March 1st 2016

I woke very early and as I got up I went slower on sitting up and standing in order to assure myself that I would not have and episode of dizziness that occurred yesterday.

Well , it worked 😀👍 no problems to report. Yesterday was a clearly an inner ear thing. So, I got showered and dressed and had my breakfast.

On today’s agenda was a visit to the polling booth. I then hit the market and got a box of chocolates for a friend and flowers for another.

I made it to my first stop at nursing home number 1 and wanted to visit my friend Teddy and see how he was. I parked and made my way inside with his box of chocolates and he was in the livingroom  guess you would call it. It was Bingo time.

Like me Teddy has been battling Brain Cancer. I met Teddy at my church. I had received communion and was kneeling forward praying. All of a sudden off to my right I saw a man with a walker that looked very weak making his way  up for communion after he received the Eucharist he stopped at the foot of the cross looked up and smiled I could feel and see with my eyes he had peace and joy amid his battle. He trusted God and was at peace. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the moment that I witnessed. So, it became my mission to introduce myself to he and his family who brought him. It took me a few weeks to catch up to him before I left the church. He was seated in the back of the church and I was at the front.😀

Well, we met one day as I always say , when we were meant to and he was clearly suffering the cognitive effects of the cancer but we developed a bond. One day he noticed my St. Michael Cross and I removed the chain and medal from my neck , kissed and and placed it over his head. He and his family looked shocked I just said God wants you have this. It was cut and dry from that day forward I looked for he and his family and reassured him that Gods got this he always smiled which made me smile. Teddy would show me his medal and smile.

So, today I went into the home and Teddy was sitting in his chair and had his Bingo board opened up. The women was calling the numbers and his card was filled and as she called numbers he was still looking for spots to put down his next piece. He did not recognize me and looked confused. I asked him Teddy do you remember I am Danny from church he just looked away as the women called the next number. I then asked him if he would like to receive the Holy Eucharist. He said what is it? I repeated myself and got a vague look and again he gazed off to somewhere else. So, I said a prayer for healing upon all of the people in that nursing facility that God will grant them healing of whatever they might need. I then was sitting their with the Eucharist in my hand so I said Teddy, he looked at me I said I know that you do not want to receive today so I am going to receive today for you and ask God to bless you with any graces that I have that will help you.okay😀  Again, just a vacant look. One thing that he did before I left was to look at me and show me the Rosary Beads that he was  wearing around his neck.

 

As I left the nursing home I said God help me because I had prayed for them but while I was sitting with him I felt my normal upbeat and optimistic outlook and felt drained. I felt sorrow for he and his family all the while projecting that this could be me someday. That’s the reality that I live with.

 

 

My next stop was the Livestrong program at the Y and finally I grabbed the flowers from my car and went to the nursing home number 2 to visit with Dan and Mary and it was a beautiful visit where we prayed, spoke and they received the Holy Eucharist.

I would ask you to please pray for Teddy and his family and Mary,Dan and their families. Amen

 

 

God bless us all Amen.

Danny