August Update

Thank you everyone for your prayers these past few weeks! I knew others in addition to my family were praying.

After a great journey to Birmingham, Alabama last Tuesday, coming home yesterday was a different experience.

This week I was at a most valuable conference looking into and learning about the relationship between pastoral care and deeper aspects of spiritual warfare.

This is a hugely significant topic for Veterans (actually for everyone) suffering from such wounds of war as PTSD, soul and moral injury and other forms of combat trauma.

It was an excellent conference: interesting, good fellowship, highly qualified and gifted speakers, sound and balanced theory and filled with much practical information and hands on practice.

Lights 7,000 feet below en route to Albany. The black parts of the photo are the black and dark gray storm clouds passing under the plane.

My flights home were quite badly affected by the bad weather up and down Eastern USA. I eventually got into my house at about 11:30 pm, last night having “been on the move” for 12 1/2 hours, of which about 4 1/2 was delay, sitting waiting at departure gates (3.5 hrs) for planes to get rescheduled or in the plane in the middle of the airfield at Philadelphia (PHL) for an hour waiting for bad weather to clear enough between NYC and Albany to enable a 42 minute, safe but bit bumpy flight at 7,000 feet instead of the usual 20,000′. The pilots did well and got us home which everyone on the plane was very happy about!

With the delays, I anticipated missing my connection at PHL, but our flight attendant was even more delayed so God worked all things together for the good of those who love him, allowing me and presumably others, to make their connection. Had she been on time, I would have been about 10 minutes late and would have had to spend the night and most of this morning at PHL airport before getting the first possible flight to Albany offering a seat at around noon today – in fact I would not be home by now!! Praise be to God!

As you pray, please also remember two other families we know.

My brother-in-law, Bill (85), died peacefully but unexpectedly at home in England at about 6:30 AM last Saturday (8/3). Pray for my sister, Joycelin, and her daughters, Amanda and Penny and the families. Bill, a good man, was in their and our family for over 50 years. Pray for his peaceful eternal presence with God.

And pray for a lady who is a longstanding parishioner of the church we attend. Pray for her family. We don’t know much detail but, apparently, she was involved in a serious car accident and was helicoptered to hospital with severe head injuries.

But I want to end this post with a blessing!

Taxiing to the gate on arrival (right) at a wet, windy Albany airport.

When I arrived at Albany airport after 10:00 PM last night I was expecting to see son Toby -thank you for driving me home as well as to the airport very early last Tuesday morning! In fact, he’d been waiting for well over an hour because of the delay I had at PHL. It thrilled my heart to find 2 granddaughters there too! They gave me a lovely, smiling, happy welcome and were so helpful retrieving my suitcase from the carousel and wheeling it to the car!

Commissioned Lay Chaplains Academy 2016

I was delighted to spend the last few days away doing ‘my bit’ to make the second Academy of 2016 successful. It’s been nearly 3 years since I and several others were commissioned as Lay Chaplains in November 2013. Seven of us were commissioned then. Two of that group have moved on to other ministries and we have commissioned 6 more Chaplains since then, with, apparently, about another 7 or 8 in process of discerning their call and going through the application process.

For me, being commissioned has brought even more credibility and acceptance to my ministry as an ACCTS staff member helping war zone Veterans including Chaplains find God’s peace in their souls from war trauma, burnout, compassion fatigue and similar dis-eases.

I’m blessed to have been chosen to be Prior of the Order of St. Martin of Tours, under which order we are commissioned as lay chaplains. Some consider St. Martin to be the patron saint of military chaplains and of soldiers. It is of huge significance to me that the Order and our commissioning is under the oversight of the Anglican Bishop of the Armed Forces & Chaplaincy, who is also a good friend. Interestingly, St. Martin’s Day is commemorated on November 11, also Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.

It is also significant to me that the other 10 lay chaplains and the Abbot of the Order each have meaningful ministry with Veterans in the Veterans homes, hospitals, hospices, and correctional institutions in which they work.

I feel very fulfilled that concurrently being an ACCTS staff member of 22 years standing coupled with 3 years of lay chaplaincy complementing that, plus nearly 30 years of active duty in the infantry, really validates the call Meryl and I felt from God in February 1989 to put our Christian faith into action by ministering to the military community wherever He sent us.

Read the CLC Academy 2016 article on the Anglican Chaplains website.

Noel’s Health Update – Thursday, July 23, 2015 at 8 p.m.

Thank you all for your many prayers, thoughts and messages! Meryl and I are so blessed and grateful for your encouragement, support and TLC.

The surgery went well and I was discharged by about 2 p.m., feeling a bit woozy but OK. Slept for a couple of hours this afternoon. My nose and chin are both a bit sore but not bad enough for any medication at the moment. I follow up with the doc in a week (not yet booked).

Apparently both the nose and chin spots were cancerous. The nose was basal and he reckons he got it all without need for a skin graft from my shoulder, so that was good. The chin was squamous and didn’t need a graft either. He thinks the one on my calf was not cancerous at all, more dry skin. Squamous can be more dangerous and faster spreading than basal, but both are potentially life threatening if untreated. As always it is better to get treated earlier rather than later.

The lesions seem to be a function of my light colouring and skin. Clearly, serving in the infantry for nearly 30 years makes me more susceptible to skin cancers. We were often in the sun – as well as much rain and some unforgettable frozen weather! Such is life’s rich pageant! And, apparently, because of the transplant 3 years ago, some of the immuno-suppressant drugs I’ve been on also put me more at risk.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Update

Relay for Life: I Am Hope

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 Update

I'd be most grateful for all your prayers and thoughts tomorrow, Thursday, and the few days after. I report to hospital at 10 a.m. for minor surgery to remove three basal cell lesions on my nose, chin and left calf. This will be a conscious sedation procedure and should take only a short time. I'm told it takes most of the rest of the day for the sedation effects to wear off. Meryl has to come with me to drive me home and be with me for the 24 hours afterwards.

Pray the wounds will heal quickly and well, especially the "nose job", cosmetically (although I'm not a vain person I do want to look presentable!). More importantly, pray the surgeon will get all the cancer cells out!

I know many people have this sort of procedure but I'm not looking forward to the day; and I don't like pain either! My platelet count, although much better, is still low and means that any bleeding takes longer to clot than it used to.

Otherwise, I continue to feel better than I have for more than 6 months as my immune system strengthens, the GVHD goes away, and the dosage of Prednisone gets reduced again next Tuesday.

Thank God for the excellent ministry trip we just came back from.

The Anglican Chaplains Convocation was very enjoyable, solidifying relationships with many armed forces Chaplains as well as those ministering in Veterans and other hospitals, hospices and correctional institutions (prisons in UK parlance).

The Welcome Home Initiative retreat was a huge healing blessing for everyone who came.

At least one marriage seemed to be significantly and positively improved (the couple decided to renew their vows soon).

I felt that the "coming alongside" ministry I exercise seemed to be well received as I (with several others similarly "called") listened to stories of deep trauma, showed compassion to those suffering and prayed deeply for them to be set free from the memories and experiences that haunt them, that often cause Soldiers to feel like they are tied up with barbed wire.

Meryl played a crucial part as she helped minister to the five young wives who came. Her experiences as an Army wife for 23 years including several years of dealing with combat and other operational deployments, proved invaluable to several women present.

Please also pray for the Godly provision of $1,200 -$1,500 to enable me to attend and minister alongside Rev. Nigel Mumford at a healing conference for military Chaplains from August 27-29 at Orlando, FL. Nigel is the main speaker and leads the very small healing ministry team, of which I feel called to be a part of. He very much wants me there.

Thank you so much!

Meryl’s Health Update – Lunchtime, Tuesday

Meryl is cheerful, keeping everyone amused, up and out of bed, walking around, disgusted with hospital food, frustrated at being in hospital, feisty; and praising God for His goodness, grace and blessings! In other words, she is more or less back to her normal self except for a sore right wrist and left forearm where all the drips, IV’s etc were stuck in.

Earlier today, she wrote on her Facebook page:

“I always thought nitroglycerin was used to make bombs……… But on Sunday they gave me 2 tablets and since then I have been wearing a nitroglycerin patch on my arm..I get a new one every 6 hours… One thing about having any medical events you get to learn about a lot of new stuff..and for my activities to day I looks like I have something written on the white board “cardiac education” So looks like I will be learning more new stuff today.” (— feeling blessed at CCU Glens Falls Hospital.NY.)

And

“Looks like another good day here…..I had some sleep last night in small bursts… Am now free of IV’s and only attached to a BP cuff that automatically pumps up from time to time and they changed my heart monitor wires for a battery remote one.. But I am still not allowed to move around with out someone with me..and can not use my right arm as the ‘trauma ” to the artery is still healing from the procedure yesterday…but now beginning to feel stiff from being in bed and doing nothing…I need to be up and active…they just did blood tests so I hope my blood enzymes are normal and when the cardiologist does his rounds he says I can go home…next event to look forward to… Breakfast……

Well, her cardiologist came at about 9 AM and we had a long and good chat with him about all aspects of daily life and health. The bottom line is that he has adjusted and changed her medications a bit and is keeping her in hospital until Wednesday to watch over the results of the changes. After a few days fully to recover from this ‘episode’, as the hospital calls it, she should be completely up to normal operating speed. The cause of her minor heart attack is unlikely ever to be known but there are a couple of theories out there as to why it happened. There will be no restrictions on Meryl and she said to me a few minutes ago that one of the big ‘plusses’ is that she now knows what it feels like to have this experience, so she can immediately get help if it happens again.

We thank everyone most heartily and gratefully for their concern, prayers, and communications and send our love and blessings to you all. We will resume normal communications through snail mail, electronic mail including social media, telephone, including mobile/cell and face to face personal contact in the coming days.

With all our love and blessings, and in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Noel and Meryl

 

Meryl’s Health Update

Background: Meryl was having chest pains and ‘heaviness’ on Sunday, June 15th whilst we were at church. We left immediately, half way through the service, to go to the Emergency Room at Glens Falls Hospital. She was triaged immediately on arrival and admitted for more evaluation and observation, leading to an investigative heart catherization today, Monday June 16th.

Latest update personally from Meryl.

Please continue to pray.

I am feeling blessed with Toby Dawes and Noel Dawes at Glens Falls Hospital.

“This is the day The Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

My morning began early with a change of nursing staff, administration of today’s drugs and nothing to eat in readiness for my catherization.

I was taken one floor down to the procedure area in my bed where I was prepared for the cath met my doctor, who turned out to be from London.

Eventually the cath was done through the radial artery in my right wrist. This showed no blockages and just a normal buildup of plaque. No definitive reason was found for what. is still defined as a minor heart attack.

However some normal changes consistent with my age were detected in the blood vessels feeding my heart, and there is some thickening of the walls of the heart muscle. My heart enzymes continue to be slightly elevated so this, coupled with the fact that I suffered a mild heart attack, will keep me in hospital for another night for observation. I am feeling 99% better although quite fatigued.

I will be seeing my cardiologist on his rounds later this afternoon. I will see what he has to say and ask him some questions so there will be more later.

Transplant Day plus 149, from Glens Falls, NY

On this very cold, sub-zero, day I’m very blessed and pleased the specialist in Boston didn’t want to see me this week. Only the second week since coming home from ending a month’s stay there in early July that we haven’t had the tiring nearly 500 mile round trip there and back.

Next visit on November 14th.

The thrush in my mouth and throat is still present and sore – but I do feel somewhat more energetic and motivated most days.

Hoping the US election result will cause all parties to work together in a united way and get the country governed better.

D+107: September 26, 2012 – And Feeling Good, Praise God!

Happy Meryl on a sunny afternoon at Crandall Park, Glens Falls, New York
September 1, 2012

D+107:September 26, 2012– And Feeling Good, Praise God!

Doxology: Revelation 5:13 (Louis Bourgeois and Thomas Ken)

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Thank you all so much for your messages and ‘likes’ on this site, and at CaringBridge and Facebook (Click the links on the home page to access them), let alone your prayers and good wishes. Thanks for all the cards, letters, phone calls and a few home visits too. We welcome every one of them.

Today is the first Wednesday in nearly 4 months we have not had to see my specialist in Boston. I didn’t realize what a pleasant relaxation not having to be there would be! Although my energy levels are not yet what they need to be, being at home gives me an incentive to get on and do some of the things that have dropped by the wayside recently, especially answering emails and social media messages, as well as praying for God’s overwhelming blessings on each person replying to these ‘posts’.

Health condition seems unchanged since last week, so we pray this good news continues and is reflected in better blood counts in Boston next Wednesday.

I bought a bike recently and have gone out on it a couple of times as part of my campaign to get fit again. I cycled 5 miles on a local cycle path (largely flat) last Friday and by the time I got home my legs were like jelly! I didn’t realize this illness would cause me to be so out of condition. Once the Hickman line (a port) is taken out of my chest – maybe next week – and the wound heals up, and the doctor gives me permission to do so, I’m looking forward to doing some gentle swimming at our local YMCA swimming pool, if I can find a quiet time to go. However, with the Autumn/Winter flu season soon to start, I suspect this might not happen for quite a while. 🙁

Didn’t get to sail my small dinghy this year either. 🙁

Following on from Meryl’s comment about an impromptu support group of combat Veterans and Bone Marrow transplantees at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) last week, I’m asking each of you to pray for the upcoming Welcome Home Initiative (WHI) Retreat – the 14th one, 12th at the Greenwich, NY Christ the King Spiritual Life Center. It takes place from November 12-14. There are about 30 combat Veterans, several spouses and the largest number of female Veterans coming we have ever welcomed. I want to carry out my usual role of co-leader, leading the two Tuesday morning sessions, but it looks extremely unlikely at this stage. So pray for a miracle to happen that the doctor says I can be involved. Also pray for the right number and quality of hosts to be available for every Veteran. Pray for sufficient money to run the Retreat, which is free for the Vets. See www.christ-the-king-center.org/WelcomeHome for more details. How about a STAFFORD Vet coming sometime? (I served and did my combat tours in Northern Ireland with the STAFFORDS – The Staffordshire Regiment). 🙂

Pray also for a highly successful Warrior Retreat taking place near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, from October 4-6. This has been inspired by the example of the WHI Retreats. I was asked to help but I had to tell the pastor organizing it yesterday that I am not able to go. Fort Campbell is a key base for Special Forces and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The STAFFORDS and 101st have a historical connection. The 101st jumped into Nijmegen, Holland as the South Staffords landed by glider near Oosterbeek, to the west of Arnhem. The STAFFORDS and its successor regiment, 3 MERCIAN (STAFFORDS) commemorate the Arnhem battle on September 17 annually. 🙂

Finally today, I want to pay a very special tribute to my wonderful wife, caregiver extraordinaire and Special Angel. She’s a Special Angel ’cause no other woman would ever put up with the likes of me for the 44 years we have known each other. She is the most unconditionally loving person I have ever known and she is always here for me. Thank you, Meggiewife (and I’m the only person who ever uses that name)! 🙂

Some random thoughts

Penned by Noel – the first time I’ve felt like writing in over three weeks!

The Boston Dome. Some fun feedback is in order! Someone suggested I should get a wig in an Afro style, with dreadlocks! What do you think? Or white-ish, to reflect the senior citizen time of life I seem to somehow arrived at. Or a ginger one? Ginger was the color of my youth and middle years. Short or long hair? Flat, straight or wavy? Would a wig make me look and feel more elegant, distinguished, good-looking, intelligent? Or not? What say you?

Prayers, visits, support, encouragement, love. I am overwhelmed by all the TLC shown me over the last month. The hugest thanks must go to my special caregiver and angel, Meryl. But also to everyone else who has read these pages, added comments, sent emails, made phone calls (thankfully we have not been overwhelmed by these); thanks to the huge numbers of people praying for us; to the several who have donated through these pages; to the wonderful medical and ancillary folk who have looked after me so well in the hospital and the cancer clinic; to those who visited me either at the hospital or at Hope Lodge; especially to the donor, who made the transplant possible in the first place – a marvelous gift of self sacrifice! THANK YOU, including anyone I have missed thanking.

British Army reductions. It seems the UK government is to announce a large reduction in the British Army this Thursday. The Army will be at its smallest size since the Napoleonic Wars about 200 years ago. I won’t make any comment about this except today it seems very likely that the infantry regiment, whose badges I wore for nearly 30 years, will be disbanded, having had a name change about 5 or 6 years ago. A sad day, if the news is confirmed.

Meryl and I have been praying for and greatly distressed by the sad news of two friends who have died whilst we have been in Boston, even though they are now at peace and no longer suffering, being united with Christ in glory. We have also been distressed by the news of several friends who have either had to leave their homes or be packed ready to evacuate at a moments notice. We do not know if any of them lost their homes to these terrible wildfires in Colorado Springs. They are still not yet fully under control. Finally we have also been prayerfully concerned about those who are affected by the powerful storms and heat over much of the mid-west and east of the USA, let alone the storms in UK over the last couple of weeks.

But, regardless, God is good – all the time!

And I’m so pleased to be going home tomorrow!

Thank you, one and all!