Griffin Family

Waiting for surgery...a little nervous! A week or two ago Andy went back to the neurologist due to left drop foot and continued other problems.  The neurologist had done a nerve conduction study and studied all his previous MRIs.  When we returned he ordered another MRI. We completed the MRI and went back into the neurologist office.  He said that Andy needed a fusion on is L4, L5, S1; a decompression and there was a cyst that had developed and grown larger on his spine that needed removed. He referred us to a neurosurgeon. We got an appointment with Dr. Fox, the surgeon who had done Andy's neck. Dr. Fox agreed that surgery needed done and got him in less than a week later.  Surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, May 22nd.  We had to preregister and then were told to report at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.  The surgery was scheduled for 7:15 a.m.  Expected surgery time was 2 or 2.5 hours with 1/2 hour prep and post-op expected on each side...

Katie, Anna & Brian Carnevale Monday night prior to surgery we had a nice family dinner with Gma and Gpa Griffin, Eldon and Diane, Katie and Holly and us (Andy and Shelly). We had pizza and salad and Aunt Diane brought costco muffins (yummy!!!) It was so fun to relax and hang out with our family.  After dinner the Carnevale family came over. We had a short lesson about priesthood blessings and how you can get multiple blessings for different reasons. How a father might bless his son with different blessings than a bishop, stake president or home teacher.  After our short lesson President Carnevale and Gpa Griffin gave dad a blessing prior to his back surgery scheduled for the next morning. The blessing was beautiful and told Andy that he would be safe and well and be able to return to his duties as a father and in the church.  That his mission here wasn't finished and he still had many things to do.  He blessed the drs that they would be guided and...

 Aj came to town so took a quick hike in the reserve with Dallas and the twins and Holly.

Katie and Tyler Evans went to Senior Ball together.  For their day date they went to Snow Canyon rappelling.  Katie tried...she really did...but NO WAY was she going down that mountain.  She got over and then went right back up to the top!!!! They had hot dogs and water for lunch.  (The boys planned lunch...lunch of champions, haha!) For dinner they had stuffed chicken with basil and pepper, fruit salad, veggie salad and salami pepper cream cheese wrap...made by Tyler's mom.  They also went to Tyler's concert  (dang Mr. Candland for always making concerts the same night as dances anyway!) A little later they headed out to senior ball.  They made their own corsages out of roses from the yard.  They went to the dance at PVHS and then watched movies and had root beer floats at Tyler's house.  Katie made it home in time for midnight. 

 We went to the Park City @ Snow Canyon high school soccer playoff game with Andy.  Andy wrote the game up for St. George News.  His regular photographer was busy so I got to come along and take pictures for his article.  At halftime they were having a contest (find a sponsor with a "P" in the name, go tell the announcer, kick a goal, win a prize) Somehow they convinced Holly to enter and she got to kick a ball at the goal. Unfortunately it didn't go in however she still won a Zeppe's Frozen Custard slushy.