Happy Monday Morning from Glo!

“Our love should; not just be words and talk; it must be love which shows itself in action.” 1 John 3:18

I hope that you all had a restful weekend and pray that you have a blessed week! It’s funny that I miss doing things that I wouldn’t have thought I would, now that I’m not allowed to do them. One of the things that I have loved the most since coming home from my release from the hospital is watching my two beautiful daughters, Ash and Lo, care not just for me but for our family. They have taken on some of the cooking responsibilities and that has been a joy to watch.

I will sit with them sometimes and give direction and suggestions - which I must admit are not always welcome, and I am not allowed to help. Ernie does a lot of the cooking and he actually loves doing it! Let me tell you he is a cleaning machine! It has been difficult for me to sit back and let them do all of the cooking and cleaning, I was normally the one to come home and prepare dinner. Now, I can’t prepare food due to the possibility of coming into contact with any bacteria or cutting myself etc…I am literally waited on - hand and foot, can you imagine that? I just want to say that as my primary caregivers, my loved ones have done everything they can to protect me as I need to have someone with me 24/7 for the first hundred days after the transplant. I am now on Day +53.

Ash, Lo , and my precious Ernie, you are my heroes! They are truly unselfish, caring and loving! They have made many sacrifices to make sure that I am taken care of and protected. I see Christ in them each and every day! I love you my precious family and am so grateful to Our Lord for you!

In Christ’s Love, Glo

Not All Super Heroes Wear Capes

Trust: Reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence. http://www.merriam-webster.com

Faith: Confidence or trust in a person or thing. http://www.dictionary.com

In an inspirational story I read about cancer survivor Kyle Garlett, he related that trust is one of our most precious gifts - given and received. You hand over control to another as the keeper of all things treasured. It’s like glue that connects all relationships - such as those between loves ones, friends, colleagues, patients and medical professionals. This is important; allowing trust, sometimes blind trust in someones abilities, and we do it with courage, as I have seen with my Bride.

GG and I have also seen trust and courage in the faces of the familes of cancer patients in the hospitals, at the doctors offices, in the faces of the patients themselves, the nurses charged with treating my Bride and others on good days and bad.

The Psalmist wrote in 18:2 “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my hightower.”

GG puts Psalm 18:2 to action, day in and day out. She (we) have given full faith and hope in the medical professionals throughout this journey. The picture above reflects the wonderful trust and care GG has received by one of our wonderful nurses (she gave GG a “Miracle” bracelet that they both would wear- making a wish and a prayer as they tied knots on each one).

Florence Nightingale, also known as “The Lady with the Lamp” (after her habit of making rounds at night during the Crimean War attending to wounded soldiers), believed that God had called her to be a nurse. She laid the foundation of professional nursing. All of GG’s nurses at Porter Adventist and Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Centers have been instruments of God. Our Doctors have also been inspired by our good LORD.

This past Tuesday, my Bride had her first Bone Marrow Biopsy (#4 total), since her BM Stem Cell transplant. It has been a week of anxiety, but full faith and trust in God and our army of Angels, Saints and our dear Mother Mary. Late this afternoon, we had a follow-up visit with our hemotologist-transplant Doctor; after the preliminary blood draws, vitals, etc., our Doc related that the biopsy results revealed no sign of Leukemia, and that he was excited with the results! He said that my Bride is doing very well, and is looking forward to where this can go. Funny story; when asking my Bride if she had mood swings with the steroids he has her on, and she related yes, she was “snappy” at times, the Doc laughed and said that he finally had proof that she was just Human!

GG told the Doc that they make a great team - God, her, and him - the Doc smiled and said that he liked that! WHAT A TEAM INDEED.

AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM

Message from GG - Gifts from my Mama!

So many of you have told me what an inspiration my faith is. Let me tell you a little bit about where my faith comes from.

My mama’s birthday is this Saturday the 14th, she would have been 89 years young. Two years ago she moved on from her time with us here on earth and went back to Our Lord; she continues to be such an influence in my life. She taught me about strength and faith without even trying. She came from a generation of women that made children and home their primary focus. She had twelve children and a husband that worked hard to provide for his large family. Growing up I can’t remember a time that she ever complained about anything life handed her. She was the strongest woman I have ever known! I have had the blessing of being the daughter of that amazing, quiet, humble, strong woman. She was filled with faith in The Lord and unafraid of anything. Watching her I learned how to be a strong faith filled woman. Thank you so much for these gifts Mama, I love and miss you and know that we will be together someday! Right now I rely on the things you taught me and I’m doing great! Continue to pray for me as I continue to pray for you. I love you!
If you still have your mom in this earthly existence, let them know how much you love them! We who have had our moms move on can still be thankful, and appreciate all of the gifts that they have given us!

Love as Christ did - without judgment and unconditionally - as he loved you.

In Christ’s Love,
“GG”

Happy Easter From GG!!

With the Triduum upon us I am thinking about where I am in my journey with The Lord this Easter season.

I have developed a stronger trust and faith in Our Lord. He has brought me so much peace and love each day as I carry my own cross. I find great love, joy, and goodness in every day. I also find time to laugh often with my silly family. When I quiet myself, or look and listen, I can have a little piece of heaven in the awesome creation that God has blessed us with. Cliché, but kind of like, “Take the time to smell the roses.” Now I take the time to smell the roses every day. I never realized how much I am loved and cared for. Funny, but leukemia gave me the gift of such an outpouring of love, graciousness, and generosity by a multitude of people! God has keenly made me aware of how much he loves me through all of you. That has deepened my understanding of how much Christ really loves me and deepened my love for Him. As the Easter season closes, I ask myself: Where am I in my journey? There are many things that I am sure of……………..

Things I know:

I love The Lord Jesus Christ with all of my heart!

I know that He loves me; He suffered and died for me!

My faith is strong and unwavering.

I have been blessed with a wonderful, loving, blessed family.

I’ve learned that no matter what happens in my life (Leukemia) I really do have the choice of how I
feel. I choose to believe in my cure and I choose to be thankful and at peace each day.

I know that Ernie and my girls as my primary caregivers (providing care 24 hours a day for the first 100 days) have the Holy Spirit within them as they so lovingly care for me every day!

I know that there are many, many people that love and care for me.

I know that we have an amazing family (extended and friends too) that has helped lift us up in so many ways during our time of need. You have all done such beautiful spiritual and corporal works of mercy for us, and we are truly grateful.

I believe that all of the prayers and masses that have been said for me have helped me in my recovery and eventual cure! I am so thankful and love you all! Know that I pray for all of you as well.

I know that I don’t mind being bald! Even better, my hubby says I’m just as beautiful as I was with hair!

I love you all! HAPPY EASTER!!