. . . blown away - grateful

At the beginning of this year, I was visiting friends in Mobile, when I suddenly became very ill. I was taken in for emergency surgery to repair an intestinal blockage ... then, I began the slow process of healing. During my 49 day hospital stay, my friends, Rose Marie and Linda, graciously provided hospitality to my children, coming in to town. They housed them, often fed them and provided some sanity for those awful 'touch-n-go' moments when my life was literally on the line.

My dear friend, 'Bobba', Barbara King Zumwalt, made a gorgeous quilt for me and sent it, along with one of her Mom's lovely afghans.

Since my "incarceration" in this institute-of-getting-better, known as Singing River Rehabilitation and Nursing Center - MANY of you have asked me:

 "WHAT CAN I DO?"...

"IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN GET FOR YOU?"

and, not in a general way, which is easily dismissed, either. That is how the "wish list" came into being: a central place where items that I need are organized, with my sizes, colors and shipping information, all together. Eight months of wearing only hospital gowns became the reason for the list's title:

Lorna's "GET RID of HOSPITAL GOWNS" wish list

I am blown away by the generosity shown to me through this protracted illness and sometimes slow recovery.  Friends from Flint, Michigan, with whom i also worked in Southern California, Barbara and Dr. Paul Elbert, selected and sent a beautiful velour tunic top in TEAL.

High School buddies, Callie Fisher (Callie Cat) and Cara Terry have each sent packages ... a knee length cable knit sweater in BOYSENBERRY from Callie and a green sweatpant suit and gorgeous CRANBERRY velour tunic and BLACK velour slacks came in from Cara.

A dear friend with whom i worked, in ministry in Los Angeles, Sandy Rector, and her sweet lady friend, Darla Purdy, sent a surprise package (not on the list, but inspired by it) a velour pantsuit in scrumptious MISTY VIOLET.  All of these fit loosely and are elastic waist, by necessity - but a far cry from the hospital gowns I've been wearing, and a huge boost in self-confidence for me.  Office workers here, commenting on the packages coming in, have said:

"That's proof it's not a cold, cruel world out there, 
like people say !"

On the topic of my self-confidence, so many of you have liked and commented on the selfies I've been posting with big toothy grins. It was the same, Rose Marie and Linda, from Mobile, who not only PAID for custom dentures to be made for me, but carried me back and forth to my fittings in Gulfport, until they got them just right.

I must, in this GRATITUDE post, also mention my three wonderful children! When i posted the new 'Warriors in Pink'  scarf to my Facebook timeline, my daughter Dawn and hubby, Brandon, had ordered it within five minutes! These are the same two guilty culprits who co-created the three gorgeous granddaughters you see on my FB timeline, too! She is so good to keep me involved in those babies' lives, everything from posting pics and videos, to juggling phone conversations, to picking out and ordering the exact item that will make their jaw drop, at what an awesome Nana I am - but, it's all Dawn!

My daughter, Marie, was just down here for a visit. I wanted some clip-on earrings, and we shopped everywhere! Finally in Walmart, she pointed to one kiosk and said: "what about this?"  So, at age 62, I got my ears pierced! She and her husband, Aaron also provide me with the latest in smart-phones and service, and she took me in to get my phone fixed while she was here. (Dawn and Brandon carried me on their Sprint service for several years prior.)

I used to tell my son, Bryton, that he's my   "only begotten son, in whom i am well-pleased". Now, he's turning it around, saying: Mom,   "I go to prepare a place for you, when it's ready, I'll come and take you there, that where i am, you may be also"  . . .  check earlier posts on my FB timeline of the apartment he's fixing up for me  and  the view i have from my balcony there !

GRATITUDE -  i have so much to be thankful for!  So, if you think this post is too long, you really don't get it !  Not many come through what I've been through this year and live to tell about it ...

Not everyone survives cancer twice !  After coming here,  to recover from abdominal surgery, we noticed my left nipple was real red, so they sent me out to the hospital to have it checked.  Dr's found two potato-sized tumors, and removed the entire breast and lymph nodes (a modified radical mastectomy). All of this WHILE i was recovering from major abdominal surgery !

So, it's never too much when your heart is as full as mine, 
and "THANK  YOU " seems so inadequate !

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Yet, i say, to each of you, for your love, support and your prayers -
 a humble 'Thank You'  ... and to my sweet Lord, Jesus Christ, to the Father of Lights and Precious Holy Spirit, many, many thanks !