Happy 38th Anniversary Gary

I can't believe it was 38 years ago as kids we said I do! Where have the years gone? I was 17 and Gary was 19 and people said we would never make it. Not to say we didn't have some bumps in the road along the way, but who doesn't? I wouldn't change a thing, it has made us who we are. With God's grace, we are a pretty strong team!

Babe, I would do it all over again--I Love you!!

Happy Birthday Amy

Happy Birthday to you Amy!! I can't believe the beautiful woman you have grown into---inside and out!! I hope you have a great day!!

We Love you!!

Dad and Mom

Happy 4th Birthday Gavin

I almost didn't make it to wish Gavin a Happy Birthday to day on here. We had a packed day and just thankful I felt good enough to get everything in. We went to the park by LBC to have Gavin's party. It was a beautiful "summer" like day out. He was so funny, if you asked him if he felt like he was four now, he would feel his arms and say yea, he does! So cute!!

He is such a cutie, and says the funniest and cutest things. He just looks at you with those big brown eyes and makes your heart melt. You can't say no to him, not that as a Nana I say no much to any of the grand kids!!

Glad you had a good day Gavin---we love you very much!! Pap-pa nad Nana

Up Dates

I was at the lung dr's yesterday and he is still not happy with what my lungs sound like. Still some wheezing.I have to stay on the steroids-yuk! I hate them. I was hoping to get off this new medicine they started me on in the hospital. The side effects can be bad, and one is it makes my risks of seizures higher. I had one when I was in the recovery room, and haven't felt great since I have been home, kinda laid low. He feels like it has done some good, and wants to wait and see what the neurologists says about it. I see him later in May. They are looking into seeing if I'm a candidate for a shot called Xolair. I would get it every 2 to 4 weeks. He is also going to get things started for me to see Dr Sally Wenzel, an asthma specialists in Pittsburgh. She is supposed to be cutting edge for treating severe asthma. They don't know what else to do for me. He said I'm his hardest case he's ever had. I told him don't feel too bad, I've never been normal in anything health related. Why should this be different? This isn't the first time I have heard this from a Doctor!!

I haven't put a hymn on for a few days--- the one I want to put on today
Count Your Blessings

1Thessalonians 5:18

"In everything give thanks: for this is the

will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count you many blessing, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Refrain

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count you many blessings money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

So, amid your conflict whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all;

Count you many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Refrain

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done!

Post -Op

I got the medi-port in yesterday. Surgery went well. There were a few complications after in the recovery room. My blood pressure dropped very low, of course it flared my asthma and I had trouble with that for a while. I had to have several breathing treatments. They started getting that under control and then I had a seizure! This new asthma medicine they put me on makes my risks higher to get one, so I guess that was the problem. I was the last one to leave the recovery room for the day, and closed down the post-op department, but at least I got to come home! Several of the nurses were surprised they were letting me, but I felt okay, just very wiped out. The meds they gave me to stop the seizure make you very drowsy, plus the seizure, and the meds to knock me out for surgery, I just wanted to sleep! Needless to say, I slept very well last night. Glad to say I have very little pain. Just a little uncomfortable.

The song I picked for today is:

Why Should He Love Me So?

Love sent my Savior to die my stead
Why should He love me so?
Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led,
Why should He love me so?

Chorus

Why should He love me so?
Why should He love me so?
Why should my Savior to Calvary go?
Why should He love me so?

Oh how he agonized there in my place,
Why should He love me so?
Nothing withholding my sin to efface,
Why should He love me so?

Chorus

Why should he love me so?
Why should he love me so?
Why should my Savior to Calvary go?
Why should He love me so?

Surgery Day

I have my port put in today. Surgery is scheduled for noon. I am just praying it doesn't cause me to have an asthma attack and they have to admit me. I am still very unstable. Monday night we were watching 24 and one second I was fine and the next I couldn't breathe. I didn't have an inhaler downstairs and Gary ran up and got it for me, scared him to death. It was a bad one. If he hadn't been home I don't know if I would have made it upstairs to get it. I had to use it 7 or 8 times just to be able to half breathe, and then came up and did a breathing treatment. At least now I know to leave one downstairs, too.

I haven't posted a song for a couple of days. The one I picked for today is :

Because He Lives

God sent His Son--they called Him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to seal my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Chorus

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance;
This child can face uncertain days because Christ lives.

Chorus

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final was with pain;
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory-and I'll know He lives.

Chorus

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Happy Easter---He is Risen!!

I finally got to go to church today, and Bill had a wonderful message from Luke 24 and Acts 9 on Saul's ( later to know as Paul ) conversion because of the Resurrection. It was awesome to be with the church family again, and Greg and the boys came and surprised us. Bill did and little object lesson with the kids and Blake and Gavin got to hold the whip and incense burner for that.

The song I picked for today is an Easter Medley. I hope you enjoy it.

Acts 2:24

However, God released him from the horror of death and raised

him back to life again, for death could not keep him in it's grip. NLT

Christ the Lord is risen today, alleluia.

Sons of men and angels say, alleluia.

Raise your joys and triumphs high, alleluia.

Sing ye heavens and earth reply, alleluia.

Love's redeeming work is done, alleluia.

Fought the fight, the battle won, alleluia.

Death in vain, forbids him rise, alleluia.

Christ has opened paradise, alleluia.

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Saviour.

Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.

Up from the grave he arose.

With a mighty triumph o'er his foes.

He arose a victor from the dark domain,

And he lives forever with his saints to reign.

He arose, He arose, hallelujah, Christ arose.

Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus my Savior.

He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord.

up from the grave he arose.

With a mighty triumph o'er his foes.

He arose a victor from the dark domain,

And he lives forever with his saints to reign.

He arose, He arose, hallelujah, Christ arose.

Sing with the saints of glory.

Sing the resurrection song.

Death and sorrow earth's dark story,

To the former days belong.

All around the clouds are breaking

Soon the storms of time shall cease.

In god's likeness we awaking,

Know the everlasting peace.

All around the clouds are breaking,

Soon the storms of time shall cease,

In God's likeness we awaking,

Know the everlasting peace.

Soar we now where Christ has led ,alleluia.

Following our exalted head, alleluia.

Ten Thousand Angels

Thinking about Easter tomorrow and our Saviour being born to die for me is amazing to me. The suffering he willingly went through is in comprehensible. To know He could have called ten thousand angels and ended it all, but that wasn't His Father's plan. So He died alone, for you and me.

Matthew 26:53

"Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father,

and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed;

They led Him thro' the streets in shame.

They spat upon the Savior so pure and free from sin;

They said, "Crucify Him; He's to blame."

Refrain

He could have called ten thousand angels

To destroy the world and set Him free

He could have called ten thousand angels

But He died alone, for you and me.

Upon His precious head they placed a crown of thorns;

They laughed and said, "Behold the King!"

They struck Him and they cursed Him and mocked His holy name

All alone He suffered everything.

Refrain

When they nailed Him to the cross, His mother stood nearby,

He said, "Woman, behold thy son!"

He cried, "I thirst for water," but they gave Him none to drink

Then the sinful work of man was don.

Refrain

To the howling mob He yielded; He did not for mercy cry.

The cross of shame He took alone.

And when He cried, "It's finished," He gave Himself to die;

Salvation's wondrous plan was done.

Refrain

He could have called ten thousand angels

To destroy the world and set Him free

He could have called ten thousand angels

But He died alone, for you and me.

Praise the Lord for salvation's plan. Do you know him as your Savior? If not, make this the best Easter ever and accept Him today!!

Up Dates

As for me, I am slowly moving forward. I still can't do much. Get very short of breath just walking across the room. I get the mediport put in on Thursday. Surgery is at 11:00. Should be out patient, but there's a possibility I'll be admitted, of course because of the asthma. I pray not, they let you out once you get in there!!

Amy texted Gary and said M.I.T. campus was huge, but a cool campus. I know that is Seth's first choice of where to go. I hope it works out for him to be able to attend there.

Gary's sister Betty had a stent put in her leg yesterday for the blockage. It went well and they got it opened. Now it is on for further tests about the mass in her abdomen.

Hymn of the Day--Great Is Thy Faithfulness

So many to choose from. I have a whole list, so I will be doing this for a while. It has been good to look back through some of these oldies but goodies!! For today I chose :





Great Is Thy Faithfulness





Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;


There is no shadow of turning with Thee.


Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;


As thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.





Refrain:





Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!


Morning by morning new mercies I see;


All I have needed thy hand hath provided


Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.





Summer and winter and spring-time and harvest,


Sun, moon and stars in their courses above


Join with all nature in manifold witness


To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.





Refrain





Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,


Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide,


Strenght for today and bright hope for tomorrow,


Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!





Refrain:





Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!


Morning by morning new mercies I see;


All I have needed thy hand hath provided


Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Day by Day

I said I was getting comfort out of some the old hymns. This is another I love. This one I learned to love during a hard time in our family's lives and it gave me great comfort then. My brother John and sister-in-law Judie lost a little girl due to being born premature. Her name was Heather, she only lived 8 hours. They had two sons Jonathan and Joshua, and later two more Adam and Aaron. Judie wanted a little girl so much. God gave her one, but for such a short little while. Some day in heaven they will be together again, never to be separated!!



Day by Day



Day by day, and with each passing moment,

Strenght I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment, I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure, Gives unto each day what he deems best,

Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.



Every day the Lord Himself is with me,

With a special mercy for each hour;

All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,

He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.

The protection of His child and treasure

Is a charge that on himself He laid;

"As thy days, they strenght shall be in measure,"

This the pledge to me He made.



Help me then, in every tribulation,

So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,

That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,

Offered me within Thy holy Word.

Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,

E'er to take, as from a father's hand,

One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,

Till I cross the promised land

College Trip

Well, Gary is getting old!! Brad and Amy are taking Seth

on a college trip this weekend to M.I.T. in Boston. This is such an exciting time in his life. He will be a senior next year, and has life changing decisions to make. He is a smart, level headed guy, and I know listens to wise council ( his parents ).

He has big plans for the future and we are anxious to see where the Lord leads.

We pray for safety on the road, and that the trip won't be too much for Amy. I am just wondering how she is going to manage walking around campus when she can't walk around her own house some days. I just pray the Lord will give her extra strenght and endurance and keep her pain low these several days.

Prayer Request

Gary's sister Betty was taken to the emergency room yesterday with a couple of toes being very painful and turning colors. It turns out she has a blockage in her leg. In doing tests to find that, they also found a large mass in her abdomen. They are wondering if the blockage has anything to do with the mass. She has a lot more testing to go through. Gary talked to her last night and she is in good spirits and has a great attitude.



This is a concern considering Gary's Mom died with lymphoma. He had a brother who had kidney cancer which died in a car accident before the cancer could take him. He also had two brothers that died of lung cancer. Not the best family history.



Please pray the Doctor's will have wisdom, for Betty and Buck, and for Bucky and Brian.

Not much change

Not a lot to report different. Still laying low and waiting for a BIG change. I am feeling stronger, but I can't do much, get too short of breath, wheezy and cough.



Besides scripture, I have found comfort in poems and some of the good old hymns. My grandpa Sewell's favorite was "Till the Storm Passes By---I love it, too.



Mark 4:39

"And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,

Peace be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm."



'Till the Storm Passes By



In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,

While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.

'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,

Keep me safe til the storm passes by.



Chorus

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of thy hand,

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.



Many times Satan whispered, "There is no need to try,

For there's no end to sorrow, there's no hope by and by"

But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I'll rise

Where the storms never darken the skies.



Chorus



When the long night has ended and the storms come no more,

Let me stand in Thy presence on that bright peaceful shore;

In that land where the tempest, never comes, Lord may I

Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.



Chorus

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of thy hand,

Keep me safe till the storm passes by.



What beautiful words!! I have said I have peace in the midst of the storm. He does

keep us safe till the storm passes by. Can't wait until that day when there are no

more storms!!

He Alreaady Sees

When the storm raged about them,

the disciples were afraid-

For the waves were high and the ship was tossed ,

they could not find their way-

Then they awoke the Master, saying,

"Lord,please save us now,"

He rebuked the wind, and the sea grew calm,

and they wondered how...



Like the men on the sea did,

I have called on God in prayer-

When it seemed to me all hope was gone

and in my deep despair-

I remembered what the Lord said

when He calmed that troubled sea-

and I know once more how He sees the storm

and PEACE floods over me...



....and when the storms of life come crashing in and trouble me-

I can feel God's arms around me,

and he whispers, "Let it be.....

Let it be...."



God sees the storm from the other side-

He knows the lessons learned,

and just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies-

He speaks PEACE through the raging storm when peace could not be found-

He already sees the rainbow,

when we see only clouds.

Blake and Gavin with Charlie Villanueva

Greg, Deb and the boys went to the Sixers and Bucks game on Thursday night to see Charlie. It was Alopecia Areta night and Charlie is the national spokes person for the National Alopecia Areta Foundation. Blake has had alopecia since he was a year old and they have been friends with Charlie since then. Blake has jerseys, poster size pictures of him and Charlie hanging in his room. He is a real fan of his, and for good reason. Charlie is a real person, takes the time for these kids, really loves them. He has alopecia himself, so he knows what it is like, he feels for them., and adults, too. You hear so much bad about sports stars these days. This is one that is a really good guy, and doing good things. We just hear the bad things that they do. The media only likes to spread the bad news. Charlie--keep up the good work!! This is one Nanny that thanks you!!

Doctor's Appointments

I had two appt's yesterday. One with the surgeon for my mediport. I have surgery on the 16th to have that put in. They don't usually put the tube down your throat for breathing for that surgery, but they will me because of the asthma. It should be a day-surgery, let's pray that my asthma will be okay by then, and it won't flare it up again.

My next appt. she still wasn't too pleased with what my lungs sounded like. I was supposed to start tapering the steroids on Monday, but they want me to hold off on that. Afraid it will set me back. I just hate being on them, but I know I need to be able to breathe, too. I think this time of year is just making it be so much slower. This is my worst 6 to 8 months coming up. I am just trying to be patience, but it is hard at times. I am feeling some stronger, so I am thankful for that.

Thanks again for all your prayers. They mean the world to us. We love you all!!

The grandkids

There is other stuff going in our lives besides my asthma, although it is hard for me to realize it. My life is Doctor appt's and blood tests and home nursing visits, etc.



It is spring out there and the kids are in full swing with school winding down and their spring activities. Chad is in his spring musical which is Alice in Wonderland and he is Tweedle-Dum.

Abbey of course is in full swing with soccer, Seth is with tennis, Riley with track, Brooke is softball, and soon baseball will be starting for Blake, Chad and Garrett usually plays if he does this year. I haven't heard.



It is nice to know life is normal. Life moves on ,although mine has seemed to change somewhat for the time being. The grand kids are the bright spot of my life. I love hearing what they are doing, how they have done in their meets, their matches and games. I just can't wait until I can get out there and watch and root them on myself!! GO guys!!

still slowly moving forward

The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God

is my Rock, in Whom I take refuge

Psalm 18:2a

Since I have last blogged I was at the hematologist and got an IV iron transfusion. Instead of
giving me 8 or 10 weeks in a row and then have to have that many in a few months again, he decided to give me monthly maintenance transfusions. That should keep my blood levels more even instead of the highs and lows. He is also sending me to the surgeon, which I have an appt. tomorrow for the consultation to have a mediport put in instead of the PICC line. The PICC line can only be left in for 6 months or so, you have to be careful and not get it wet, have to flush it daily, and is a line showing from your arm. The mediport is placed in your chest and is under the skin, can be there permanently and is much less care. The only thing is it does require surgery, which with my asthma right now we will see what they say.

Monday night around 2:oo in the morning I starting vomiting and have been sick every since. It hits about 3 to 4 hours after I take my medication. I have nausea medication to take, so that is helping, but one more med!! We will see what the Dr. says tomorrow. I have a feeling I am not going to be able to stay on this new asthma med. It is not doing that much anyway, with a lot of risks and side effects.

That is the latest here. Hope all is going well in your world. Thanks for your prayers, your love and concern. We love you all!!