God doesn't need another angel just yet!

Dear God,

I know you are quite busy right now.  The world is in a mess, and the US is heading there fast.  Nobody seems to like each other anymore, and the politicians just fight and fight some more. There are more and bigger weather disasters with all the heartache that goes with it. People are hurt, families are breaking apart, and war seems to be the norm.

So I know it might be kind of hard to work us into your schedule, but we would so appreciate it. You see, you might be getting another angel soon from my family.  I know you can always use more angels in heaven.  BUT let me just mention that my school has contributed 5 angels to heaven in the past 4 months.  That's quite a lot of angels, and I don't think that one more angel is needed in heaven just now.  And although I know that my granddaughter, DJ, would love hugging her great grandma and grandpa in heaven, I really need to hug her here on earth for many more years. 

You see God, our DJ is really, really sick, but I expect you know that already. Her liver is failing, and that has affected her kidneys and other parts of her body.  Her condition gets worse every day.  She has a hard time thinking anymore, and has some really tough school and college prep tests coming up.  She hurts 24/7and that is so hard for anybody, much less a 16 year old. 

Here's the problem, God.  The insurance company that should pay for DJ to get a liver transplant has said they won't pay for it to happen in Phoenix where she lives.  They want to send our DJ to a hospital miles away, at the end of a dangerous highway with lots of weather storms along the way.  I'm begging for some help from you.  DJ needs to be in Phoenix with her family, friends and church family.  She needs all of us to love her, encourage her and be there everyday.  If she gets sent clear to the bottom part of Arizona, that can't happen.  She won't even know any of the doctors or nurses at the hospital.   It breaks my heart to think of her way down there with her daddy, and strangers. 

Another part of the problem, God, makes me hurt double.  My precious daughter, that you gave to her dad and I on January 6, 1975,  is going to give part of her liver to her daughter, DJ.  That means DJ won't even be able to be held and loved by her mom for many weeks while her mom heals from that surgery.

If our precious DJ doesn't get this transplant fast, you might have another angel in heaven real soon. I know you would welcome her with loving arms, but we need her here more.  God, I am asking that you be content with the number of angels you have right now, and leave DJ here on earth for many, many more years.

With hope and tears,

Her Mimi, Marty

A star dimmed but another one lit

I haven't even had time to breathe lately, much less blog.  But felt the need to do so today because of sad news I got this morning.

My cousin, Tom, passed away after a long, long battle with health.  The irony of this is that I never saw him more than one or two times in my life.  BUT thanks to FB, we got reacquainted about two years ago.  He read all of my blogs and made some great comments on various posts. We had some incredible conversations via Email.

There is so much about my cousin that I did not know, nor will I ever know.  What I know is from corresponding with him via FB or E-mail. - By getting to know him, also got acquainted with other cousins that I hadn't known very well and that has given me a whole other place of joy.  During the past two or three years, getting to know Tom, I knew he was one of the good guys.  I got to hear him play in his band via video on the internet - and I was touched by the joy on his face as he played his guitar. 

Years ago, Tom was diagnosed with cancer.  During the past 12 years, he has had a tracheotomy to breathe, and a stomach port to get his nourishment.  I understand he also couldn't speak much above a raspy voice.  You'd think that with all the health problems he had, in and out of the hospital, that he would become a bitter, disillusioned man.  Not so.  From the FB posts, and Emails I got, he was rising above the mess daily.  He took and posted some incredible photos around the area.  His posts on FB were thoughtful and rarely fluff.  You could tell that he felt deeply about his life and the life around him, his wife and his kids.  It was absolutely apparent that he loved all of them with his heart and soul.

His wife is a nurse, and I believe that having a nurse right there helped him stay on this earth after his cancer for as long as he did.  Jeanne, thanks for your part in giving Tom more time on this earth.  

So to Tom, my cousin, rest in peace.  I wish I could have met you in person as an adult because I believe we would have had some wonderful conversations.  To Jeanne, his wife, my heart hurts for you as you begin a totally different journey.  Tom is now at peace, he has no pain, and I am willing to bet, that he is talking up a storm in heaven with all of our relatives that have already gone before.

One star might have dimmed, but another star is shining very bright in heaven.