Services for Casey

All are of course invited to attend the services for Casey. Many thanks for all support, thoughts, prayers, and help given!!

_________________________________________________________________________________

Casey Ryan Wheeler was born in Ogden, Utah on May 24, 1977.  The son of Robyn and Stephen Wheeler and the youngest of four children. He grew up in Morgan, Utah.  An active child with an extreme love of sports, undeniable determination, and a charismatic sense of humor. His athletic escapades included countless ice hockey games on the neighbor’s frozen pond with his childhood friends.  However, even as a young man, his extreme caring and generosity towards others contradicted his true age.  True to his giving nature, he served an LDS mission in London, England.

Like the charming romantic he was, Casey proposed to his cherished sweetheart on a sunset plane ride.  He was sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple to the love of his life, Angela Silver, on July 22, 2005.  They welcomed two children into their family: Max, now 5 years of age, and Tenley who just turned 3.  Casey adored spending time with his family. He taught his son and daughter the true meaning of love and the art of sincere forgiveness.  He enjoyed playing basketball and the occasional round of golf.  He was also very active in his Syracuse LDS Ward, especially with the Young Men’s Program.  He relished contributing his time assisting others in need, and constantly would strive to inspire others to reach their ultimate potential.  

Casey graduated from Weber State University with a Bachelors Degree in Business, emphasis in Marketing. 

Casey had battled with brain cancer since May 2, 2011.  Showing the heart and courageousness of a true warrior, he fought with every ounce of strength that God had bestowed upon his body and spirit.  He surpassed all expectations of the Doctors, enduring rigorous treatments, 2 extensive surgeries, and countless setbacks.  His fierce determination to stay on this Earth for every moment that he could with his loved ones, was a show of strength that may only be replicated by a chosen few, but will inspire everyone who ever knew him.  On Sunday, January 19, 2014, at 2:31am Casey passed through the veil. Surrounded by his treasured family and loved ones, he once again returned to his Heavenly Home to watch over and protect them from above, just as he had when he walked upon this Earth.

Casey is survived by his wife Angela Wheeler and his two young children: Max and Tenley.  He is also survived by his Mother and Father, Robyn and Stephen Wheeler, and his siblings: Monica (Ben), Brant (Jennifer) and Mark (Laura) and their Families.

The viewing for Casey will be held on Thursday, January 23^rd 6:00-8:00pm at Lindquist Layton Mortuary at 1867 N. Fairfield Road.  Funeral Services will be held Friday, January 24^th at 11:00am at the Morgan Stake Center at 355 N. 700 E. in Morgan.  There will be a viewing from 9:30-10:30am on Friday before the Funeral takes place.  

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the 1^st Bank in Morgan under the account of “Kickin’ Cancer for Casey," or to Casey's fundraiser (here on the blog).

Condolences may be shared at www.lindquistmortuary.com

_________________________________________________________________________________

Also something that's very important! We will be collecting stories about Casey's life to put together for his children to have when they're older. We would like to give them every possible opportunity to get to know their wonderful daddy better. Please help us by being prepared with a story, experience, memory, and/or thought to share at the viewing or funeral services if at all possible. We will have paper to write your thoughts and stories down and also video cameras to record your memories and wild stories. If you could also use #bringingcaseyhome on instagram to post a photo of yourself/your family  and state who you are and how you met Casey that would be great. I think it would be wonderful to get all of the people Casey influenced in a book so the kids know what a caring man he was.

If non of these appeal to you than feel free to compose your stories in an email and send them to: angiewheeler99@gmail.com or ruthiesilver@gmail.com

Please also email any photos that you have of casey that you'd like to share, we would love to have them for the kids' books!

Daddy's an Angel

I think Casey's brother said this very well. Thank you everyone for what you have done and continue to do to help!

"My dear youngest brother Casey Wheeler passed away at 2:30 a.m. today. I am so thankful for the love and support that has been shown to me and my family during this hard time in our lives. We love Casey so much! He fought his battle with cancer more courageously than anyone I know. He will always be a great example of faith and determination to us all. He will be in our hearts forever. Please continue to keep his wife Angie and their two beautiful children in your prayers. We are thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and His plan. I know I will see my brother again someday!"
- Brant Wheeler

Quick Saturday Morning Post

Casey continues to get more and more tired, a lot less responsive, continued irregular breathing, and his vitals are changing more. He still seems to be comfortable though and thats good.

Here's two quick, sweet stories for you.

Multiple times throughout the last week or so Max has said something very important, "I'm going to miss daddy because he's going to be an angel soon. But I'm going to miss daddy." I'm glad that he's been able to understand that little bit about what's happening so it will help him in the future.

This morning Tenley went to give her daddy his morning kisses. After three kisses, Casey moaned trying to talk to her. Tenley and her honest kid self said, "Mommy, daddy's purring! He likes my kisses,"and then continued to give him multiple more.

Wednesday & Thursday

First of all, I'd like to start off by telling everyone how wonderfully amazing the entire Wheeler family is!!

Casey's parents, Robyn and Steve, have been so incredible to let so many dozens (hundreds?) of people wander in and out of their home at all times through out the day. They have don't complained, have always been so welcoming to everyone, and ready to help with whatever is needed. Including me staying over for days and taking up a room in their home.

Casey's brother Mark, and his wife Laura, have been so wonderful at helping take Max and Tenley to their home near by for long periods of time so the kids can have fun playing with nieces and nephews, and so Angie can get some needed free time. Mark is also always coming over to give foot messages to Casey and he loves them!

Casey's other brother Brant, and his wife Jen, are always taking time to come down from Kaysville to see Angie and Casey and help out whatever they can. Their kids are also good playing buddies for Max and T when they come over!

Casey's sister Monica is over pretty much everyday! She's always cleaning up from all us visitors and managing the tornados the kids leave behind. All of her family is a huge help.

They are all amazing to Casey, Angie, Max, and T!!! And we all thank them and love them for it!!



Wednesday:


Wednesday was a quiet day at the house. Quite peaceful and simple really (compared to lots of the other days in my opinion). Casey slept a good majority of the day since he's getting even more tired now, but boy has he been trying to talk more. I don't know where he gets the energy from but he was making all kinds of noises in an effort to try and get words out. It was very impressive and rather sweet, I liked it a lot. He woke up periodically throughout the day but not as much as before. It's interesting to me that his cough seems to have gotten a bit better. He doesn't cough as much so he isn't in need of as much medicine, and the deep rumble that was in his chest when he breathed is gone.

The kids and I spent a while in the afternoon building and playing with those awesome marble contraptions. I'm pretty impressed with myself.

Then all of us including Angie went outside in the snow and visited the neighbors animals.

I ended up taking the kids to a sweet neighbors house in Syracuse to spend the night. This way Max could attend school the next morning before coming home. It also allowed Angie to get a good length of down time to relax, go to bed early, and sleep in.


Thursday:

Today is definitely the most tired I have seen Casey. He was able to wake up a few times for a few minutes while we were there tonight, and did briefly hold people's hands, but I think he is nearing his heaven-date. Most of his close family was there and we enjoyed being able to see them again tonight.

A moment that sticks out to me that happened tonight was when Max was saying goodnight to his daddy. We was very willing and enjoyed being lifted up in the dad to reach his arms up and give his daddy a big hug and a kiss goodnight. After he kissed him he said the classic saying that every parent loves to here before bed. "Goodnight. I love you daddy!" As soon as he finished saying the last word, Casey immediately moaned back as he tried to speak to him. I'm sure he was returning the I love you favor. :-)

To end, just reminding you that if you'd like to donate to Caseys fund, and haven't yet for whatever reason, there's still time to do it if you'd like to.

Thank you all, and know that we appreciate your love, help, and friendships!

Tuesday

Me and my younger brother Jimmy were able to go up and see Casey and we had a nice time. Jimmy immediately got all of Tenley and Max's attention since we were the only visitors in the home and they had not seen him in quite a few days, fresh meat. ;) Despite him trying to avoid children climbing up on his shoulders, he soon became a walking jungle gym. Followed by playing a game of, 'Attack of the stuffed animal chickens.' Which included a chicken chasing someone else's chicken so they could put it in time out. So cute!

After we were able to eat some delicious food brought over by very sweet people in the ward, we spent some time with Casey while Angie put the kids to bed. It was very nice to see that as Jim and I were talking and massaging Casey feet, he kept making sounds from his mouth because he was trying to talk back to us. We were also very glad that even though he is getting more tired everyday, he was able to be wide awake for us a good majority of the time we were there.

Max had his first day going back to school and Angie also said that a hospice workers came in and played the harp for Casey! That's so awesome and I'm so bummed I missed it. Everyone enjoyed the music and the change of being able to do something new even though they didn't really leave the house.

In regards to the update on Caseys current health.. He has definitely lost a lot of weight since his body has been pulling from it to get the nutrients it needs since he can't have food or liquids besides the needed medicines. His hand holds aren't as strong or held as long, although he still loves the company of family around him. His oxygen and heart rate are still good, but his output has dropped significantly. A change in output like this is one of the signs they told us to look for, so we should be seeing changes in his vitals soon as well.

Thank you for all of your needed prayers you have given in our behalf!!!

Pictures from the weekend

Angie's thoughts on Sunday

Like many people, Angie has been keeping a journal of her days throughout this experience. She felt comfortable sharing yesterday, Sundays, entry with everyone so that's what Sundays update is going to contain. Here it is :


Sunday, January 12, 2014:

TREAUSURES

"Today I am thinking about treasures.  If I asked Max about treasure he would most likely tell me that it is pirate’s treasure because he is totally into pirates.  The treasure that I have been thinking about the last two days is more along the treasure that you can’t actually touch, but the treasure that has always been there.  That is the treasure of spending quality time with those we love.  We seem to take for granted sometimes in our daily lives those that mean the most to us.  We get busy with things on our own agenda and neglect those things that really matter to us.  These last few days I have spent with Casey are days that I will forever treasure in my heart and my mind.  When everyone else goes to sleep I like to snuggle up with Casey and we like to chat, read scriptures and say our nightly prayers just like we usually do.  He seems to be pretty alert at this time of night for a little while and I think he is also treasuring being together for what may be our last moments together.  So remember to always treasure those you love and never, ever take them for granted.  I am so glad that I am allowed this time to be able to say goodbye to my honey :) "

And here is a quick update :
Casey is still holding strong and the hospice nurse said that since his vitals and color are still so good for someone in his position, he might even hold out for another week. That's crazy! And very weird; especially since we were not even expecting him to be here still. We will continue to still just take it day by day, step by step.

Saturday

Casey still has an iron grip of a hand hold that at times is actually rather hard to escape from. How someone can do that when they have been off an iv and feeding tube for 8 1/2 days is beyond my understanding! Nothing but medicines that have been diluted thin enough to easily pass through his feeding tube. His coloring is still good and the coughing seems to be less frequent and violent, which is good, because that's what seems to make him the most uneasy (plus, it just breaks your heart to see him trying so hard to just cough, something I most definitely take for granted. Those who have seen a situation like this will understand even better). Also, he seemed to be able to focus more on the person who was talking to him which was really nice to see and made you feel much more special to be by his side. Lots of times it seems as if he is just looking past you as more of a reflex than a controlled action.

My mom and I recently switched places staying in Morgan and she told me such a sweet story that happened last night. Casey's breathing had become very irregular making very long pauses before taking another short stretch of breathes. After this had been going on for a little bit Angie decided to lay next to Casey for some snuggle time, and he loved it! He calmed right down and his breathing soon became more regular and without as many deep breathes. Casey was able to sleep so much more soundly throughout the night giving them both a needed good nights rest. Love and comfort is a wonderful thing, this just goes to prove that.

Something else has come up the last few days while all kinds of us family members have been chatting.... The topic of the veil thinning between heaven and earth. I hadn't really given it much thought but I found it interesting and definitely something that could and should be happening. We are wondering if Casey is not only seeing us in the room but all the angels around awaiting his journey to heaven. And if that's the case, then oh how full those rooms must always be! I know that I have definitely felt like sometimes there has been extra help around. We wish we could know what he's thinking and see what he's seeing.

Thank you all for you endless love and all the support you have shown!! I also want you to know that the comfort you have given us all through your prayers is felt so much!!! Personally, I know there is no way I would be feeling this okay, or functioning this well without all of you! Thank you! And may you all be blessed for your service!

Ruth

Thursday

Many people have been asking me if Casey is in a lot of pain. When we spoke with the hospice doctor yesterday he explained it to us very well by telling us about how mother nature understands what the body needs in times like this. With his body being so tired and starting to shut down in an effort to conserve energy, he really can't feel the pain and isn't in any. And when he does for some reason, like when we move him around, you can tell it hurts from the grimace on his face or little moan. So he's okay :) and he really does look so peaceful most of the time.

Despite his deepening and staggering breathes Casey made little smiles today!!! :) I think about 4 times! He smiled when he heard Angie and his mom talking about a bird making noises outside the house, and when he talked to my sister and brother in law on the phone, when I told him Angie was coming down from a nice nap to see him, and when she walked into the room... It was wonderful. There was quite a bit of arm movement too, and he was very alert with his eyes open wide this evening when lots of his family came over to talk and spend time with him and the rest of us.

With Casey seeming to do better today, it reminds me of being warned about the part where they seem to be getting better before they start the last decline. So we will see what happens during the night and then the day tomorrow; and until Casey is called back to the home from which he came, we will continue to cherish him, hold his hand, and love every single minute we hear him  breathe!

(some beautiful flowers from coworkers and the adorable wheeler family photo from spring 2013)

Wednesday

Family was able to come and spend more time together with Casey Wednesday evening. The hospice doctor was able to come over for a while and talk to us about many things and answer our questions.

Casey's vitals started to change in the morning and show the first signs of the final decline. But than, in true Casey fashion, they went back to normal and stayed there for a good part of the day. They fluctuated again in the evening and it should keep going back and forth a bit until things get more serious and he starts showing more or stronger signs of change. He's definitely getting more tiered, moving around a lot less, and keeping his eyes closed more. Breathing is getting heavier and deeper and we are very grateful for the great cough medicines we are able to give him that help him a lot.

There is still a wonderful feeling of peace and love in the Wheeler home.

We would also like to express so much thanks to the many thoughtful people of the Morgan area!! So much endless support has been given! So many delicious foods and goodies are always in the kitchen for people to eat and many have been very generous in money donations!! Thank you! Thank you! Bless you all and everyone for everything that has and continues to be done to help!!!!!

Tuesday Night

The abundance of visitors has slowed down now that the weekend is over and it has been great for Casey, Angie, and the Wheeler family to get some rest and down time. But please don't let that discourage you from coming! We love visiters and Casey enjoys seeing everyone who comes! :)

Casey is getting more and more tired everyday, but just as the doctors predicted, he is fighting and hanging in there longer than others do/have! He has not had any liquid from an iv or nutrients through his feeding tube since late Friday afternoon.  His feeding tube still remains attached as a way to easily and comfortably give him his medicine everyday. His coughing has increased so they put him on a new cough medicine and its definitely seemed to help him.  He also can't mouth or whisper any words anymore, but he will open his eyes and try to look at you even if its not exactly in the right direction. And Casey still LOVES holding hands! :) Alot of the time when you try and let go of his hand to leave, just when you think you're good to go, he grabs your hand tighter and doesnt want it gone. It's the cutest thing!

Our older sister Celeste and her daughter Emery were able to Skype with us and it was great. She talked to Angie and Casey for quite a while and little Emery sang Casey two lullabies before he went to bed. It was so adorable!

Daddy Time!

Tenley got her doc mcstuffins bag and attire for Christmas and she loves giving daddy and anyone else willing her special checkups! She likes to make people feel better when they are sick.

Max always gives daddy kisses, hugs, and sometimes even snuggle time before he goes to bed every night!

(part-3)

Before i go any further with this long story, I have to tell you how amazing my oldest sister Amara, her husband Buddy, and son Aiden are for making us feel so perfectly welcome the entire 2 1/2 weeks we invaded their home!! We enjoyed their company and endless support so much! And they never complained about us being in the way or making their house messy.  Must have been all of theose home cooked meals the ward was bringing in. ;)

Being so far from their son during a crucial time in Caseys life, Caseys parents began the drive to CA on Christmas day to be with him.  It help them to rest easier to be by his side, and it also helped Angie to be able to spend more time with the kids and even have a few nights of good rest back at the house. We all love them dearly!

After so much heart ache and frustration with the insurance company, and the run around with donation service companies, Angie finally decided to just pay the amount to get Casey back home to his wonderful doctors and awaiting family. Around 11:30pm on Monday December 30th, Casey and Angie were taking from the hospital to the airbase via ambulance. From there they loaded a plane and were taken to Salt Lake City. Once in Utah they were taken by ambulance to the U of U hospital by about 3am. Once a room opened up on the oncology floor they transferred him from U of U to the Hunstman Cancer Institute.  Casey has such a fantastic view the few days he was there and he enjoyed the nice light coming in through the windows.

Caseys parents, Robyn and Steve, traveled back to Utah early Tuesday morning so they could be there with him again asap. Tenley, Max, and I, waited to come back that Thursday so we could following the fabulous Cheney family back to Syracuse.

Once he was at the hospital they began running many series of tests. After about a day and a half the results came in and things were not good. We were all very upset when we leaned that the tiny spot above his brain stem, thought to be radiation in a previous mri in November, was not.  It was a tumor and it, along with the other small tumors on the left side of the brain, we're very aggressive and growing rapidly.  The size they had become in the last month or so was impressive, and very heart breaking. (For those who dont know, the tumor began on the ride side of the brain 2 1/2 years ago and has had 2 operarions removing large peices. Earlier this year the tumor jumped to the left side of the brain and then eventually began scattering on the left side. With this new mri, it showed that the left side tumor had jumped down to the brain stem creating yet another tumor there.) The only possibly was radiation. Even with radiation treatment the chances of it helping now were pretty slim, and the possibility of Caseys fragile body holding up was pretty non existent. Besides, Casey had decided to not do any more radiation.  Knowing all of this Angie was left with 2 options.  Keep him comfortable at the hospital, or keep him comfortable at home on hospice. As you all know, she chose the later and it has been such a good decision!!!

(Part-2)

The first day of the alternative treatment was interesting since it's very different from the 'normal' modern medicine we are all used to. Casey did an ionic foot bath, salt foot bath, got his imprinter, used a special laser, took a nap on really cool mat thing, and used quartz crystals. He was so very tired when he was walking around that day and I was glad to be there to help. Once again he had a very good appetite and that made all of us happy. That night after he came home, ate dinner, and took medicine, he went straight to sleep and rested well until later the next morning.

Meanwhile, Amara and I went to the airport to pick up Casey's older brother Mark from the airport. Mark is a very wonderful man and he knows people who have used this type of treatment and even has one of the laser that was needed, which was great! Mark and Angie took Casey to the clinic for treatment and I heard nothing except how hard Casey was working to do what they asked and how much he Loved and Enjoyed having his brother there with him! Later that night when they all came home for dinner, a miracle happened.  As I walked down the staircase to greet them, I saw something so amazing that I stopped walking and stared. Casey was walking by himself through the door and into the house. He stopped and held his own, by himself and then continued to take a few more footsteps with out any assistance.  As the kids came into the living room running and playing with their newly made paper airplanes, one fell on the stairs next to where Casey was standing. With ease and not a second thought Casey bent down to his right side, picked up the paper airplane, and handed it to it waiting owner. It was a good sight to see, and we were all very excited for him and how much his treatment was already helping!!!  He even outreached his hands to take Baby T from Angie's arms, and with assistance, Angie helped him hold Tenley for a brief minute. That evening Mark flew back home.

Although Casey had been doing so good the previous day, he was exhausted the following morning and the decision was made to with hold him from treatment and give him a days rest. We also were noticing that since it was getting harder for him to swallow (we were now giving him his pills crushed up in applesauce), he seemed dehydrated.  Multiple attempts with different types of water bottles and straws were made, but he just couldn't get enough fluids into his body. As the day progressed he slept more and became less alert. I could hardly get him to open his eyes and respond to me when I tried to feed him his dinner and medicine. Eventually, with patience, he finished his food by opening his mouth slightly whenever I would touch the spoon to his lips. Since he had become so lethargic, when Amara and Angie got back from taking Max to the E.R. (he was misbehaving and had jumped into the tub, slipping and hitting his head) they returned to the E.R. with Casey.

He was admitted into the Nuro ICU and after a few days was transferred to a regular room in the Nuro wing.  Since Casey had thrown up when he was given strong antibiotics on an empty stomach, they would not let him consume any water or food until he passed a swallowing test.  He never passed it so he was only on an IV the entire 9 days that he was in the hospital there. There was talk about putting in a feeding tube, but it was just bad timing with us wanting to transfer him back home asap. During this time in the hospital we noticed Casey began to be less responsive when people would talk to him and he began gazing up at the ceiling for long periods of time like he didn't really know what was going on.  Doctors ran all kinds of tests but were not giving us any good answers since they did not have the type of specialist that Casey needed to look at the results. That's one of the reasons why it was so important to get him home! To actually figure out what was going on............

(Part-1) Details I haven't mentioned

After answering many questions for people coming to visit Casey in Morgan, I realized that I haven't explained much of exactly what has been going on with Casey's health. I guess I've just explained it to so many people I figured everyone just knew! So here are the details.

The main thing that you need to know, is that Casey is the perfect example of a fighter!!! Everyone that has been around him since he was diagnosed with brain cancer two and half years ago has seen that! And we are So Very Proud of Him!!! Even the doctors have told us that he has pulled through and survived so many things that so many others in his situation have passed away from. It amazed them all that he is still here!

Casey started having a harder time when he was undergoing the rounds of treatment this spring and summer after his second brain operation early this year. He was sick a lot, food just was of no interest, and his immune system suffered greatly. Near the end of summer, I believe it was August, he came down with a very sever case of staff infection and was taken to the hospital. There was a large abscess on the underside of his bum that the doctors were not sure at first exactly what it was. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the doctors didn't come to a conclusion or do anything about it until it had nearly doubled in size and almost spread to his prostate many days later. They finally decided to operate and took all of the infected area out. This left a gapping hole, impressive in width, length, and depth, that still to this day has not completely healed. For six weeks he resided in two different hospitals until he was reluctantly released. Angie has, and still, religiously tends to unpacking, cleaning, and repacking, his wound multiple times a day so it can try and get better. She has done such an amazing job and the wound has never had any problems besides his body's inability to heal at a normal rate. Ever since this problem, Casey has seems a lot more tired and uncomfortable but he Never complains and has the best attitude!

The next problem came when he developed a bad cold, I believe around the first of November.  The cold turned to bronchitis, and than soon into pneumonia. After a very nice time being able to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with my wonderful brother-in-law, Angie drove him to the hospital in Salt Lake City on Thanksgiving night when his breathing sounded like endless wheezing.  He was given a very strong antibiotic and was in the hospital for about a week as his pneumonia was able to get much better, but his cold has never really gone away. I still remember me and Jeff going to visit Casey and Angie at the Huntsman during this time and having such a great time just sitting and chatting about whatever for a few hours. :) I love it!

Around midnight on Sunday December 15th, Angie called me and asked if there was anyway possible I would drive to California with her and her family on Tuesday morning. She had mentioned wanting to do the journey sometime in the first of January but with Casey's health rapidly deteriorating and cold worsening again, she knew if she was to go, it needed to be NOW.  The doctors had recently told Angie that there was no more options for them to try so she began quickly doing her own research. She was able to find a clinic in Far Oaks, CA (only 20 mins from our oldest sisters home in Rocklin!) that offered alternative Eastern treatment.  So, after celebrating my birthday and packing Monday night, on Tuesday morning we left.

We definitely had many bumps along the way. Casey had started having difficulty swallowing a few days before and we saw that problem increase as the drive went on. He was having a hard time getting in and out of the car so it would take some time for Angie and I to help him walk to the car, slowly take baby steps to turn around, he would slowly bend down sitting on the edge of the car's seat, and then we would help him slide his legs in and work together to pull him all the way in and up in the seat so he could be remotely comfortable. I noticed his cough getting worse every single time we had a potty break and had to take him out into the bitter freezing cold to get him to and from the car.  It was heartbreaking, he seemed to be getting so sick and his comprehension appeared to be going down as he got more tired. We were also worried and kept a close eye on his oxygen level. Through all this he never complained! And he always tried his hardest to do what we asked of him!

We finally made it to Winnumucca, NV around 7pm and check into a hotel that some sweet people from their home ward had paid for. The minute we got into the hotel room Casey plopped on the bed and loved being able to lay down. He had a very good appetite and ate all of his subway sandwich and even part of mine. After spending a long while helping Casey take all of his medicine, we all went to bed. Around 2am is when I woke up. I heard some odd breathing. After laying in bed trying to decipher if it was just one of the kids or a slight snore, I determined it was Casey wheezing and I woke Angie up. Casey's oxygen was extremely low, his breathing harsh, and his cough deep. We debated whether or not to wake the kids and go to the hospital. I suggested that we should give him a nebulizer treatment and prop him up on a bunch of pillows so he could lay at an angle and not flat. It worked! He became much more comfortable. It wasn't until we were about to leave the hotel that Casey's oxygen level dropped again and we took him to the hospital. We were only there about 3 or so hours before casey seemed much more ok and alert and was released :) The relief society president from Angie's homeward had contacted the local missionaries and it was so nice to see them and have them give Casey a blessing before we left the hospital.

When we hit Reno we needed a clean and comfortable place so Angie could change Casey's wound packing. Our very sweet cousin Melanie and her family happened to live in Reno! We stopped and had a much needed comfortable break, ate dinner, and had a playdate with her kids for a few hours! We made sure to give Casey the nebulizer treatments as often as we could and to continue to prop him up on pillows. He loved the down time to lay on a clean bed and take a much needed nap! Thanks Melanie!

We got to Rocklin, CA to my sister's home around midnight. As could be expected, all of the traveling had made Casey very exhausted and he needed a lot of help walking into the house and getting ready for bed, but once his was laying down on all his pillows, he slept very soundly........

Taking Casey to Morgan has proven to be a blessing on everyone.  The first evening there, Casey and Angie slept soundly.

The next day, as the beautiful rays of sun shown through the windows, the peace in "Casey's room" was felt by all.  We all could tell that Casey was happier to be here.  He lay more peacefully, he seemed to be alert more often. 

Visitors flowed in and out of Casey's room all day.  We are grateful for the love and support that everyone is showing Angie and Casey and the rest of the family.

Home At Last

Friday, January 3rd

Once again, insurance proved itself very unwilling to help Casey in his transportation needs and refused paying for an ambulance ride to Morgan, saying they would rather pay to keep him in the hospital (how does wanting to pay thousands more dollars per day in the hospital vs one ambulance ride even make sense??) On the very bright side, the same time we were given this news we were also told that the hospital had contacted some willing donors who immediately paid for everything. What a blessing!! So Casey was soon transported Friday evening at about 6pm via ambulance to his childhood home in Morgan, UT.  Angie was able to ride in the ambulance with Casey which was awesome, and their children rode in a van that followed them.

 

When they all arrived at the Wheeler home, they were greeted by no fewer than 20 family and friends anxiously awaiting their arrival! Everyone was so happy and excited to see that Casey was finally home. Not only home to Utah, but back in Morgan and out of the hospital.

 

Food, being brought to the home, lined the kitchen counters. The family room, where Casey's bed was set in, was never without multiple visitors for hours. A group of his childhood friends were some of the last people to leave just before 11pm.

A very special and wonderful blessing was given to Casey near the end of the night by multiple dear family and close friends. Many words of comfort were given: thanks that he had served well during his time on this earth, that he would continue to help his family from heaven throughout the rest of their lives, and that there were many angels watching over him and his family during this last difficult time before his passing.  Angie also received a blessing by their dear friend Darren, it was quite honestly the sweetest blessing that I have ever heard to this day.

 

So many stories were told of things that he had done in his younger years.  The adventures he had with his friends were shared as people laughed and joked about the past.

 

The Christmas spirit and time with family has guided us through this very, very hard time in all of our lives. We all continue to feel so much love and endless support coming from every direction!! The feeling in the Wheeler home is so wonderful, full of love, and I dare say happiness now that everyone is all together and able to spend time under one roof with Casey. I like the comment made from Casey's brother-in-law Jeff, "I feel like I have to part my way through the angels in here to get to Casey. The spirit feels so thick!"

If you would like to come visit Casey before he passes, please feel free to contact a family member through Facebook or phone.