21
Oct

WAW – Gotta Think

   Posted by: Lightning   in Uncategorized

What A Week

Were should I start. I think I will start on Friday October 12, 2007. I had the honor and privilege of participating in the first Clergy Appreciation Luncheon, that’s a lot to say for a country boy. For all you other country folks, I helped with a dinner where we had a whole bunch of preachers all in the same room. I had such a God filled day and an inspiring intermingling day with fellow Christians. I am privileged to be a part of an organization that has such a staff who loves God, is straight forward thinking, mission statement minded and individual focused. This staff along with some help from DLSC volunteers were able to not just feed the preacher’s bellies but filled their souls with inspiring song and words of wisdom from inspiring people and then followed up with a key note speaker everyone should hear because he is a God fearing man and a servant of God, Mr. Truett Cathy – Founder of Chick-fil-A. Mr. Cathy will tell you real quick that the success of Chick-fil-A came from God, because God was in it.
Our hope through all these efforts, the Clergy will be able to help achieve the goal, that being more people being organ & tissue donors. Remember that at the end of any day for us, 18 people will have died waiting on a lifesaving transplant. Are You A Christian? Get Jesus in your heart and then agree to be a donor once God has called you home, and remember to tell your family. Tell them Yes your a Born Again Christian and yes you want to be an organ & tissue donor.

On Sunday October 14, 2007 the journey to Charleston was once again traveled. As the waiting room fills, the event of who will be next began as the wait began to see Dr. Willner. I am greeted by the nurse as she points to the dreaded scales. I began my stripping act right there in the waiting room, with the heads around the room turned in embarrassment. I look at these things this way, if they are going to fuss about what I weigh and they don’t want this behavior to occur then they need to put these scales in a closet or just throw them out the door. I however cowardly stepped on this dreaded monster and immediately started spitting out excesses about why my weight was not my fault. I gathered my hat and other belongings and down the hall I go with my head lowered and hoping the walk would not be long because I just could not walk muck more. The nurses came in and of course they had to find something to fuss about so they decided to pick on my blood pressure. Let me tell you once they decide your blood pressure is up, you sure do get a lot of attention, after all of those excuses. The room grew quite as I sat there waiting on the next round to start, I knew that some one was going to find something to fuss about and of course Claire is going to chime in her two cents worth, that usually don’t help. Her chiming usually get me stuck some how some where. This time I was proud of myself, I did not sir up any hate and discontent. Dr. Willner then walks through the door and gleams down at me and ask how I am doing. I know this could be a tricky question so I am not sure how to answer it, but I try. I replied by saying fine, and then drawing up. Dr. Willner smiled and said all my liver numbers looked great, blood pressure was up and he was not pleased that my leg was swelling, so he increased my blood pressure medication and started me on Lasix, but you know it did not stop there, I have not been stuck yet then there she is with the needle, yelp right there in the arm she gigged me and gave me my flu shot. He then said he was going to send Dr. Sahn a letter that he agreed to the nuclear medicine test. He said that Dr. Sahn was going to have to figure out what was going on with my plural effusion. He said that he was cutting my blood work to once a month and I did not have to come back and see him until January, that’s my year anniversary month.
Now talking about that plural effusion, just to bring you up to date. When they put this tube in me they said they would not consider removing it until I got down to about 50ml at every drainage, that’s also 50cc. I started with the drainage numbers being about 325ml and as of today I removed 1000ml, I know the number are going the wrong way. Just don’t get all excited and start fussing at me, because me & you know God is in control and he knows what he is doing.
Now to this weekend, we arrived in Charleston just a couple of hours ago and Justin just came in, now we are ready to start a weekend. That’s right we are in town this time just for fun. We are here for the MUSC Transplant Center’s 2007 Celebration Of Life. This is were the donor and or family and recipient and family come together. I am not sure what all is going to happen but they did say we were eating dinner (lunch) so you know me I am here the night before. Once this big dinner is over, Claire Justin and Abigail will be headed home and I must make a stop at Myrtle Beach for the NC/SC IAAI convention. I sure am looking forward to the entire array of events.

God Bless You,
Put a smile on your face,
God Loves you and me,

Lightning

6
Oct

Doctor’s Vist in Charleston on Friday 10-5-2007

   Posted by: Lightning   in Uncategorized

Well Hello My Beloved Friends,

I wanted to give you an update on my last Charleston, 10-5-2007. This was one that we were looking forward to, since we were going to see Dr. Sahn and his team. The last time we spoke with them was about a month ago when I was in the hospital. I went in for my appointment and I had a PFT – pulmonary function test. This kind of reminds me when we have to do the test for firefighting and the folks at North Greenville Fitness would give us that cardboard tube and make you take a deep breath and blow it out and they keep yelling blow, blow, blow, keep blowing, keep blowing and them you realize that you just blew out one eyeball and then they tell you to stop. Well this test was just like that except they made me do it three times, must have failed cause they gave me some medication that I had to breath, I think it was to keep your eyeballs glued in and then they made me do it three more times. I had one excuse, at least I tried to use it, I have to drain my lung cavity ever three days and Friday was the third day. Over all they compared my test scores from a year ago, and I guess I have gotten dumber, because my score went down this time 28% to 30%. I am still however sucking in good air, my level was 97%, you know when they stick that close pin with that red light on your finger. I then had to go have a chest x-ray, don’t know but I think Claire put them up to that to try and see if I had a heart, I sure do. I then saw Dr. Sahn and two of his FELLOWS, that is a speciality in the medical field, not just good ole boys, why some of us are smarter than we thought, cause people be calling us fellers for a long time, like look at them dumb fellers climbing that tree after that possum. Anyway Dr. Sahn and the other two doctors talked about a lot of different things and then Dr. Sahn sat down and told me that right now I was still a mystery, he said he did not think it was bad but he just did not know why I had this fluid. They then talked some more doctor talk with those five and eight cylinder words and they sent me for more test. I went down to the bronc sweet, that’s the place where they stab you in the back or shove a tube down your nose or mouth. This time was different for me, those kind nurses hooked me up and drained my chest cavity, no stabbing in the back this time, but they got about 800ml out. Then just when I though I had gotten through the day with out being stuck, right there after them draining me with no sticking, she gigged me right there in the left arm, and drew blood. After that enjoyable stop I then went to the ultrasound area for an ultrasound of my liver and all of my belly, you know that took some time cause that’s a lot of belly to cover, after that we headed to Possum Kingdom and it sure was great to be home.

Thanks for all your prayers and calls and all the other ways you help us.

God Bless You,

Lightning

6
Oct

WEHAVE5 – Please reply

   Posted by: Lightning   in Uncategorized

Hello to the lady who was asking me some questions about my some of postings if you could please e-mail me directly to chiefashdigger@juno.com so I can reply to you I have been trying but I can not get through to you.

I hope all is well with you and your husband.
God Bless You,

Pel

2
Oct

What A Full Month – October

   Posted by: Lightning   in Uncategorized

Hello folks,

Just to bring you up to date, I am still looking for that buyer, becasue I am still producing fluid, found out it won’t run a gasoline engine. In other words drained it again Saturday, still draining every three days, and I filled the bottle up, 550ml and that was not all. I just decided not to open another kit, I have been trying to hold out til today for my third day draining again. Home health care is coming today to discharge us. Claire and I have passed the test and proved we could manage this task on our own. The home health care people are just great people to have around you and I am sorry to see them go, but there is sick people out there that needs them a whole lot more than me, still good byes are sad.

Daddy pulled a good one on me yesterday, we had been talking about cutting hay, well weeds, and we said we was going to cut the hay soon. I came home yesterday from picking up Abigail and the hay was being cut, so yelp he is doing great also.

This week is a special week for us, we will be in Charleston on Friday to see Dr. Sahn, the lung doctor, we are hoping he has came up with the cause of the fluid and then will know how to stop it.

Next week, on October 12, 2007 I have plans to help with the Clergy Appreciation Luncheon a Donate Life SC event and then on the 15th I will go to see Dr. Willner in Charleston, and we then will return to Charleston on the 20th for a Family Day that MUSC puts on, and on the 21st I will be headed to Myrtle Beach for the NC/SC IAAI, I sure am looking forward to that, they are even going to let me talk a few minutes, I will attend the classes and set up a booth for Donate Life SC.

God Is An Awsome God.

Pray for my Donor’s Family
Pray for my family
I will pray for you

God Loves Us All,

God Bless You,

Pel

2
Oct

First Annual Farm Day

   Posted by: Lightning   in Uncategorized

Well, how do I start. I guess a Big Thank You to Jerry & John Munns at The Big Sky Farm & The Barn (801 Princeton Highway, Honea Path, SC 864-369-0988), for opening up their farm for all to come and wonder around and have a chance to see local animals and talents right here at home. The way I understand things Jerry Munns & Angie Craft were talking (can you believe that) and the next thing was, not only the plans for the Farm Day was a done deal, they decided to do a fund raiser for my family and I. They then contact South Greenville Fire Department, and Chief Taylor and some of the guys came to the farm and parked cars and took up a donations, these guys parked a bunch of cars, thank you brothers. I know I have left some people out and if I did I am so sorry, please let me know so I can thank you also. I would like to also thank all the vendors and all the people who came out for a wonderful, educational, and family day. Please remember to continue to support these vendors all throughout the year, one work day does not make an annual salary. Please remember to support our youth at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church (864-338-9241) they were selling bake goods for a trip next year and will continue to sell items and work toward their goal, that’s continuing to serve God no matter what! God Bless You guys.

I want to Thank each and everyone of you that had anything what so ever to do with the events Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007. God Is Good All The Time

Once again you have have humbled me and my family, the only thing I am going to fuss about is the fact that since Last August with the auction at Auctions On The Square, all the way to Saturday, not only have all you amazing people humbled me, but you make me cry. I am a fire fighter and police officer I am not suppose to cry, I have gotten use to it by now.

I love each and every one of you that has put on an event, called me, prayed for me, sent me cards, ask about me, checked my blog or helped us out financially. I told the church congregation Sunday morning that it would be more convenient to live in Charleston, but Possum Kingdom is our home and through all of your help we have and will continue to be able to continue to commute, Thank You & most of all Thank God.

Words Of Wisdom

Don’t Worry Be Happy

Live every day like it was your last, but remember that if it is your last day, is Jesus in your heart, if he is go out and enjoy and look forward to the homecoming celebration, if Jesus is not in your heart be very afraid, because if this is your last day your life’s journey will have given you a ticket straight to hell.

I was 41 years old when I received my liver transplant on January 29, 2007. A couple of years before that I was on top of the world and loving every minute of my God, my family and my job, because I had a long time to go. Now talking about my job, because it is gone right now, I had a job that I loved therefore I never worked a day in my life, in a moment’s time, my career was over, don’t take it for granted.
Through the mercy of God and the knowledge he has given the doctors, one journey is over but the next ride has just begun, I am hanging on tight because God is in control and he has told me to keep up, we got things to do.

Well see what I mean God is so wonderful and powerful he always gives us something to look forward to even during the sad time.

” I am not as good as I should be; I am not as good as I could be; BUT….. THANK GOD, I am better than I used to be.”

When Jesus lives in your heart this should be your thought process
So Many Things To Think About But Nothing To Worry About.

God Bless You,
I Love each of you,
Thank You for what you do for us and all who is around you.

Pel