to be hospitalized at Primary Children's and to go right away. Perfect. That is right where Nephi is (Primary Children's and University Hospital are connected). So, I dropped Addy and Benson off at John and Christine's house in Lehi where they stayed until my Mom got there. She still had Lance and took Addy and Benson to a neighbors house while they waited for their grandparents (Jerry and Julie) to drive down from Idaho to be with them. Michael left work as soon as he could to meet us up at Primary Children's and Lance got to have "sleep-overs" at Nana and Papa's house for a few nights while Michael, Afton, and I were at the hospital.

Clare had been at the hospital for a few hours now and came to our room while Nephi was in surgery. We insisted that she stay in our room with us and she easily accepted. She was our "roommate" for the 4 days that we were there and kept telling us that although it was unfortunate that Afton had to be in the hospital, she was grateful that we were there so we could be with her and so she could stay close to Nephi. She slept on the couch-bed and Afton and I slept in the hospital bed together (Afton usually sleeping in her car seat, she was more comfortable there).

Clare and I spent some good time together and she has been so strong. Nephi is doing well and has been fighting for his life. He is not one to give up and everyone is very hopeful. He is in the SICU and in critical condition. He has received many blessings and Clare feels pretty peaceful and has the support of many family members.

Clare's maiden name is Engstrom, it is the Engstrom family that Michael considers his "surrogate family" and has grown very close to them over many, many years. He loves the Engstrom sisters (they are a family of all girl siblings) and Jerry and Julie very much. He has been really wonderful with Clare through these past few days and has really taken the place of "brother." He is being very protective and watchful over her and is trying to make sure she is eating okay and has a place to sleep.

Our prayers are with Nephi and it's easy to see that God has everything all planned out. As unfortunate as it is for Afton to be in the hospital, it is very fortunate that it happened just in the timing that it did.


We checked into Primary Children's and had Clare stay in our room with us. There are no real rooms where Nephi was and she wouldn't have had a place to sleep. Of course she wanted to be as close to her husband as possible, and our little room was the perfect location.

After her surgery...



They inserted a long tube in her cheek to help keep it draining.


Smiling again!

Afton finally gets to eat some chocolate pudding (which she insisted on feeding herself...) after 2 full days of NPO (Latin for Nothing By Mouth) which means that they wouldn't let her eat or drink anything. Poor girl. It broke my heart when she would sign for milk and I wasn't allowed to give it to her. I was very happy when she got to eat and drink again after her surgery.





She was happy to finally be on her feet again and not tethered down by so many cords. For most of her stay at the hospital she had her IV in her right hand, 3 cords attached to her chest, the oxygen monitor on her foot, and the blood pressure wrap around her calf.



She was a great walker before we went into the hospital, but had lost all confidence, and had been laying down so much that she forgot how to walk! It took a few days back at home before she regained her confidence and started walking again.


My mom's sisters sent Afton these beautiful flowers, balloon, and snuggly teddy bear! Thank you! The prayer and love from everyone on Afton's behalf has meant so much to us.

Our friend Nephi keeps getting better by the day and since we left the hospital Clare has been sleeping at her sister Bitty's house in Salt Lake. Jerry and Julie have been here in Utah as much as possible, the Engstrom sisters have all come, Nephi's family is all here, and there is a lot of prayers and support being given for Clare and Nephi. I will keep updating as time goes on.