Well I know it has been a long time since my last posting, a lot has taken place and I want to bring you up to date in short form.

 
Claire, Abigail, Justin and I were invited to Columbia for a Donor’s Ceremony by Shawn’s mother and sister. This was an exciting and emotional day and there is no way I could ever describe to you how I felt but I am going to try. First of all Rita, his sister and I have been chatting on-line and via e-mail then she started talking about the ceremony and ask if we would like to come. You see we were not notified of the event because it was just for the donor’s family, but Mrs. Bissell and Rita included us in their family, God is awesome working things out that we have never thought of. Rita had requested our shirt sizes as they had shirts printed with Shawn’s picture on it and each of us could proudly wear them at the ceremony. We drove down the morning of the ceremony and waited on the front porch of the First Baptist Church of Columbia. Rita then called me as they neared the location and the tension grew; I could not believe I was fixing to meet the mother and sister of my donor, two people that loved Shawn dearly, the family that chose to give me another chance at life in one of their darkest moments. God has been a part of this all along as Shawn’s family is a strong Christian family and servants of God. When they arrived we could not wait any longer so we went and meet them in the grass it was such a peaceful time and unbelievable. Mrs. Bissell was not able to walk the many steps into the huge church, so we went to an elevator where she was given a wheel chair to make the traveling easier on her. You know God was in all of this because it worked out that I got to push Mrs. Bissell and while I was pushing her a calmness came over me and a thought, here I am here with Shawn’s mother and there was Shawn up in heaven with my mother. We attend the service that was just awesome and while the ceremony was ongoing I thought of all these hundreds of people I am sharing this sanctuary with; is one of the most giving groups of people I have ever been around, because each person there gave the Gift of Life through their loved one. We then all went to break bread together, hamburgers and hot dogs no I did not eat the buns or the chips. We had the opportunity to share around the table with these two great ladies and make pictures. We all know that all great things must come to end; so this wonderful time together came to an end. We said our good byes and as we parted ways we grew closer together, God gave us an awesome day together. We are planning a weekend with the rest of our families soon as we will be traveling to Lumberton, NC where Shawn grew up and where his family resides today. May God Bless Shawn’s memories and his family and friends.

 
OK I have made yet another trip to Charleston, this time it was a solo trip. I had an appointment for another picture of my chest and a visit with my pulmonologist. The issues with these appointments were they started at 7:30 am so I went down on Thursday evening. The evening was uneventful but morning came early. I went over to Rutledge Tower and had the chest x-ray and that left just enough time to get to the 5th floor. I arrived there and the registrar was asking all of her confusing question, when a nurse who had not had her coffee yet came from the back. In one of those loud and hat on to tight nurse voices yelled PELHAM MEDLOCK at that point I was afraid to answer.  Since there was only one other person in the waiting room and that was a lady I figured I had to answer up, she then demanded me to follow her and I said yes mam. I followed her into a room that was large, in this room sitting all alone next to the wall was the one piece of equipment a fat boy hates, the scales. I of course removed my boots’ against the advice of the drill sergeant. She punched some buttons and demand me to remain still, the machine then manufactured some lies. The nurse then glared at me until I hurriedly put my boots back on and not caring at this point if they were on the correct foot. She then escorted me deep inside the building until we arrived at a room, I was unsure what was about to happen but once again she started with her trick questions. She then in an ever so pleasant voice said the doctor will see you now but I had to follow her to another room. The good doctor listened to my lungs and said they sounded great and after a short fight with the computer the doctor said my X-rays were clear. He then ask me if I had any problems; I said well the only thing I notice was being a little short of breath when I walk a lot or up an incline; he quickly advised me that if I would lose some weight my breathing would get better, so I said yes sir, he then said I could go and call him if I need him. I was out of the office by 9:00 am and then discovered that the Charleston Crab House did not open till 11:00 am. I then walked around and found a coffee house that was open so I ate breakfast and off to my highlight of any Charleston trip, North Market and Anson streets so I could thank God for my gift, pay my respect to Shawn’s memory and pray for Shawn’s family, now part of my family and friends. I left Charleston with no Shrimp N Grits; I guess the doctor would have been proud if he only knew.

 
A couple of weeks later I had to go to my doctor in Anderson and he said well I see you have been to Charleston and the doctor told you to lose weight, I dropped my head and said yeah but he then added that my weight was the same as the last time I was in his office, so I gave him a half of smile. He checked me over well and we talked about a couple of spots on my forehead and a mole that turned black on my back; he referred me to a dermatologist to have these looked at. He stated that I did not have to come back to see him for six weeks. This news made me so happy so I went to celebrate and what better way to celebrate than with food; then my Charleston doctor’s visit came to mind so I stopped and ate a salad and drank a glass of water, yum yum.

 
OK a few days passed and just my luck they got me right in the dermatologist but the doctor was no available so I saw the nurse practitioner. She walks in all happy and ask what can she do for me so I showed her the two spots on my forehead and then the mole on my back, she said the spots were probably from the Prograf and the mole would have to be sent off to pathology. She then walked to the back of the room returning quite rapidly with a plastic shield and a device that was similar to a gun but it was attached to a can. She said all we need to do it freeze these two spots and at that moment the cold burning started and I could see that grin on her face almost burst to laughter; she then disappeared to rear of the room. I grew uncomfortable knowing the last time she disappeared to the rear of the room she returned with a vengeance. This time she said there will be a sting and sure enough right in the back and she said that’s it; I felt this was a misleading statement due to the lack of pain I felt on my back compared to the attack on my forehead.  She then said we will call you with the pathology report; the nurse placed a bandage on my back and off I went. I thought this would be a perfect time to celebrate so I started thinking where the celebration meal should be. I dove around town and thought about Little Pigs and how good that would be and then I thought back to Charleston and the doctor saying I needed to lose weight so I ate a salad and drank a glass of water, yum yum. About three days pasted and I got a message from the nurse practitioner that my pathology report came back as not cancer but unusual and I needed to come back to the office so the doctor could remove more of the mole. One week later I arrived and the doctor and nurse came in and they discussed some things behind my back and the doctor agreed with the nurse they could take a little plug out. The doctor said you will feel a sting and a few minutes later the nurse said he is putting in the first of 5 stitches. The nurse then said  here is what he took out and sure enough it was a plug about the size of a pencil and about a quarter of an inch long; they called this a little on, sure would hate for them to take a big one out. I had to return in 9 days to have the stitches removed and receive the report, the stitches came out with a little resistance but the nurse prevailed with minimal pain to me. The pathology report was then read to me and through all of the six and four cylinder words I finally understood that it was benign, benine Possum Kingdom spelling. The doctor sent me away and said to call if I needed him or in a year whatever came first; you know this time I was happy but decided just to skip the celebratory meal and just eat a salad and drink some water.

 
Well now I was feeling better all except needing to lose some weight  to please the doctor in Charleston. Claire reminded me for about the second year in a row she started the idea about how much fun it would be to go camping; remember we are talking about a West Pelzer girl who the closest to camping was staying at her parents lake house. Then what do you know ole Al and Glenda started talking about getting a camper, I knew this must be a conspiracy. Al and Glenda really gave me the support I needed, they went and bought a camper; yeah thanks Al. Well now that just set Clair off and the hunt was on for that perfect camper. We now own a large share of the IWANA and the prices of some of those RVs from 5th wheel to motor homes. Claire and I then went riding to look at some RVs, I figured I needed to do whatever damage control I could and we found the perfect 1998 28’ Wilderness tagalong, with no slides; yea that was another battle I won, so we now own a camper. I know you are thinking that Claire and Abigail won but that is not what happened. I got to thinking about all of the blessings God has given me and the multiply chances at life God has given me and I thought it would be bad if I did not agree to something that would be fun for the whole family.

 
A couple of weeks went by and you know me and how I love attention; I got up on Friday morning feeling great, it was one of those nice spring mornings. I decided to service my truck, lawn mower and gator and then time to go get Abigail, but I did not feel well. I went in the house and thought if I ate something I would feel better, wrong that did not help. The pain was in the right upper side of my stomach you know right where the liver sits. I sat in the house and whined and complained of pain, so about 7:00 pm Claire gave me two of my pain pills that I usually only take one. 8:00 pm rolled around and the pain was so severe I gave in and allowed her to drive me to AnMed’s ER, it was there that other pains started. You know all of the trick questions and ask if you use drugs that kind of stuff. Of course they cannot ask question without sticking things in your mouth and creating new opening such as a large bore IV in your arm, then they ask you what your pain level is, yeah you know what I am talking about. Anyway after all of this and some drugs that made the pain gooooo away, they wanted to make pictures so off I go to have a CT scan. OK what was the end result, I just needed a drink of water; yelp that’s right all of that just to tell me I was thirsty, ok dehydrated. You know I have been thirsty before and got a drink of water, remember even with my salads but to go through all of that just to tell me I was thirsty. I guess just to make it sound better and charge more they said I was dehydrated and the drink they gave me was through that large bore IV. The next time I am whining and in a level 9 pain scale just offer me a drink of water, that may be all I need. One other thing that they found while doing the CT was that I had a mild to moderate plural effusion in my left lung. Well I guess we will have to see what happens next, funny though I think of shortness of breath, I think of salads and then I think of a drink of water through a new hole in my arm, I can’t wait to explain those complains to the next nurse who wants to ask tricky questions.

Well that brings you up to date in short form I am going to do better at posting and for all of you Monday morning blog checkers, this is for you but I really Thank Each One of You for caring and praying.

 
While scripting this blog posting I received a phone call from a very special friend and brother, who delivered me some news; that being that our brother Mike Hunt went home to heaven today, Mike fought a great battle and now he has won. I know that Mike knew that no matter what happened he was going to win and today Jesus welcomed him home. You know Jesus said he has gone to prepare a place for each of us and when it is ready he will return again to get each of us Christian. Can you wait for Jesus to say welcome home, you know to be absent of the body is to be present with God. Please pray for Brother Mike’s family and remember God has stopped all of his suffering and gave him that new and perfect body. I sure am looking forward to seeing Brother Mike again and I know I will, do you know that you will, if not make things right, ask Jesus into your heart and you too will be saved. God Bless The Mike Hunt family, firefighting family and friends.

God Bless You and we love you,

The Krazy Kamping Possum Kingdom Folks,

Pel