I will not get into my day yesterday, in too much depth . Let me just say this. We are Blessed with so much. Through connections that only God can create. My story made its way through different health professionals and lay people prior to even starting this blog. It culminated with my being picked up at my home by a new friend that I knew only by voice. C, and she took me to Dana Farber because a very dear of friend of hers has been diagnosed with Glio Blastoma , brain cancer and she asked me to support her. My Dr. R, as God would have it is treating her/ my new friend as well. A is a very lovely lady with a beautiful family to support her.
God is connecting all the dots all the time. Connecting us all in a web of Mercy with relationship to oneanother. When I was not with A today while she had her scan etc, I found myself just sitting there. I thought to myself what are you doing? I began to pray for her and every person that crossed my path. I asked God to heal them from Cancer and all these deseases.
Sometimes we feel powerless, blue and like life is a non stop stuggle but I will tell you one thing. We are all so powerful because of our prayers. God answers everyone one of them. Life is once again in control. We have hope.
The woman today, A. her daughter C, and friend C were so lovely, I had never met anyone of them in person prior to today. But that is God for you ! They were all wonderful. I even had the pleasure of speaking to A’s husband on the phone for quite a while. What a wonderful man.
So in closing keep looking up and look for the opportunities that God sends you. In my responding to a request to support another human being, I was the one who was truely Blessed.
The doctors were informed that I had an incident in Radiation with the equipment malfunction and left the room quickly, I had said to the doctors that I was okay and could see from my left eye again. Although, like I said to my wife, brother and the few who have heard about this account over the last year or so .I had to complain 🙂 I said hey God, my vision returned in my left eye to what it was before I was blinded, you think that you would make it perfect when vision was restored.:) I have told you before God must be rolling his eyes all the time over me. LOL Father said that God has a sense of humor , So, I choose to believe him 🙂
Going home in the car my wife was like, Danny we need to know what happened, my brother tried to just say it would be a good thing to know even for others. My feeling was at that time, Its fine, it happened and it is over. They know how firmly God has placed me into a peace that is not of this world. In my mind I hear all ll the time like a whisper. “Be Still and Know, I Am God”. So, I understand why people have a hard time understanding me. But ,know in their hearts it is true. So that night was filled with every living family member of my family calling me to say Dan, you have to ask them what happened. My brother B and my wife were taking me the next day for treatment.
We got up the next morning, my brother was in our driveway here at around 5:30a.m. as usual. And off we went to Dana Farber, we went to the radiology unit at Brigham and Williams, that is where my radiation treatment was done, and checked in. My wife said again, Dan find out what happened when you go in. Bob said the same thing. They were ganging up 🙂 lol
Just kidding, again no one was wrong in their comments that I should find out what happened. I just announced to them it is not about me everything is happening as it should. I just had peace. You will see and read why shortly. I was the only one allowed in the radiology treatment area so the staff came and got me again the Spirit was right their to great them. Big smile as always, I gave the staff my as I called it my golden ticket like Willy Wonda, it was a red card actually that would allow my program to run on the radiation equipment. They took me to the treatment vault by the massive solid door and rolled me around the corner in view was the treatment bed and the 3 or so staff members that were normally there. They all greated me with smiles as normal. No one mentioned the day befores event. And what the Holy Spirit did in this moment was just astounding. When I say in my writings that I am merely a passenger on the bus watching God work his Miracles it is very true! I am so serious about that fact, and it is not because of me, I am, justme. God used what the devil was attempting to do to me which was to silence me so that I could not continue my ministry and giving Gods good news. God can do anthing! It as plain as day to me. And when God wants me and my witness for him is done. I will be taken to him. I will then be judged too for my shortcomings. Just a plain and simple fact of life.
So anyways, I am sitting in my wheelchair facing all of these people. There was a new face that I never seen standing there before. In a second, God took over and The Holy Spirit emerged. Out of my mouth came. Hello, to the new worman in the lab coat , This is the Holy Spirit everyone in the room was polarized and staring at me. I saw tears in the eyes of the believers that had been treating me over the last 5 or so weeks daily. He said you are in charge of the equipment correct? She said yes. The Holy Spirit said then you know what happened to Dan yesterday when the equipment malfunctioned and he was blinded in his left eye. She was so stunned, He said Dans doctors came right down to check the equipment to see what happened, again she said yes. The final question he asked was this, Dan should not be able to see with the amount of radation that he received is this true, he is a miracle she hesitated, he said, it is true isn’t it? She said yes, I saw the faithful in the room just totally wrapped up in Gods amazement and glory.
There was a young person working in that room as well that was an intern finishing up her studies in college. Everyday during my treatment she was generally there. Her name was L and she reminded me of my daughters very sweet. Everyday when my treatment was done before I left the vault as I call it. They would grab my treatment card and hand it to me. Then, away they would take me to my family in the wheelchair. Well everyday, I would say, God Bless You as I was leaving that area and I could tell she hated it, never said a word to me but she would turn away.
Well, God healed this situation in about 10 seconds one of the most breathe taking things I have ever witnessed and guess what it was not about me, all of the radiation staff were still there including the women responsible for the machine. God established that I was a Miracle and then turned directly towards the young lady L. I felt the Holy Spirit through me lock eyes with her and God reached out with such love,
L you are not a believer. Just a simple loving statement made by a father, she responded softly yes, I do. Again, God through the Holy Spirit was talking to her with such love all the faces in the room were locked on my eyes. God said, you don’t and thats okay. Dan tells you everyday, God Bless You and that is only because he is thankful to you for your helping him. With that her face lit up and you could see joy. Hear heart melted and her presence was light and she now believed in God. This is only the tip of the iceberg on what God is doing in this time through many people. Love heals, truth breaks deception, God triumphs over everything with Love. He is the just Judge. He knows all, like psalm #139 say’s We cannot hide from him, he knew that in this second before I ever came to be that I would be declaring his victory. His God News! today right now ! And, you would be here reading it. We are all connected.
I then layed on the treatment table and was strapped in. I had no concern based on what happened the day before, I had my job and that was to offer up everything for whatever God wanted. It was simple. Treatment went well and I as always felt great and thankful.
The Bottom Line :
You see my appointment with my doctor that was scheduled for the day before was switched to the day of the incident. So, God new that in that day this malfunction would happen, he also knew that I would be seeing my doctor on that afternoon. He also knew that L would be in my treatment room as a student and witnessing the whole thing. And, then the next day God declared Victory to the staff in Radiology that I was a Miracle building all of their faith. He then turned around and saved L. right before our eyes. She saw the truth, so her eyes open to Heaven and God. As the bible says the Scales fell from her eyes. If that’s not magnificent then, what is? God handles everyone of our lives everday, I am having a hard time with typing and dictating so, you know where I stand. 🙂
By the way L’s last day as a student ended on my last day of threatments in June 2012.No coincidence either. She always said God Bless Me with a big smile on her face, she rolled me out of the room that day and hugged me. I introduced her to my wife and brother and my doctor was in his office so, the fog horn(me) opened my mouth and I yelled hey Dr. A. LOl He came out and greeted me, what a great guy! 🙂 I said, L here is finishing her studies when she comes for a job please help her out, she’s great !They all laughed. I often wonder how she is. Like the bible say’s, Jesus will go after the one lost sheep to protect it. And, he did 🙂 Also, I cannot imagine the wonderful things that L will do in her life. Just beautiful. Amen !
Back some years ago I was working in a home of a lovely couple in their late 70’s. He was a barber his entire life after getting out of the service, and she was a wonderful homemaker who raised her beautiful family. She at the time was worried that her home would not be completed before Easter. I assured her there was no problem. During that time, there were no cell phones so I needed to answer a page that I received. They had one phone in their house located in the kitchen to use. So, I asked to use her phone she said of course. So, I called my wife and I must have answered a question about birthday plans, she heard the conversation. I hung up and just said thank you for the use of her phone she was in another room. She apparently pulled my brother B asside when he walked by the room and Bob told her yes my bithday was tomorrow. The next day as we were working , they called me into the kitchen and had a italian rum cake from a bakery with candles lit and sang Happy Birthday to me with my brother joining in.. Now, is that a God moment or what ?
God bless the Maraglia’s they were angels on Earth. Salt of the Earth.
For them , in their memory.
Etta James
I know they are dancing to this right now in Heaven
Just a quick post on this one, Life as we all know is challenging. Lets please pray for those people young and old who are discouraged and are suffering from depresson, loneliness and are showing signs of fatigue. They may need a helping hand over a bump in life etc. Churches have healing ministers who can help.They also generally offer counseling in some cases. If they do have it available they know where to find help. It seems to be a trend with people just giving up. And we are hearing about these tragidies not just for the people down the street by people who are higly acclaimed. It crosses all barriers into every segment of society. Every life is precious.
We are all eachothers keepers so we need to try and be viligent in watching our loved one, friends and neighbors to make sure they are all okay and to give hope. We are Love in action through Jesus Christ. Amen.
I was talking to my brother tonight and told him how uncomfortable I am with all of the I’s in my blog.
As I have stated before I am not a career writer, I don’t have that kind of finesse. This blog is Gods Victory that we all share and is being put pen to paper which so many people said that I needed to do. I am personally grateful to be here in this moment to write this account, but at times with the use of all of the I’s as I said to my brother, it feels very gratatuitous and anyone who know me knows that I cannot stand that stuff. I am not computer savy and did not even know what a blog was until a couple of days before my first post.
While speaking to my brother tonight we spoke about a topic that is very real that we all deal with whether it is a illness or a death. The people , sometimes the ones you would think of when something happens to be there for you , run for the hills and never look back at you (or so it feels) like you did something wrong.
This happened to us years ago when we lost our son Brad Michael. Again, we were younger and so were those individuals. We were really young kids back then by todays standard. So, we just figured they were not our friends.
I am older now and, I am getting a little wiser as I go 🙂
When cancer came barreling down the road a few of my friends just plain disappereared from our lives. It has taken a long while for me to work through my feelings on this issue. Through a lot of prayer, assistance from my family including my conversation tonight with my older brother, I have come to understand what I knew anyway, that I had done nothing wrong. It is funny how our minds will deceive us sometimes.(devil) Everyone as I have written in my blog before is a summ of all of our life experiences and shapes who we are as people. So, some people aren’t able to cope with certain life experiences especially if it includes death or the possibility of losing a friend.Some people look at me and let’s face it say, God this couldbe me ! It scares them.Some people have felt death so close to them before that they just cannot bare it again.They could not deal with another loss. I don’t judge that. I am also so glad that I now have an understanding of that situation. Life is a healing experience in so many ways. Everyday, if you choose can be a day of getting your thoughts in a place where you are stronger and healthier. Prayer plays an essential roll in that process for me. With prayer comes peace, understanding,wisdom and healing from God.
Another very important thing that I really need to say is how many people who are too numerous to count ran to our sides in that moment and are still with us today, so we count them as our friends and blessings in our lives today too. God has been extremely good to us. Amen.
In closing on this issue, I am putting this behind me and for any of us that have had this experience, like my brother said what would Jesus do? How right he is! I will say that I for one still love them all very much, and pray for them thats what friends do 🙂
Thats how my next account begins. Dan as you are part of the experimental study with Saha or the actual name Veronistat we would like you to visit our Oncology Phychiatrist. I said all right. Never been to one but, if I had to go, then God wanted this appointment to take place. Plus the study info will help others out too.
So, we booked an appt with Dr. V for Dana F. the assistant came to get me and the Riley clan all went into this large office. 🙂
The doctor was quite lovely, she turned in her chair and smiled very softly, her hand grasped her glasses and said something like Oh, is it okay for them to be here with you and I said they are always with me. like the bible my witnesses and smiled, she said, I see. And she wrote something down on the clipboard. I will not pretend to know what 🙂
She looked a little puzzled like what is this? She began to ask are you depressed? I said no, I feel great, Gods got it. Again, a puzzled look was on her face she was looking at my families faces and they were like this is his natural state.( Thanks be to God) Dr V nodded at them. She bagan a series of cognative tests and I completed them and one highlight was when she gave me a list of items from different catagories and said remember these words. A while later I was asked okay Dan can you give me the list of words that I gave you to remember? Well, I began the list the best that I could and word after word came out she finally said there is one more word do you know what it is ? Very pleasently. I sat there and said, out loud , God ,what is that last word? I sat there and the word daisy came into my head. The Dr. Just looked at me and I said oh, he just said Daisy. She honestly looked shocked. That was the word. My family and I laughed and marveled at God’s being in every moment. That was the end of Session One.
She asked to see me again so I said sure. Gods knows the reason. The next Session Two, meeting with Dr. V was close up to me chair to chair and she asked me more questions a whole lot.. Her eyes were on me like a hawk trying to access where I am at and why. She was very kind, professional and was really working to see that my needs may be met and to measure the effect of the brain cancer on my body and thinking process. She was wonderful and one of these days If I bump into her again, I will be sure to thank her for her wonderful devotion to her patients including me. I just witnessed God and his glory to Dr V. and told her that God loves US all the same. She had watery eyes at times during my witness and I felt her humanity. God Bless her as well. That was my last visit and again God was showing her that he is right here in the moment and always will be.
For All Of Our Doctors, May God Direct Their Hands, minds,and medicines through the Holy Spirit to help all of us that suffer in any way with a medical or mental illness of any sort to be healed. Amen !
Hello, I have been out of treatment with cancer meds and radiation for for well over 1 year
This was my regimen back in that day. I hope it helps. I am currently on the lisinorpil 20-25mg, it is considered low dose for water and to make sure my bp stays as good as it is. , also I am still useing the omerprazole 20 mg tablet to coat my stomach. Thats it.
Daniel R-Medication Schedule-5/8/2012 TIME MEDICINE MG # OF TABLETS/CAPSULES DAYS 6:00 AM SAHA (Vorinostat) 300MG 3 Capsules 1X/Day (MONDAY-FRIDAY ONLY!) (clinical trial) With Food 7:00 AM *Zofran (Ondansetron) 8MG 1 Capsule up to 3X/Day (Everyday)No Food (prevents nausea/vomiting) (Every 8 hrs/No More Than 3 within 24 hrs!) 8:00 AM Temodar (Temozolomide) 165MG= 3 Capsules Together 1X/Day (Everyday)No Food Until 1hr Later (chemo drug) (1)140MG+(1)20MG+(1)5MG)=165MG MUST TAKE WITH WATER 9:00 AM – ALLOWED TO EAT FOOD NOW 9:00 AM Decadron (Dexamethasone) 2MG 2 Capsules 2X/Day (Daily Total 4MG) (Everyday) Kino Omeprazole 20MG 1 Capsule 1X/Day (Everyday) (prevents heartburrn) Mepron (Atovaquone) 1500MG 2 Sachets 1X/Day (10ML) (Everyday)Must Take With Food (prevents pneumonia) Lisinopril 20-25MG 1 Tablet 1X/Day (Everyday) (for blood pressure)
Radiation is 12:30PM on 5/8/2012 Radiation is 1:15PM on 5/9/2012 Radiation is 10:15AM starting 5/10/2012-6/18/2012 3:00 PM Decadron (Dexamethasone) 2MG 2 Capsules 2X/Day (Daily Total 4MG) (Everyday) Bed Time: Simvastatin 10MG 1 Tablet 1X/Day (Everyday) (for cholesterol) Zolpidem (Ambien) 5MG 1 to 2 Tablets 1X/Day (Everyday-As Needed) (for anxiety/insomnia) (Can Take a 2nd Tablet if He Wakes Up During the Night) Take As Needed: Colace 100MG 1 Tablet (Everyday-As Needed) (for constipation) Senekot Up to 2 Tablets 1X/Day (Everyday-As Needed) (for constipation) *Zofran (Ondansetron) 8MG He can take up to 2 more doses of Zofran (prevents nausea/vomiting) daily (no more than 24MG in a 24hour period/ every 8 hrs.) if he develops nausea 8 oz Water/Day……Total of 6 (8oz) Fluids/Day Including Water No Antioxidents/No High Dose Vitamin C
Please note I was fortunate to never need drugs to help me for depression and never received any psychotropic drugs. Because of my clinincal trial study I needed to see a oncology phychologist during my treatment and it was actually fun and I will write on this topic soon.
Lets kick Cancer in the back end, pray, believe !!!!!!!!!!!! God can do everything ! Faith.
Today, my heart was full of memories, It seems like a Fall day even though we are heading into the middle of August. While praying over the last day and my blog writing my parents were in the front of my mind and stirring my heart. My mom which I will introduce you to shortly went to the Lord Aug, 7 ,2013.
Today, I would like to give honor to my 86 year old Dad. He is referred to by everyone as Bill. He is just like his Father before him a family man, A Man Of God and led our family with strenght, and yet a gentle demeanor. My dad is a Marine and forever will be. My dad had responsibility far beyond his wife and 5 children. I am #4 out of 5. My dad worked very hard at his job and got extra work a second job to make sure that we were okay financially . My dad, as my mom always told us would come home with his pay and give it to her so she could juggle and handle the family budget. Back in that day it was common for the guy’s to get paid on thursdays and go have drinks after work. Not my dad, he was not one of those men. My dad donated time and materials and built an equipment box for the parish van and drove the equipment van to all band practices, and competitions that we had. All of his kids me included belonged to the St. Agnes Marching Band, concert band and we did plays with that orginazation as well. 12 total years of it. My father even lost two teeth with something falling out of the truck onto his face. Dedication! He volunteered all the time. For his kids #1, but also Mr’ R was everyone’ s dad, a lot of dads just were not there, so we were very proud of my dad and, proud that he is ours !!
Today, he is engaged in all of his family’s lives with quiet support but has never been envasive in our lives. His faith has been a beacon to our family bringing the Divine Mercy Chaplet to our home before the prayers were really common. St. Faustina. And, St. Michael is his best friend. 🙂 His faith is yet another reason that I have been able to weather this storm( cancer) so well in my life. Jesus and Faith are who we are, it is part of our family constitution. Our foundation is strong. And that is due to my dad too 🙂
My Dad is the dad that worked so much yet, he was always present. When he came home from work he met 5 screaming kids on the driveway. He would pull into the driveway and park at the end so we did not go into the street. He would get out of the car with his black baracuda jacket slung over his arm. He would hug us and in his hand was a little brown bag and he give us a peice of candy. I cannot forget how hansome he was/ is dark black hair and sky blue eyes. That was a Miracle to me My dad was there and just loved us so much. We had the first and only backyard skating rink in the neighborhood, that my dad made. all the neighbors down the block were good friends then !!! lol Oh, by the way, we were all Marines he cut all his 4 boys hair regulation crew at his work bench, my mom would walk by and say. ooh Bill they look so good ! Beautiful memories! My sister went for the dorothy hamel look, so my dad did not dare to attempt that cut. LOL Girl’s get crabby! 🙂
Even after all of the hours he worked, I was insistent on becoming a newpaper boy so my parents helped me to make my dream come true. 🙂 By the way, I was 9ish…I was just like the Beev on the television show. Well the Sunday Globe was big in that day. Heavy.They had to be put together and stuffed and they also needed to be delivered by a certain time. Well , the papers would get dropped and I do mean dropped hard onto the front stoop at 4a.m. I needed to get down shortly after 5 to stuff them and my dad would load them into his car and he would deliver them with me. Need less to say you know who stuffed them most of the time dear old dad. LOL
But thats my dad always willing, never yelling at us he would just instruct you that this is not right. You see, when parenting you can lead without screaming and giving outbursts. And, when you choose to speak you measure your words, people listen. That is my dad. Not me, I start off carm and then the lid flips !!!
My father retired just in time to spend all of his time when not with us sitting by his dads bed in one hospital, his mothers bed in another hospital, my other grandfather that was yet in another facility. He left the crack of dawn on a bus, returned hours later to get his car and go up to his dads then off to peabody for his father in law my papa. They were all end of life illnesses. My mom was working, when she got out of work she came home and got us kids dinner. My healthy Nana Ilene got into the car with my mom and they were gone to make their hospital visits. This was every day for a really long time! My dad then came home to be there for us. He never complained he just did out of love and was necessary and right to support his elders that he loved so much.You know, what families use to be like. He has witness Jesus to us all over all these years including my mom, she adored him and he cherished her too. Thats why when I say stuff like I have had no advirsity in my life including my cancer people think, how could he ever say that? This account of who my dad is one of the reasons why. Love so strong, that it can right my ship. In essence, I was made a Marine by my dad by his standard and my haircut as a little boy 🙂 So, I can lay in a fox hole now with bullets flying that I have full confidence that I will make it out and into the hands of my Heavenly Father.
My Dad met my mom when he was 21 years old at a cookout he was on a blind date. He saw my mom and just knew that he really liked her. She was 16 and was at Matigon Highschool in Cambridge, Ma. My mom kept getting double promoted and was graduating early from highschool.
She was very mature for her age. So they related well even with the age difference of 5 years.
They were together married for I believe 59 years but knew eachother longer than that. A marriage made in Heaven and kept together because God was right their in the middle.
When my mom took ill 3 years ago, she had COPD for a number of years but the last three were full of infections of the lungs an in operable tumor in her lung and heavy treatment, hopitals etc. Again, I will be writing soon on what an amazing Spirit that she possessed.:) And she was a miracle too !
My Dad jumped in and just took over her home care, my brothers, sister, neices and nephew were there doing anything that was required. I could not be there physically because I had my cancer treatment in progress. I got there almost weekly, but we spoke a couple of times a day by phone and she was a beaming light and a rock firmly devoted to God and Adored Her Blessed Mother. She was no victim either, She did it her way for God’s glory. Amen.
My father stopped every activity that would take him from my moms side, he prayed with her, comforted her, cuddled her, and did it all. Christ in action! It was something that I could never fully describe.
I will say this, I hope someday to be one tenth the dad to my kids that my dad has been for myself, brothers and sister.
To my dad ,
Love, The Pizza Man, and lots of other names.LOL right dad!
This is just a glimpse of who my dad is, Thankyou God for My Dad 🙂
Earthly Father Enjoy
Ray Orbison In Dreams , For you Dad I know know how much you both loved Ray and this is reminds me of mom and you, Love beyond measure. D, S, B
Our fathers carry half of our genetic makeup. Our relationship with our father plays a huge part of who we will become. In many segments of society, people grow up without ever knowing their fathers. This is unfortunate because fathers should play as important a role in raising their children as mothers. A father is the model of a man for his daughter and she will choose a man who is like him. A father is the model for his son as well. Fortunately, there is a trend for fathers to be more active in their children’s lives.
Again, below poem is from familypoems.com Karen K Boyer
He never looks for praises He’s never one to boast He just goes on quietly working For those he loves the most His dreams are seldom spoken His wants are very few And most of the time his worries Will go unspoken too He’s there…. A firm foundation Through all our storms of life A sturdy hand to hold to In times of stress and strife A true friend we can turn to When times are good or bad One of our greatest blessings, The man that we call Dad.
Just Danny Speaks 