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)! 🙂