Carl's obituary

Carl Ronald Peterson
Carl Ronald Peterson 1935 ~ 2008 Carl Ronald Peterson passed away on December 17, 2008 in Salt Lake City after bravely facing a very aggressive and untreatable illness and has joined his beloved wife Vickie Jamison Peterson in the presence of God.Carl was born in Salt Lake City on May 28th 1935 to his parents Elof and Eva Marie Jensen Peterson. Carl graduated from Davis High School and later earned his MD and PH.D in Neurology, Philosophy, Epidemiology and Psychiatry from the University of Utah and the University of California at Berkley. His accomplished life includes service as an LDS Bishop, volunteering as a Temple tour guide for over 12 years, he was published, he served in and retired from the Armed Services as a Colonel in the Army and a Lieutenant in the Navy. He was the head of the Psychiatric Department at the University of Utah and on staff at LDS Hospital. He later pioneered and headed the Psychiatric Hospital at Oral Roberts University. Eventually he focused his medical practice on Bi-Polar disorder when living in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Carl married Mitzie Wahlen Peterson, later divorced and married Vickie Jamison Peterson. Carl is survived by his children, Christy Schell, Carl, Adam (Sonya), David (Jennifer), Rachel (Steve) Bade, Curt (Susan) and Sean (Lisa), numerous grandchildren and great-grand children. Carl is receded in death by his parents, siblings and his daughter Mitzie. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 20th at the Grandview Ward, 5017 West Grandview Peak Dr., Riverton, Utah at 10:00 a.m. where friends may call one hour prior to services. Interment will be a Wasatch Lawn South Valley.

Dad's Passing

Carl R. Peterson passed away on December 17 about 8:15 am. We are sad to have lost him, but feel comfort knowing he is with Vicki, Mitzie, Eva May and his mother. He spoke of these women many times on his death bed. Dad, you are gone, but not forgotten.

Love always,

Adam, Sonya and kids

Well it has been awhile, so the blog is in need of an update. Halloween was a mothers dream. Our kids started a new school this year and they are not allowed to wear costumes to school. I thought this might be traumatic, but it wasn't. I did not have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to get my kids dudded up. i did not have to race over to the school to sit for 2 hours -1 1/2 hours waiting for the parade to start and 1/2 to watch the actual parade. It was early day at school, so there was plenty of time for a healthy dinner (much to my kids dismay) and cleaning their rooms. They went trick or treating for awhile. When they came home they watched a movie. We did not have to hurry to bed for school the next day. So, I would like to propose a change. I propose we change Halloween to the last Friday in October. All in favor?

A lot has been happening in the last few weeks. We are throwing a bridal shower for Kathy on nov 22. We are almost done with the planning of the wedding. just a few details left. We passed the anniv. of my grandpa's passing. it has been 4 years. i think him everyday. My mom has been having an emotional time lately. I wish life could be easier for her. She deserves some peace and happiness. Carl has been up and down. Up-he has more moments of clarity. down-he is trying to deal with his past and present and making peace and sense of it all. He has been praying for the Lord to release him. He has been very emotional and agitated. A nurse visits him every monday, wednesday and friday. he still has aides that come 2x's a day. This is a lot harder on him than I expected. He always said he was ready to go home to Vicki. So i did not consider that he might not welcome this with open arms. He forgets easily and thinks she is still here and he should be fighting to stay here with her. Adam has to break the news to him sometimes. Sometimes we just say "when she gets here you can go with her" That seems to bring him the most comfort.
well this is long enough i will post more this week end and update pics.
sonya

Dad

These pictures were taken on Sept 18th. We will post more recent ones later in the week. Dad is not doing very well right now. A lot has happened in the few short weeks he has been sick. He does not know who we are most of the time. He has been having conversations with his mother, father and a young boy (he tells me its my oldes son? Adam thinks it is Kenney.) Carl has been so easy to take care of. He is so sweet. Everyone of his nurses and aids tell me how sweet he is. He tries to be positive. He is not eating much at all and cannot drink well. His kidneys are showing signs of failure. He sometimes has an elevated body temp which is another sign it is close to the end. Yesterday Adam walked in around 9 am and Dad said to him "Hi, I really appriciate you feeding me breakfast" Adam said "oh Dad are you hungry now?" Dad said "well if you have a breakfast laying around some where that would be fine" So Adam went and made him some eggs. He could not eat very much but is was really funny. He was feeling somewhat emotional the last few days and he told adam he was a "flungin good fella" he cried as he also said while holding my hand and pointing at Adam "I am so proud" I want to add that I am too. It's not very often in life you watch your husband care for his father. Adam has been so loving to his Dad. My heart has been touched. I have watched these two somewhat none emotional men some how be very intimate with each other and grow closer together than either one had imagined. I can't say enough about my husband. I am proud that he is the father of my children and he is such a good example to us. and I am proud that Carl is my father in law. This is hard thing to face and he is so strong and brave. He has faced even this with grace.

-Sonya


I don’t want to turn this into a “no, you’re better than me! No, you are!” contest, but I must say that it is my wife Sonya who is the angel sent from heaven for Dad. I am amazed every day at how much love she has for everyone in her life, including the old man who invaded our house about one year ago. We had no idea his stay would only be just over one year. He could have been here 10 or 15 years, but Sonya was more then gracious in accepting him into our lives. When Dad is holding her hand and talking to her I can see love in his eyes for her, the love of a father for a daughter. When I walk into the room and Sonya says “Adam’s here.” Dad looks at me with an “oh-it’s-you-again. I-would-rather-talk-to-her-right-now-if-you-don’t-mind” look in his eyes. I could have searched the endless galaxy from the beginning of time to the end of ages and I could never have found a more wonderful and beautiful bride than the one the Lord gave me with Sonya. When all time passes and the last star finally expels its last light and all life has ended, my love for her will still be burning hot and I dare say will be lighting the universe for ever.

-Adam

Look dad I can do the worm

Callie is alot like her Aunt Shauna (remember the Phillips strut?). Callie does the craziest things. She has taught herself how to do the worm. And pretty well I might add. She just needs to master the centipede.

In the begining

This is Kathy and Jad. The were in high school. I thought it would be so cute to post some old pics. I hope they think so.

Camryn is getting ready for Halloween

Camryn has been getting ready to scare the pants off of her friends for Halloween. She is going to a be a bride just like Kathy. The only people that are scared by this are her parents. This is just the begining!

Flag Football

Kade and his friend Dustin played flag football again this year. They really love the game. They play at school, after school, after dinned and instead of homework (if that were an option).

San Francisco or bust!

This trip to San Francisco was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Sonya and I could not afford a real Honeymoon when we got married and 15 years ago and I have always wanted to make up for that. This trip was a product of my spontaneity...which is good because had we put too much thought into it, we would probably have talked ourselves out of this indulgement. I have posted only a few pictures taken during the very few but highly meaningful and romantic days. I am unfortunately unable to capture the beautiful music and sounds of the streets of San Francisco, but I will never be able to erase from my mind the beautiful late night music that played so freely into the streets from the tenor saxophones, trumpets, clarinets and small four or five instrument ensembles...nor will I ever forget the early mornings being awakened by the "ding, ding" of the trolleys as they passed our hotel.

-Adam Peterson

Dad's coming home!

Dad making peace...


Happy Day! Dad will be home today! The doctors have been working very closely with us in preparing Dad to be back in our care. We have arranged for in home care that will start immediately. Dad is perplexing for the doctors in that there are long periods of time, sometimes days, when Dad seems to improve and have a very good grasp of his senses and surroundings. Based on that I am hopeful Dad will be around for a long time. I would, however, encourage any of you who wish to make arrangements in your schedules to visit Dad in our home at your convenience. Please contact Sonya when planning your visiting plans. She is the calendar girl of the house. Love, Adam P.S. This picture was taken the day Dad came home. I had just informed him of his sickness and that we didn't know how long he would be able to understand things. He was sullen for a few hours and then he started praying. This picture was taken without his knowledge.


09/11/2008

Here are a few updates on Dad.

I could go into a lot of detail on each point but I don’t quite have the time. If you would like more details you are free to e-mail me on specifics. Dad is talking better than he has in a couple of weeks. But he isn’t making as much sense lately. He keeps saying “we ate it all” and “is that compatible” or “are they compatible” and “so long as they don’t duplicate it” and more. I asked Dad if he enjoyed visiting with his children and Dad said “why, did they duplicate it?” He did mention David and Christy specifically yesterday but I couldn’t quite understand in what context. I’ll try to keep that information when it comes and share it when I can. I have been reading the Bible to him every night after work. His favorite Bible books are the Gospel of John, Romans & Isaiah. We have started with John and we are in Chapter 5 as of today. We will then go to Romans and then on to Isaiah.

Dad has found a new reservoir of strength. He keeps trying to get out of bed hoping to locate his car keys. Sonya says he keeps saying “I want to find my car keys” so “I can drive to Don’s” and “talk Bible.”

I was watching TNT last night with Dad in his room. We were watching Midway. During the movie, Dad found an old pair of reading glasses and for about an hour tried to take the nose guard off the glasses. He kept commenting on the show saying how “hard things were back then” (WWII) when Japanese citizens were forced into camps. I asked if he remembered that. He said “yes…I was about 7 at the time.” When he finally managed to pull the nose guard off the glasses, he put the glasses to his mouth and tried drinking the glasses. He kept pulling the glasses away from his mouth and looking at them with a perplexed expression on his face. He would make a few adjustments and then he would attempt to drink the glasses again. He finally put the glasses down to his side and said “that wasn’t very good.” I believe he thought he was holding a can of diet coke.

Love,

Adam

Dad's is sick. These emails detail the beginning of his journey.

Dad has been sick since about August 3, 2008. We took him to the hospital on August 18, 2008. We are marking his journey. I am including emails that were sent out to his family.

Aug 21, 2008
I had just left the hospital after waiting a couple hours for the doctor to show up when he called me with an update on Dad. He actually had good news. He told me the tests they had done checking for viruses that had come back were all negative. He told me a new doctor was now checking him for Lupus. If Dad has Lupus that is great news because he can receive steroid treatments…and it will only take a few days and he would leave the hospital for rehab…and then…back home. I am hopeful we will know what is causing Dad’s sickness by Saturday or Sunday.
When I know you’ll know.
Love,
The Adam’s Family.
P.S. I wish all of you could have seen Dad giggling at Rachel and me when we were visiting him on Thursday. I will never forget that smile.

Aug 24 2008
Dear Family,
Dad’s condition has taken a turn for the better. He is about as good as or slightly better than he was a week ago Monday when I drove him to the emergency room. Here is the current scoop. Dad’s progressive dementia was so rapid the hospital has assigned a team (and I mean a TEAM) of doctors to him. He also has someone from the CDC keeping an eye on the information coming and going. The doctors have not ruled out CJD, but this virus does not create white blood counts which he has in his spinal fluid. They have not ruled out a few other diseases, but all of these do not cause the physical manifestations he is showing, specifically his diminished capacity and mental dementia. At some point they will stop testing him, either when they run out of tests or he recovers. These tests are not painful or terribly intrusive. In the mean time, they have been treating him with steroids for meningitis. He was on his third day of treatments as of yesterday…and I attribute his improvement to those treatments. That is good news. If he makes reasonable improvement and can come home, we will continue having him tested but as an outpatient. The tests are extremely important for a number of reasons, some of which have more or less to do with the safety of my family and the community. I am aware that these tests and his stay at the hospital may seem pointless, but I assure you they are not. However, if they do become pointless because Dad is diagnosed with a terminal illness, at that point the tests will stop and we will make Dad as comfortable as possible and as happy as possible. Additionally, he will be cared for in an environment that is as friendly, familial and safe as possible.
Sincerely,
Adam

Aug 28, 2008
Dear family,
I've had to pass on difficult news before, and this stands with some of the most difficult. I had a meeting with Dad's doctors yesterday after they called and requested I come in and speak with them. After almost two weeks of extensive, exhausting and numerous tests all ran on Dad in hopes of finding a treatable cause for his illness, they have finally albeit reluctantly settled on a diagnosis. They finally found a very safe way to run an MRI on Dad. The MRI had very specific findings that supported their original belief that Dad is suffering from what is called "Creutzfeldt-Jacobs disease." Because this disease is untreatable and is terminal, we are preparing our home for Dad to return post hast under the direction and recommendations of hospice. The life expectancy for someone who contracts this disease is as short as 4 months and as long as 12 months after the initial symptoms manifest. Dad started showing these symptoms about August 3rd. Our hope is to have Dad living with us for the duration and to open our home to anyone who feels like visiting during the interim. Anyone one or any family is welcome at any time and for any reason. Please make 24 hours notice arrangements with Sonya and we will be sure to prepare for any privacy you would or wouldn't want. (Because of the full house situation we won't be able to accommodate sleeping arrangements.) Here are some details that my be helpful: The doctors have assured us that we are completely safe having Dad come home to our family. The doctors and nurses are not taking protective measures when handling him, other than the usual. Dad may have contracted this early in his military career or maybe when he was on one of his numerous travels with Vicki, or perhaps spontaneously. Dad was able to remember who I was only two days ago, but now he only recognizes that I am someone he can feel safe around. But he does not know me as Adam his son. When you visit do not expect him to be able to talk or respond much and do expect to do 100% of the talking. I can't think of anything else to add at this time. Please feel free to respond with questions.
All my love,
Adam