July 29, 2008

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  July 29th.........Hmm...what is there to say about this date??  Actually, it is a date that I will never forget.  It started 6 years ago when we found out on this day that our mother was terminal.  Here is the letter that I sent to family members (that lived out of town) and to friends:

  
  

  To my friends..........

  
  

   

  
  

  It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write this letter to all of you.  My mother found out yesterday that there is nothing more they can do for her at this time.  As you all know she has been battling ovarian cancer for the last 3 1/2 years.  She has gone through five treatments of chemotherapy and now she is suffering from jaundice due to the tumors surrounding her liver causing the bile duct to be blocked.  If she was to be given another treatment of chemotherapy she would not be able to flush it through her liver because of the tumors.

  
  

   

  
  

  She has accepted this news and she knew that it was coming because of the way she has been feeling.  She is not in pain at this time (thankfully), she has good days and bad days....on her bad days she is nauseated and VERY tired.  Actually, she is tired quite often.  She is not bedridden but it does take her a while to get around due to her weakness.

  
  

   

  
  

  My brother asked her yesterday if she is afraid and she said that the only thing she is afraid of is the suffering. 

  
  

   

  
  

  What I need from all of you is prayers, prayers and more prayers. 

  
  

   

  
  

  Thanks so much in advance.

  
  

   

  
  

  Janice

  
  

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  Mom faced this battle with great dignity and amazing strength.  She planned her own funeral down to which rosary she wanted to take with her.  She was able to say good-bye to her brothers and sister and to have some serious talks with a couple of my siblings.  She divided up her jewelry with my sisters and myself, telling stories about each piece of jewelry.  She was terminal for two months until she passed away on September 30, 2002.  Mom did say, "Hello" to someone before she took her last breath.  Her passing was very peaceful.  We didn't even know she had taken her last breath until the nurse came in to take her pulse. 

  
  

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  SO, now onto three years later.  Here is a repost from July 29, 2005:

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  Friday, July 29, 2005

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Gosh, it's amazing how one day you are writing a story about your friend to celebrate her birthday and the next day I am asking my Xanga family and friends for prayers.  I was on my way home yesterday after work and my sister Debbie called me crying.  She was on her way to the hospital because her son Chris (aka Critter) was there with my BIL at Urgent Care.  Let me start at the beginning of the week.  Debbie took Critter to the hospital on Sunday because he was dizzy and had a hard time breathing.  The Dr took some blood tests, gave him some meds for what, I DON'T know and sent him on his way.  He has been dizzy all week and didn't go to work at all the entire week. When Critter was eating yesterday he had a hard time swallowing so my BIL picked him up and took him to the Urgent Care at the hospital.  They took an X-Ray and found that he has a mass in his chest.  They had to fit him in to the schedule to do a CT scan and as of right now, they are still not sure what is wrong with him.  They are saying that it could be lymphoma or some type of fungal infection.  They were not able to do a certain test because his kidneys are not filtering properly.  Critter is 21 y/o and he is my first Godson.  He is quite the character.  When he was being brought into the CT scan area yesterday he reached around the wheelchair and flipped us all off.  THAT is his sense of humor.  He did get all of us to laugh and that is what he does all the time.  What I am asking from my Xanga friends and family is to please say a prayer for Chris/Critter.  Pray for my sister, BIL, nieces and nephews.  Gosh, it's just amazing that your life can turn upside down in a matter of minutes.  Thanks in advance for the prayers.  Oh yes, where did I go after going to the hospital you might wonder?  To Denise's house, of course.   ___________________________________________________

  
  

   SO, you all know how that story ended.  <sigh>

  
  

   

  
  

  While on our vacation we went to the base where my bro-in-law Sam works.  We went to the military store and I found a U.S. Marine Corp button for my coworker Chris who is a VERY proud Marine and who was also in the Vietnam War.  When I gave Chris the button, he shared a story with me (which he also shared with the entire office yesterday afternoon too).  Here it is:

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  To all:

  
  

  I want to share with you the most memorable anniversary dinner that my wife and I have ever experienced.

  
  

  Monday, July 14th was our 35th wedding anniversary.  We were busily spending the day with contractors working on some home improvements around our house and by early evening my wife, Roberta, and I were too exhausted to prepare dinner.  Out to the Olive Garden Restaurant on Blossom Hill Road we went at 9pm.

  
  

  As we were walking from our car I noticed a young couple getting out of their car and as we went into the restaurant I held the door for them.  As my wife and I sat waiting for a table I casually noticed the couple were in their early twenties and the young man was clean-cut with a "high and tight" haircut.  In a few minutes we were seated in one room of the restaurant and several minutes later the young couple were seated in an adjacent room.  Nothing unusual up to this time.

  
  

  As our dinner progressed I looked around and once or twice I noticed that either the young woman or the young man would look across the room at us.  Not staring, but looking.  After a good meal our server went about cleaning off our table.  A few minutes later she returned to us as I expected to receive the check.  She quietly told my wife that our complete meal had been already paid for.  We thought at first that we had misheard.  We hadn't said anything about this being our anniversary to anyone on the staff.  Our server explained that the young couple in the other room had paid for our dinner.

  
  

  We looked over to see if somehow we had not recognized them from some previous time or place, but no, we did not know them.  So, confused and curious, we quickly got up and went over to them.  This is where I get choked up in recounting this evening.

  
  

  We walked up to the couple and asked if they had in fact paid for our dinner and they said they had.  I asked the young man why.  He stood up and explained that when we were walking in and I had held the door for them, that he had noticed my cap, my Vietnam Veteran cap.   And he saw the Eagle, Globe and Anchor pin on my cap that identified me as a Marine.  He stood there and looked at me squarely and said he was also a Marine, that he was just home on leave and recently returned from Iraq. During the next several minutes I know I shook his hand at least three times, exchanged a Semper Fi more than once.  We talked for a few minutes, he was there with his fiance for dinner, he was stationed with the 1st Battalion, Fifth Marines in Camp Pendleton, he was awaiting orders to return overseas.

  
  

  My wife and I walked out of the restaurant in awe.  I have heard it spoken of, I have seen it with others, now I had experienced it.  Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful.  Once a  Marine, Always a Marine.  A Brotherhood.  A bond that reaches across generations.

  
  

  To any Marines,

  
  

  Semper Fi

  
  

  Chris
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  What an awesome story, eh??  What a wonderful couple to do that for Chris and his wife.  Here is the pin that I bought Chris (he was wearing it!): 

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  Now then....onto watching my 60+ hours of recorded programs!!  You all have a wonderful Wednesday and be sure to hug your families!

  
  

   

  
  

  Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share.
  Ned Dolan

  • 8:22 pm
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