GREG'S OUTTA HERE!!! Sunday, May 13, 2012 marks the conclusion of his stay at IMC.  He was discharged today after a 10 day stay for a traumatic heart episode.  His experience here will be indelibly  etched in his heart both physically & spiritually. He will never be the same and knows that he has been given a second chance at life, and he wants to make sure that he really makes some changes in his life.   Random acts of kindness are the "reminder" of what we need to do for others on a daily basis.  The overwhelming feeling of love, prayers and blessings can never be fully expressed.  But Greg and our entire family know that we have been greatly blessed and you are all a big reason for his speedy recovery.  Whether it was a prayer, text, email, phone call, visit, card, gift, flowers, poster, kind words, service or just doing your job, you have all made a difference in Greg's and our family's life.   Greg has continually said how he could feel all the prayers and blessings getting him through each day & night and how grateful we all are for making a difference in our life.

Greg is home now, and it trying to take it easy.  He is determined to get better soon and strive to make changes in his life.   When he is feeling better in next couple of days, he will do one last Blog for this amazing Storm of events.  Thanks Lord for blessing us one more day.

Natalie (Nurse) & Greg

Natalie and Mindi were two of the many nurses that provided such amazing care.  Greg came out of the Cath lab and they started to sedate him. The entry point in his leg for the catheter which removed the blood clot, would not stop bleeding.  These two amazing women stood faithfully beside his bed applying pressure to the wound for 2 hours.  Today was the first time Greg met Natalie because he was basically unconscious the entire time she cared for him.  Today he got to say thank-you.

Greg continues to say how lucky he and we all are to have such amazing people in our lives.  From family,  to friends, to all the people who were just doing their job, but did it so well.  He continues to say that we need to get rid of the "Haterade" in our lives and just have more love in our hearts!!

Ok, so tomorrow is probably the big day that Greg gets to go home.  He was feeling a little down earlier today.  However, his spirits were lifted upon having some friends Michelle & Todd Mickelson come in with their little 18 month old daughter Piper.  Her little angel spirit made his face light up. Unbeknownst to us, Todd was one of the firemen who responded to the 911 call at the Rec Center a week ago.  Once again, another "reminder" of how lucky we are to have great people in our lives.

Breathing Exercises to re-inflate the lungs

Greg & Mindi one of the amazing Critical Care Nurses

1.Laps around the 3rd floor - Check
2.Walk up and down the stairs - Check
3.Breathing exercises - Check
4.Leads out from his heart  - Check
5.Fish Tacos - Check (ok maybe not on the Dr's list for the day, but definitely Greg's)
6.No more sponge baths - Check
    Shower in 5 minutes!!
7. Out of the Hospital...stand-by probably Sunday.

The Rockstar Surgeon- Dr. Reid!

Ash, Stace, Greg & Tenny

Greg is outta bed and rollin'.

Ash's Game day tribute 

Dyan, Greg's nurse

Wow, today Greg got his chest tube taken out!!  Dyan  his nurse did the honors.  They didn't think he would get the tube out until tomorrow, but he's doing so well, as always he's ahead of schedule.  He's determined to get out of here soon.  He really wants to feel the actual sunshine on his face! Lookin good RILEY.

I was at the Brighton HS Lacrosse playoff game last night.  I was at the score table and we were all standing for the national anthem. I looked over at the team and could see the backs of their legs.  They had written the initials GR on their calves for Greg.  So I don't cry often, but fortunately I had my sunglasses on when I saw this cause there were definitely tears in my eyes.  I texted Greg and told him about it and he was soooo happy.  It's the little things like this that bring a smile to his face and give him the positive energy to heal faster! Thanks Boys!

When Greg came out his surgery yesterday, he was surrounded by his family.  He could not talk because he had a breathing tube in his throat.  He motioned for his i-phone and wanted me to play a song while he was grasping our hands.  The song was Breathe, by Pearl Jam.  It is the song now playing on this Blog.  I never really listened to the words of the songs before but as we all listened, and watched the miracle of having Greg still with us, it made me appreciate how precious life is and how lucky we are to have loved ones.  The words start off...
"Yes I understand that every life must end, aw huh,..
As we sit alone, I know someday we must go, aw huh,..
I’m a lucky man to count on both hands
The ones I love..."   Of course, hearing this song brought strong emotions and tears to all our eyes.  Thank you Lord for giving us more time with Greg!

So here's Miracle #7 - Dr. Reid is performing the triple bypass on Greg's Heart.  One video is when Greg's heart has stopped and is on the Heart/Lung machine.  The other video is of Greg's heart beating.  How blessed we are to have stumbled upon such an amazing Heart Facility and have one of the best Heart Surgeons in the Country working on Greg. 

  

STAYIN' ALIVE-  One of the doctors told us that when they teach CPR they tell them to sing the song "Stayin' Alive" and give compressions to the beat of that song.  That's now theme song of our life!!!  Greg's surgery was a success.  The surgery was a little longer than expected because, rather than just one by-pass, they did a triple bypass!!  Greg always wants more.  :-)

Check later tonight for pix and video

Coach Greg with Jake

Greg's little LAX team is so freakin' amazing.  They all signed a banner, put their handprints and names on a giant card & wrote individual cards!!!  It made him so happy!  He loves you boys and misses you so much! He will do everything he can to get back to coaching...or least bringing PIZZA!! Thank you !!

Brax, Coach Greg & Berk- the LAX Bros

Heather, Sammy Greg & Jeremy

Chillin' with his crew

Sunday was kind of a rough day for Greg.  The reality of his condition really set in and he was doing a lot of soul searching.  A great night sleep and visits, emails, texts, cards, balloons, flowers & prayers have completely lifted his spirits.  Having his family here as well as some very special visitors have given him the positive energy he needs to prepare him for his surgery.

As usual Greg's already started breaking the rules.  He went on a walk with his kids and he went down to the first floor and outside.  The nurse scolded him and told him since he is in ICU, he is not supposed to leave this floor.  He took a tour of the first floor, went to cafeteria, considered going next door to get a "chicken bake" at Costco.  The nurse was waiting at the elevator with her hands of her hips ready to scold him.  Obviously, he is doing so well health wise, that his doctor, Dr Reid, has moved up his surgery for tomorrow morning.  Please have him in your prayers and thoughts while he is surgery.

The EMT/fireman Dave Banner that performed miracle #2 and treated Greg at the rec center and convinced Greg to go to hospital came to see him today.  What an overwhelming and incredible experience it was to have him here and share our gratitude to him.   He was so humble and so kind.   Greg told Dave as a result his actions, in playing a key role in saving Greg's life, it has a long lasting ripple effect on our lives and so many others.  Thanks Dave for making a difference in our lives!!  Just remember that the little things you may do, no many how insignificant you make think, can change people's lives.  I always tell, my boys Ashton & Tenny,  "make a difference in someone's life today, for good!"  Dave you made a HUGE difference for good in our lives and we will forever be grateful!!!!

Greg refers to his heart attack as his "REMINDER" about life.  They say things like this change people and he certainly agrees.  He's so happy to be alive and doing amazingly well.  He had us around his bed last night after they took out the breathing tube and he said, "all that matters is FAMILY"!  He has been smiling ever since.  He can have visitors and needs to get as much positive energy as possible to prepare for open heart surgery on Wednesday.  Heavenly Father has blessed us so much.  This is a reminder to all of us about what is really important in life!!  I have posted some pixs from Friday, Saturday & today.

Yeah, Greg opened his eyes 2 1/2 hours earlier than we were expecting!!!  Miracle #6.  He's being as stubborn as ever and it appears that he is his usual old self!!! We are so lucky to have his funny self back.  He still has his breathing tube in  and is ecstatic that his girls, Jeremy and the boys are here with him!  He's super annoyed that he still has to have surgery but at least he seems to be doing better!  Thanks for all your prayers and support so far.  He may be able to have some visitors tomorrow!  By the way...He loved his game ball from his awesome Storm LAX team that won today.  It really made him smile.

This is Stacey Schmidt- I decided to start "TheGregRileyStorm" blog for several reasons.  Many of you know my husband Greg Riley.  He is amazing & stubborn all the same.  After some convincing, he agreed to be one of the lacrosse coaches for our Brighton Youth Storm teams (grades K-2).  Despite that he may pretend otherwise, he loves coaching and loves his little team of Storm players.

On the morning of Friday, May 4, 2012, a perfect "storm" of events occurred in Greg's life.  He suffered a massive heart attack.  He was playing racketball with the Bishop, Tai Biesinger and after losing the last game claimed to have chest pains.  (Tai initially thought he was faking to justify loosing to him.) After feeling ongoing chest pains and nausea, Tai knew there was something wrong and thankfully the 1st miracle of this Storm was set in motion, he called the paramedics. The paramedics arrived at the Cottonwood Rec Center, administered oxygen and medication to Greg.  He claimed to be feeling better and thought he could go home.

Miracle #2 of this Storm, the paramedics,one in particular convinced Greg to let them take him to the hospital.  Greg reluctantly went (miracle #3 cause he's so darn stubborn!) and was taken to the ER at IMC (Intermountain Medical Center).  I had spoken to Greg on the phone for a few seconds as I was on my way to the hospital, I was sure he was going to be fine and so I was only slightly panicked, thinking..."Greg will do anything to get out of running the  Brighton LAX 5K tomorrow!"

Storm Miracle #4-I walked into the ER, and I see people administrating chest compressions to some patient...it was Greg.  I cannot believe what I see...a crash cart comes down the hallway.  The ER staff shock him 4 times and bring him back to life.

Miracle #5-Greg is taken to the Cath Lab, the amazing doctors at IMC find and remove the blood clot. Unfortunately, the location of the blocked artery is too dangerous to put in a stint. The heart team at IMC determine that open heart bypass surgery is going to be necessary in the next few days. The location of the narrowed artery is referred to as "the widow maker" and frankly, he's lucky to even be alive at this point.  He was given a blessing by my brother, Chad and our bishopric.

At the present time we are working on miracle #6.  Because Greg went into cardiac arrest they gave him CPR for about 5 minutes.  The doctors are concerned about possible neurological damage.  So yesterday, they lowered his core temperature to try and save brain function, him for 24 hours.  While this occurs he is under heavy sedation.  Today the heart team at IMC started rewarming his core temperature.  Tonight, when his core temperature is back to normal, they will shut down the sedation and hopefully he will regain consciousness, with no neurological damage.

Greg is strong and we are so blessed to have such an amazing out pouring of family and friends, reaching out to us and praying for us.  Know that every text message, email and voicemail are read or listened to from all of you!!! We are so lucky.  This feels like a surreal event as I watched someone I love receive chest compressions and lay in a state of unconsciousness.  Please hug those you love.  Make peace with people that you are harboring ill will.  Life is so precious!

I will continue to keep posting blogs.  When he is able to have visitors, I will let you all know.  I know he would love to see you all.   Thank you for all your love and prayers.  Stacey