Music Therapy & Good Friends

I've always believed music has the power to change our lives and empower our mental capacity for good. My former business partner and good friend Jeremy Barron spends his time devoted to blessing other people's lives. He invited a few of our friends in the Utah music scene to my hospital room for a few hours of laughter and music.

Joining me and my wife were Peter Breinholt, Ryan Shupe, Sam Payne, Russ & Kindee Dixon, Charley Jenkins, and my favorite female vocalist Mindy Gledhill.

Thought I would share with you some brief video from an intimate night of friends and music that I'll never forget. I am forever indebted to friends. I've said many times doctors have the ability and skills to heal your body but friends heal your mind and transport you from your suffering.





Incidentally, the first tune on my playlist "All About You" from my friend Mindy Gledhill is not available. She was kind enough to put the tune on playlist.com because it has special meaning for me and Lynnette, particularly Mindy's words, "I've loved you from the start in every single way, and more each passing day. You are brighter than the stars. Believe me when I say it's not about your scars... It's all about your heart."

Clinic Update & Concert Story

My bi-monthly clinic concluded that my health is stable. Isn’t it nice to be told your clinically stable? I have more color in my face. I’m producing more red blood cells. (This could explain my leaning toward college blue BYU all of these years.) On Tuesday, I will undergo a heart cath or cardiac catheterization.



My fellow cardiac pal Grant
We continue to get feedback from the concert and are hearing wonderful stories about people who attended the show. My wife and I are still humbled by the outpouring of love and support!

This came from Kyle & Alli, the parents of my fellow cardiac pal Grant, who is recovering from some challenging surgery.

“Last night, we had another huge blessing. We have wanted to attend a benefit concert for Paul Cardall (an musician who has a similar heart defect to Grant and who is waiting for his heart transplant), but we were unsure of where life would take us and so we did not buy tickets.

Yesterday, after we decided we trusted our nurses for the day and we knew our night nurse, we decided we could attempt our first real outing away from the hospital! To our dismay, tickets were sold out. We started trying to find some tickets and just after posting and emailing a few people, someone came on the intercom here and announced that they had tickets for the concert that they were not using that they wanted to donate to a family here on the floor. What a fast answer to a simple hopeful prayer! We claimed the tickets and were able to go with a few friends last night.

What a wonderful concert it was. I had major anxiety leaving Grant for so long, but it was good to be there. We met many heart families who we had previously known only through the world of blogs and thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment. Paul was able to stand with his family and thank those in attendance for their support and it was wonderful to see him, though weak, still full of hope.

There was a beautiful tribute to Gracie Gledhill and recognition of the many other families with "cardiac kids" and the whole heart community was there to embrace another. We spoke with Tom and Michele Gledhill right before the concert and I was so glad for their family to continue to see little Gracie living on and touching lives just as each of these sweet angel babies do to all who know them and their lives.

I loved being there, but I was glad to be back with my sweet baby.” - grantmeaheart.blogspot.com

There are a lot of cardiac kids who are in need of help and there are mother's with empty arms who need our prayers. And when you retire this evening remember them and don't forget to say one for Grant and his family.

In the News!

(Picture: Family photo taken Summer 2008 by BUSATH)

My good friends at Intermountain Donor Services in Salt Lake City have been asking me to share my story with our community through the media. It took me awhile before I said yes. But, I changed my mind because of the number of parents I’ve observed with children who have congenital heart disease (CHD).

My parents have never given up on me and I now have my own family. Even to this day they stay positive and it motivates me. It’s inspiring. It doesn’t mean we haven’t had our share of tears and frustrations. But, they’ve kept an optimistic attitude about life. They keep hope alive. A man I greatly admire, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, stated, “each time a hope is fulfilled, it creates confidence and leads to greater hope.”

Again, and I’ve said this many times, I’ve been extremely blessed to live almost 36 years after doctors’ thought as a child that I would not make it. If there is one thing I’ve learned it is that we are not in charge. There is a finale' for each of us. Those around us are subject to that. But, until then we all do our best to fight to survive either for ourselves or for our children. It’s mind over matter. I have no doubt that there is something greater than all of this guiding our lives, the lives of our children, and the world in which we experience life.

Another old hero of mine said, and I now understand the humor of what he meant, “You go to bed each night and hope you wake up in the morning.”

So, I hope in sharing my story it might help your life in some way. We are all trying to find “joy” in the journey. These experiences allow each of us to understand the full measure of that word “joy”. But, joy does not come into our hearts until we have experienced a lot of pain, heartache, and tears. C.S. Lewis said, "It's impossible to know happiness until you suffered great pain."

THE DESERET NEWS
A song of the heart is a daily ritual
By Carrie A. Moore

First in an occasional series.

Paul Cardall makes music, the kind his fans say soothes the heart and nurtures the soul. And though he may not know it, his feel for and expression of that music may have literally helped keep his tired heart beating until he receives a new one in the near future.

At age 35, Cardall's award-winning career as a musician — with more than a dozen CDs and numerous public performances under his belt — has taken a sabbatical since August, when he was listed for a heart transplant after a lifelong series of surgeries, medications and therapy. Those who know of his challenge follow his blog to read the latest updates on his condition.

Continue the article

KSL TV
Musician to undergo heart transplant at children's hospital
By Ed Yeates

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Say a Prayer for Gracie

I have been deeply affected by a little girl named Gracie Gledhill. It has been a roller coaster ride for her sweet family whom I’ve never met. I heard about her from Leslie Cluff who lost her child to CHD. Immediately, I was drawn to Gracie’s story. Her young mother, father, 2 brothers, 1 sister, and a countless number of people have been praying for this little girl. Gracie was born with a severe congenital heart disease. After various up hill battles, hope and prayer, she was listed for a heart last Tuesday. She was placed at the top of the list under the care of my transplant physician. I witnessed a miracle when I learned Saturday night that a call came. Doctors had a heart for Gracie. Throughout the night, morning, afternoon, and into the evening, her mother updated the blog whenever they had news. I kept checking in to see what was happening.

But, today she is struggling to survive because her body is rejecting the heart. I don’t know what’s going to happen. But, I am humbled. This is a sobering experience. A great man once wrote something like, “I don’t know the meaning of all things but I know that God loves his children.”

(Picture: These machines are the ECMO. They can sustain Gracie for a a little more than a week.)

Say a prayer for the Gracie Gledhill family.

Games!

Here are a couple fun transplant games to test your ability to be a good transplant doctor or surgeon. Good luck!

False alarm. Staying home!

(This is what I sometimes do at the Children's hospital while I wait to have my labs drawn. Of course, the kids boot me off.)

False alarm. And I apologize for crying wolf again but now I am not moving into the hospital on Monday. We met with doctors today an apparently my body is no longer anemic and my protein levels have improved. We did not think that would happen. However, two weeks ago I was infused over a 5 day period with some iron to help improve my blood and give me strength. So this wonderful miracle is great news!

But, it is temporary good news. And again I may find myself up in the hospital with more challenges. You mentally prepare yourself for something and then things change. Life is unpredictable but it keeps moving along for all of us. I love it! And although I have anxieties with waiting for a heart I am truly blessed and grateful for the gift of life.

I am feeling good. So I'll just enjoy this time.

But what a roller coaster!

Moving into the Hospital on Monday? Maybe.

I am moving permanently into the hospital on Monday until doctors can get me a heart and I'm recovered.

WILD!

They'll also up my status putting me at the top of the waiting list.

More coming tomorrow. . .

Do I miss my day job?

People keep asking me if I miss my day job? No, I don’t. At least, I haven’t until today.

I play the piano and run a small independent record label called Stone Angel Music. Our artists mostly record peaceful instrumentals. The music we produce has been a major part of my life.

It was last fall when my health began failing and doctors listed me for the transplant that I canceled a little over 20 gigs and stopped spending time promoting the music.

But, that’s the difficult part. I miss playing for people. And more particular, I miss sharing my life’s philosophy in a concert or fireside setting.

I think I’ve been blessed not to really think about it. I guess it’s the drama of the unknown and the fact that all I can think about is my wife and little girl. I want more time with them and I don’t want anything to get in the way.

I look forward to recovering from the challenging surgery. It will be a difficult road for many months. But, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. I am learning a great deal about life and it’s purpose. You come to understand a great deal about the character of your family, friends, and other associates.

I’m getting anxious. I want to do so much in this life and give back to those who’ve selflessly served and sacrificed time for my family and me.

And, yes, I have music in me. It’s building up. I can feel it. Hopefully, with faith, prayers, and the incredible medical team, I’ll get chance to let it out.

Oh yea, listen to some of our music.
www.stoneangelmusic.com

(This is what I do during the day now - but, I don't dress up for the gig. And, that's my wife.)

The Blessings of Christmas

Two months ago all I could do is lay around because doctors were trying to figure out how to get my heart failure under control. I was in need of a serious tune up.

Whether it's a consequence or not, I was humbled to learn that my family, friends, fans of my music, and those I don't even know began praying for me.

I want everyone to know that God is good to me and loves you because for the past two weeks, as we get closer to Christmas I have felt great. Not 100%, but well enough to get out a few ours each day. Well enough, to make gingerbread houses with my kid. Well enough to laugh and enjoy this time of year. And it's because of prayer and the wisdom of my doctors that I am tuned up for a time. And what better time than Christmas!

Prayer is gift. Life is a gift. Family is a gift. And I am more than happy this particular time of year to celebrate the Birth of our Lord.