Pel's Blog

Possum Gut Report & More

2008-09-27T23:22:00.008-04:00

Hello Folks it's your ole pal Lightning,

Well it’s Saturday evening and here I am just a sitting here in Possum Kingdom. I have thought of some lies to tell you about why I am so slow in my update but you all know me to well and you know I am slow and always late. Guess I got to be known for something!!

Words of Wisdom from a child’s view - A mom is driving her second-grade daughter and two of her friends to school one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started talking about what the dog's duties were. One little girl said, "They use him to keep crowds back." "No," said another, "he's just for good luck." The daughter said, "No! No! They use the dogs to find the fire hydrants."

OK now to let you know what is happening in Possum Kingdom! Well I will start off with the pterygium, you remember the eye thing. In my last posting I wrote “I will let you know what the pathology reports says, it may even be some possum gut that was just stuck to my eyeball.” Well the report is back and now we know, it was just possum gut stuck to my eye. The pathology report showed that it was benign and the eye doctors said that no follow up was needed. Well what do you know he has been right, he must have read that some where. My eye was red for a long time but is almost gone, the red not my eye. OK I am going to give you some free advice about a pterygium; you must wear eye protection from wind, dust and the sun. How do you do that; wear sun glasses that are polarized, if they are not you are not protecting you eyes; they should also have protection on the sides. As all of you know I have never worn sunglasses. I was cool enough without them; now we know the rest of the story.

Well speaking of wind, the doctors have come up with a plan as you remember in my posting back on Wednesday, August 27, 2008. OK the next step has now been taken and that was for us to figure out the best time for the surgery between Abigail’s school and Claire’s work. Well the way we figure things down here in the kingdom must include Murphy’s Law. We figured and thought and we had it planned and made that suggestion to the doctor and ole Murphy’s Law was sitting there, in other words the doctors was going to be out of town on that date. The doctor then suggested another date and we just took it because our planning was not working, but it will be in October. Once again they are going to do a VATS with talc pleuraldesis and if it works they will keep me in the hospital with a chest tube for about 3 days. If it doesn’t work he will keep me in the hospital for another week, do another surgery to place the indwelling pleural catheter and keep me for about three more days and then send me and my tube home, to live happily ever after. I do however want to tell you that if it works or don’t work we must all give praise to God, he has a reason and my duty is to see that God is glorified no matter what!

This week at a glance, well it has been a week of honey dos. See the last time I had this surgery I was on pain medication for a long time and could not do anything, even less than what I normally don’t do. Therefore I have been trying to get some of those little things out of the way; you know the ones I said I was going to wait until cooler weather. The week started off with a small job, Claire & I have wanted to do our part in the “Green” save the environment thing. That’s how the week started off; we installed a solar air conditioner in the front yard. I have also been working on solar clothes dryer and I finished it up today. The air conditioner and clothes dryer are doing great and you should see our power bill, Laurens Electric is going to owe us money soon. I will be glad to share my plans with you for no cost. Remember Ctrl + C will copy and Ctrl + V will paste. OK now you know how to copy it so here is the info. The solar powered air conditioner is a beautiful kwanza cherry tree. No it is not a small stick in the ground; it was a big tree. I ask Claire to go by the nursery and pick one out and it was so big that it took three of us to load it and it was hanging out of the back of the truck about 6 feet. The hole to put it in was 2 feet deep and about 4 feet around; of course I had a backhoe dig the hole. That little project took about 2 days planting, staking and watering but it is still alive. The solar clothes dryer was one of those projects that was spread out over about 1 week. It was 2 green post and three coated cables that made a clothes line, Claire said it only took 4 years to get. If we don’t hang clothes out; it will also provide a new roosting place for Peep our chicken-bird.

I now have taken on a task that was not even on my honey do list and that is hooking up the electrical to our carport, shed and building, the wire has been in the ground for 3 years; now I am going to use it. The time has grown late and I now must close, so good night to all I will talk to you soon.

God Bless You,

Pel

Eye Surgery - Pterygium Removal

2008-09-03T00:50:00.004-04:00

Good Evening,

I hope all is well with you and your family. I wanted to take just a moment and bring you up to date on today’s events. Well as you knew I had to have that thing on my left eye removed and it certainly was a eventful day. Oh I am sorry I thought you knew about the eye thing, well it is called a pterygium, a eye thing.

Well the morning started off with a quick trip to Belton to ship my latest sale on e-Bay, oh; you did not know I was selling on e-Bay, well look at my PayPal account and you still could not tell it. I returned home just in time to get ready to head out to Medicus. You know how hospitals, doctor’s offices and doctors are; they all want you there before you need to be just so they can put you on hold and wait for a while. Well the morning at Medicus started off great, I got a hug from Marie and then just like any other woman she wanted money, I gave her all the plastic I had and that was enough for her to send me on to the next woman who wanted to inflict pain on me some how. They carried me in this big room with curtains and recliners, don’t sound bad right. Well then it was all of these ladies coming at me from separate sides of the room and they had backed me into a corner and there was no way out. Just as I reached the corner they smiled and knew I was down for the count, they was polite and said wanna have a seat. I had though for a moment of how to answer that question because coming from a woman, a man is going to answer wrong. I decided that I would out smart them and I said sure and I sat down with a smile on my face thinking, yelp I just beat them at their own game. I was wrong the one on the left came with a butterfly in hand, no it did not have pretty colors, it was a dad blame needle and she gigged me right in the left had and she just smiled as she walked away with pride saying to herself yelp got him and he did not see it coming! The other nurse was helping in the attack because she had me distracted with rapid firing questions. Then as the first attack was over they pulled the curtain and left me deep in the corner. I sat in the corner as a trapped rat wondering were the cat was. Time went buy but the talked never ceased so I knew they were close by. I felt that making a break for it was like running into the enemy; they were all around so I sat quietly, hoping they would forget me. After about a hour I was thinking, OK I don’t want to play any longer come on and fix this eye thing. Then out of now where, a new nurse, I though where did she come from and what did she want? She came bearing drugs, she then carried me to where all I could see was bright lights in the sky(room). I arrived in the room with staff working hard, preparing the room, then drops and a paste in the ole eye. Moments later the good Doc. arrived and wanted to get started so they draped a sheet over my face and it had one hole in it and it wound up over my left eye. They then gave me more drugs and someone had a blame light in my eye and I could not see a thing. 30 minutes or so later everything was over. I was no longer the center of attention, so the next thing I knew I was going on another ride. The doctor said everything looked well and there were no need to return to him unless I have problems. He would be in touch with me about the pathology report. I arrived home and have been much lazier than I have been earlier. I will let you know what the pathology reports says, it may even be some possum gut that was just stuck to my eyeball.

God Bless You & Good Night,

Pel

From Dust to Rain

2008-08-27T02:40:00.003-04:00

Well let me start this long over due reading, just think you will get 3 times the information on this one posting, you know it’s kind of like a 3 for 1 sale, like buy 1 get 2 free. OK enough of my analogy. Well to start with let’s talk about the Words of Wisdom I gave you on last posting. Come on guys you remember the part about the perfect place for a flower bed, well I am proud of our flower bed, we have transplanted about 21 Cannons, no not the kind that shoots. You know, I probably misspelled the word or did some kind of grammar blip but most of you know what kind of flowers I am talking about and if not, well you probably don’t know much more than I do about flowers. OK now that all of the guys are looking at me now with that head tilt, dumb look on your face. I’ll bet each guy out there understand the most important two words in the English language and that is “Yes Mam”. OK I said all of that to say them fancy named weeds are growing great. Why do I call them weeds, well let’s look at it practical. If you plant something you expect to be able to eat it or the fruit of it one day. If you can’t eat them well a weed is grown, heck look at the pastures the only thing that will grow in a drought is a weed and even the cows won’t eat them. Got to stop talking about eating even the thoughts of weeds are making me hungry.

I have a subject to talk about that now I can’t talk about because it ain’t 100% true any longer and ain’t that just great. I am now even wondering if I should say anything, well maybe not. OK I will say it this way, is God answering prayers in you neck of the woods. He sure is in Possum Kingdom because we have gotten over two inches of rain in the last 24 hours and they say more to come, Praise God.

What do you mean all I have talked about so far is nothing really, well what do you expect, some intelligent remarks. OK I know some of you are slow but go back to the address of this blog and tell me what does pelhamedlock.com and intelligence have in common, sorry to disappoint you!

OK let me get my soap box out and cry on you shoulder about how things are going………….. Well that thought did not work, you know they just don’t build soap boxes like they use to….. OK I found a Coke box and so far it seems to be holding me. In the last 3 weeks or so, I just have not felt as good as I did. You know kind of that sluggish feeling, I get up and I am tired and so goes the day. Claire says, does that surprise anyone, that the days I had been feeling so good I over done it and now it has caught up with me. Well I was in training for the Summer Olympics but I was told that I could not attend. It was nothing medical but that would have been a good excuse. I was going to do gymnastics and the uniform was to tight, that was the excuse, but the truth is they had to print the American flag over 50 times just trying to cover the slight love handles, but once it was finished I got it on. I had to warm up on the uneven bars so as I made my rapid dash down the run way and when I hit the springy ramp it went down but never came back up, therefore you should have seen all of the bars there they were uneven, bent and even circular. Anyway I went to the local doctor and I had lost another 4 pounds and he is studying on changing some of my medication, but I for the most part was fine. I did go to see the vampires on Monday 8/18/2008. The results came back and if high number were good I did great on some things. The one that I scored the best on was my Triglycerides, they are suppose to be 150 or less, I scored after two test 1136, I did not win a prize for that but I did win another ticket to see the vampires again this coming Monday 8/25/2008. The other winning numbers are glucose 137 (range 65-99), BUN 55 (range 7-25), Creatinine 1.81 (range 0.50-1.30), Carbon Dioxide 19 (range 21-33) Tacrolimus (Prograf) this is one of the immunosuppressant 6.6 (range 5.0-20.0). My dear Dru called to congratulate me on my high score of the triglycerides and just as I was going to thank her for the calling me she accused me of eating fried chicken, got to watch that Google Earth it is better than I thought. She did advise me that it was probably something I ate or it was some of my medication, so I had to give up some more of the red stuff in those little tubes and I will have to wait and see if I win another prize. Speaking of winning things, I grew this new thing that has gotten some attention. This started about 8/16/2008 with what appeared to be a busted blood vessel in my left eye. A couple of days went by and I then noticed something on my eyeball in the conjunctive area and covers a small area up to the iris, the colored part of the eye, for a detail drawing go to www.stlukeseye.com/StLukesEA.html
The doctor told me it was a pterygium or cancer, if it is cancer no big deal just like a skin cancer. Pterygium aka eye thing, usually refers to a benign growth of the conjunctiva. A pterygium commonly either grows from the nasal side of the sclera. It is associated with, and thought to be caused by ultraviolet-light exposure (e.g. sunlight), low humidity, and dust. The predominance of pterygia on the nasal side is possibly a result of the sun's rays passing laterally through the cornea where it undergoes refraction and becomes focused on the limbic area. Sunlight passes unobstructed from the lateral side of the eye, focusing on the medial limbus after passing through the cornea. On the contra lateral side, however, the shadow of the nose medially reduces the intensity of sunlight focused on the lateral/temporal limbus. The doctor explained to me that it was small right now and I did not need it so the best thing to do was to remove it before it grew and would be more trouble to remove later. I have already gone through the pre-op and surgery is set for September 2, 2008 at Medicus in Anderson.

I have also had a return trip to Charleston on Thursday August 21, 2008 with two appointments on Friday August 22, 2008. I made this a lone trip, but was able to see my dear friend Steve and his lovely wife Wendy. Steve is doing OK but has some issues with a fever with an unknown cause. My Friday morning started off at 0730 hrs at the Rutledge Tower for a chest x-ray and then upstairs to the 5th floor to see Dr. Sahn. I was escorted to the room and the interviews started, it was like I was being questioned for something and they were going to catch me in a lie. Then Dr. Sahn’s FELLOW came in and he started with some tougher question but was asking some of the same ones the other people asked. He could not resolve my issue so he went out, closed the door and came back in with Dr. Sahn. It was like OK you have done it now; I was going to have to answer to the boss. Dr Sahn and the FELLOW went through my medical history. Dr. Sahn stated that this had been going on for long enough and something had to be done. Recap what has been done for this pleural effusion, a VATS with talc in Anderson, 4 day later admitted to MUSC for 10 days, failed talc procedure, and on September 7, 2007 a VATS with a Pleuralx Catheter and have been draining about 1 liter out of left lung every three day. They have stuck needles in my veins with some glowing stuff, stuck needles in my belly with some glowing stuff and even stuck 6 needles between my toes with some glowing stuff. They had done 6 thoracentesis both in Anderson and Charleston and that got old quick. Now they feel that they must do something. The idea of cutting me came to their minds, to repeat the VATS with talc but the surgeon, Dr. DeRosimo stated he would not do the procedure because it would fail again due to the medication I am taking. Therefore all three doctors, Surgeon - Dr. DeRosimo, Pleural Effusion Expert - Dr. Sahn and Liver Expert - Dr. Willner talked and a plan was agreed on. The new plan was to stop one of my immunosuppressant meds and cut the other in half two weeks before the surgery. Now the plan is in place I have just got to agree and set a date. The surgeon stated that I only had a 50 / 50 chance of the procedure working, but this was the only hope (short of a miracle from God but the surgeon and I both know God can do that) of getting rid of the catheter. If it fails this time I will have the catheter the rest of my life, some 40 plus years we hope. I am thinking about it but at least there are no time restrictions on how soon I have to do this. We are going to try to plan it around Claire’s work and Abigail’s school. I had to have the fluid drawn off again so they could send it off for some more test. I then left the doctors around 1600hrs and it was time to eat. I had promised Abigail that I would get her something, so off to the Market I go. I found Abigail some do-dads and off to the Charleston Crab House I went. I broke an ordering routine, I ordered BBQ shrimp and grits and boy was they lip smacking good. There was a bowl of good grits, lots of shrimp, some melted jack cheddar cheese and about 5 circles around the dish with some BBQ sauce and boy was it some more good.

I then left a rainy some what flooded downtown Charleston for the journey home. I was noticing the weather all the way from Charleston to Newberry the rain was steady, even sometimes slowing traffic down on I-26 to 40mph. I got through Newberry and the scenery changed from wet to damp to dry back here in Possum Kingdom. I even had to go to the river to check on the catfish because the fleas and ticks were getting bad on the catfish.

God once again has answered our prayers with the recent rains. It started raining here on Monday and until this evening we had received some 2” plus. Last evening we had a family cook out to celebrate Abigail’s birthday. I had to move the vehicles out from under the car porch so I could grill under the shelter. Let me tell you, since you mentioned food, I went to Sam’s and bought some pre-made fresh ground chuck hamburger patties, they were almost as big as a five gallon bucket and yelp that was some awesome eating. I then fixed some chicken and apple smoked sausages and they were awesome also. The cake was cut and the children played until it was time for all to go, it being a school night.

I have been telling you about the talk radio show that I was going to be on this Thursday well when you tune into WRIX 103.1 Thursday night you will be hearing Carolina football game, so my interview has been postponed, I will let you know when it is.

WORDS OF WISDOM – If you pray for rain and believe your prayer can be answered, carry your umbrella to show your faith because if you don’t you will get wet.

God Bless You,
Be careful,
Keep your umbrella handy,
and remember if you meet me and forget me you lose nothing but if you meet my God and forget him you lose everything.

Lightning

2008-08-03T17:27:00.008-04:00

Good Afternoon All,

WOW this has been such an awesome week. I have some much to tell you. Let me start with another miracle of God.

Last Saturday morning, July 26, my great friend Steve received the phone call that would forever change his life and end that long painful wait of being on the list for a kidney and pancreas transplant. Life on the waiting list is so unbelievable, because you live at home out of a suit case and the tension grows with each ringing of the phone.

Steve and his wife began their journey to Charleston and endured the long uncertain wait in the hospital. The wait is also very tense because every time someone walks in the room your are afraid they are going to deliver those words most all of us hear during the time on the list and that is we are sorry, the organ is no good and you come home. This call for Steve was different because when they arrived in Charleston they went straight to a room and was planning on surgery later that day. They also received word from their son, who is a pilot and has been deployed for yet another tour at war, that he got the message about the phone call and he was finished with his current tour and would be headed to Charleston as well. The day turned into night and the night turned into day and then the nurse walked in with those words you hope to hear, It’s A Go. Just as soon as those pleasant words bounce off of the ear drums, she then changes her tone.

It is that of a drill sergeant but yet that of a nurse with her hat on to tight. She changes from lovely words to verbally slapping you for not being ready to go to surgery and telling you, you must hurry it is time to go. I spoke with Steve’s wife last Sunday and the surgery was still on going but it was going very well.

Justin and Anne-Miller came to church with us last Sunday, July 27 and then on to the house for dinner.Claire had to work but she arranged a large dinner for us all. Daddy & Deda, Meleeda & Anthony and Melissa & Hailey all came out and brought a bite to eat and we all ate very well.

It was Claire’s special receipt of BBQ ribs with Deda’s Baked Beans and Yeast rolls and Meleeda’s Tater Salad, you know all those healthy trimmings. You know when you get a bunch of Baptist Medlocks together, there is going to be some good vittles and a lot of belly rubbing. The dinner was finished and the table was cleared then the stories started. Daddy & Deda left first and then followed that up with a phone call to come to their gazebo for home made peach ice cream.

Now that was a way to finish a mighty fine dinner. Anne-Miller did not say it but now she knows how all of us Medlocks got our good looks; it is from good ole eating.

The conversations then started and before we knew it, the ice cube in the shirt lead to a very wet water battle. During the water battle, the dogs Rebel, Samson & Leroy got their share of the ice cream and they liked it as well. Clothes had to be dried and then the day came to an end and the understanding that every good time must come to an end. Justin, Anne-Miller and Leroy went there way, well only for a little while. Justin forgot some of his stuff and it had to be retrieved. Claire made the statement that Anne-Miller better get use to that because he got that from me. I felt that was not true but every one else seems to agree.

I called and talked with Steve’s wife and she told me the surgery was over and everything went well and he was already back in his room. I spoke with Steve on Monday and he sounded great but with a sore throat. He told me that his pancreas was already working and there was no need for insulin. The week went on and he continued to get better. He had a fever on Wednesday and that brought less than a fun day he said. He said that they removed every tube that they had put in him, even the ones placed by the surgeons. Then they put all of the tubes back, but praise God they stopped the cause of the fever and on Friday he was released from the hospital, but will have to reside in the Charleston area for about a week. Steve wrote an e-mail today and spoke of the miracles God has given him. This is Steve’s second kidney transplant, as his mother gave him the first one about 18 years ago. Steve’s anti-rejection meds are low so he is thinking the match was pretty close. When they are looking for a match there are 6 items they are try to match. Sorry I don’t know what the six are if I did I would be putting some doctor out of work. Steve and his mother had a 4 out of 6 match. A twin would be a 6 out of 6 and he feels his match must be between those two numbers. Speaking of Steve’s feelings they seem to be softer now as his donor was a female.

May God bless her family and give them comfort knowing the Gift of Life they have shared has impacted so many people, even in her death, life continues, and for that we Thank Them. If this family had not allowed her to be a donor Steve would be closer to dying, but praise God he is now getting well. To Steve and his family congratulations on such a successful transplant, thank you to all who are seeing to Steve’s good health and most of all Praise God for answered prayers. Another great thing from Steve’s transplant is he has the same home health nurse I had as I am sure they both told some lies on me, but I now have her e-mail address, all of you know that she is now in trouble because the words of wisdom e-mail from Possum Kingdom.

Well I had another visit with the vampires on this past Monday and of course all they wanted was my blood; I am still waiting for the results. I am having a time with this heat, I hate to admit it but the doctors were right again. They told me not to get hot, but I am a little slow sometimes, and every time I do I regret it because I break out and sometimes have blisters where the bandage is, covering my plural catheter. Claire has found an ostomy nurse who says she can help with this problem, hopefully this week. I just received my follow up appointment with Dr. Sahn for August 22, 2008. We are not sure what he plans but we know God is in control.

God is strong as ever in Possum Kingdom, we are having new Christians join the family of God and spreading God’s word. In the Sunday School class I teach, Open Arms, we are studying the great book of Revelations. God teaches us not what has happened but what will happen, come and join us at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church on Cooley Bridge Rd. Sunday School 0930hrs and preaching with Pastor Mike King at 1030hrs. We have Wednesday night service starting at 1930hrs and on Sunday nights at 1800hrs & 1900hrs.

I am going to finish up with some Words Of Wisdom! Guys this is for you and I am sure that most of you already know this, I know I am a little slow. This is the Words Of Wisdom part; Don’t ask your wife, girlfriend if she would like some flowers to plant. She will of course answer yes, but she turned a deaf ear to the part about planting. OK this is what can happened, you say I can get some flowers to plant and she will figure which spot of the yard is the hardest and say I want them planted here.

She has some other sort of urgent task to complete away from the house and of course does not return (finish) until after dark and then decides it is to dark to plant the flowers. She will however question about the status of the flower bed. Lesson learned, don’t try to impress the lady of your life by deciding where the flower bed should go on your own, you may be smart but I assure you, you are not that intelligent.

God Bless You,

Lightning

2008-07-26T00:24:00.004-04:00

There will be a benefit for Centerville Fire Fighter Mike Hunt Saturday July 26, 2008 at the Civic Center of Anderson at 1600hrs (4:00PM) Food and Music, please come out and help one of our Brothers, and pray for Mike and his family.

If you would like to be added to receive e-mails of new or corrected information added to this blog please e-mail me at lightning@wildblue.net and ask to be placed on the notification list. Thank You for all the prayers for me and my family and the time you spend on my blog.

I have been invited to be on a talk radio show on Thursday August 28, 2008 at 2200hrs (10:00PM) please join us on WRIX 103.1. I will be sharing the miracles God has done in my life and talking about our Upstate Christian Fire Fighters group, www.UpStateChristian FireFighters.org

Well I went to see the vampires on Monday July 21, 2008 just before we left for the beach and Friday July 25, 2008 I received the report. I know I have told you before about some of these numbers and they still confuse me but some caught my eye and they are;

Glucose 110 (Normal 65 - 99)
Urea Nitrogen (BUN) 58 (Normal 7 - 25)
Creatinine 2.02 (Normal 0.05 - 1.30)
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 29 (Normal 6 - 22)
Tacrolimus (Prograf) 6.9 (Normal 5.0 - 20.0)

Well if you are wondering what all this means well it means that it took 3 needle sticks to draw the blood and now they want to draw more, so we will wait and see what MUSC says, I think they just enjoy knowing that I am getting stabbed, well needle stuck. I will have more blood work drawn on Monday.

God Bless You,

Pel

Sorry, I am still here.

2008-07-19T22:54:00.003-04:00

Boys and Girls get ready cause do I have a story to tell.

I also have some whining and crying to do.

Well let me get my whining and crying over with before I tell you my story. As we all know by now and are sick and tired of looking and hearing about my 43 birthday every time you click on the blog, but since then I have had some troubles. I have had the chance to try out some new software that is just awesome, but my high speed internet connection, upload speed, was to slow to work well with the software. I then went in search for a higher speed on the upload side. This new software my give me the chance I have been looking for. This is an idea that I could make some money while being at home, so on those bad days when all I want to do is stay inside, as long as I could get to my computer I could still be productive. Any way I started with WildBlue who I am using as my high speed internet connection, they told me that 80 to 120 kbps is good and all I would get. I then went to Charter and pleaded with them, their line stopped less than a mile from my house and they all but laughed at me. They did however tell me I could pay them to bury the line to my house for 100 dollars a foot, guess who started laughing then. I then turned to AT&T, who explained there status like this; they always have a projected date on file as to when an area switch will be up dated and bring fiber in the area. They looked up my address and said well that is odd there is not projected date even down to start thinking about start thinking. In other words long time from now. They did however offer me an air card for 30 days free to try it, they said their upload speed was much greater than what I was getting from WildBlue, if the service was good in the area. Well guess what? Maps don't tell the whole story. It would get service every now and then but would not connect most of the time, reminded me of my old dial up. They also bundled my services and gave me stuff I don't need but it helped bring my over all cost down, they even told me with my discounts my June bill would only be $8.00 and if I need to cancel I would have no problems. Well after it did not work I then got my $280.00 June phone bill, so we talked, the sweet lady on the other end got upset and so did I, but she then transfered me to another sweet lady who fixed the bill and told me how to return the air card. In the first day or two after getting the AT&T card, WildBlue went out. I started working on getting that problem fixed, they told me that just because I had clear skies over head in Possum Kingdom did not mean a cloud could be messing up my WildBlue service. I had to wait until a large area around Possum Kingdom had no clouds and then they said yelp looks like something is wrong with your equipment, this only took 4 phone calls and 3 days plus a weekend. They then told me that my equipment was out of warranty, so for a service man to come out it would be $95.00 and if he had to replace something outside it would be $145.00 more and if he replaced something on the inside it would be another $185.00. They then offered me a 3 month warranty for $115.00 and that would cover inside and outside, but I had to sign a 2 year contract with them. The contract bothered me because not knowing if I was going to have to go to some other ISP or not. Claire was also complaining about her on-line class was so slow and she was having a hard time trying to get on-line with the air card. I then went to Sprint and got an air card from them, same deal free for 30 days, it worked but only on certain moments. I then gave in to WildBlue because I had to get something working so I told them just come on and fix it, I was in a bind and I had to have service. They said OK and they scheduled it for me so the service man would be here on July 26. I said that would be a problem because of my wife's class and they said if I got it working before the service man arrived to call them and they would cancel the work order. I then found someone who is out there for the customer and what do you know he is from the Upstate, Abbeville. Randy is my new found friend from Green's Service Center. Randy listen to my issues and he knew from the blinking lights on my modem that the problem was outside. I had already check my connections to be sure they were not loose and all were OK. He told me what parts I needed so I got them and when I was changing it on Thursday July 17, I found the problem. I had a wire on the transmit side that had been heated and was now corroding, looked just like bad wires in a house fire, so Randy sent me the end I needed and I got it up and working. WOW I feel better now because I got to tell you this, I was proud that I found the problem and it was only a .50 cent end. I tried to explain all of this to Claire but all she knew was it did not work and now it does, but what took so long, Women!! Anyway the end of this long month since my last posting has been lost in the wonderful word of technology. But I am back now.

On June 30, 2008 I went to Charleston by my self for a six month check up with my liver doctor. I knew this would be just a 10 minute doctor's visit but it had to be done and besides it was time for some good ole Shrimp N Grits at the Charleston Crab House. I had an appointment around 11:00AM and left the office around 2:00PM, but you know me I had a good time. Got to see some of the nurses and doctors that has helped me along the way, they even acted like they were glad to see me. My Nurse Coordinator Dru was working so hard for me, she had to work on some paperwork for the insurance company and it was full of dumb questions and just took a while. I did not mind, it gave me a longer time to talk to all of those folks. Dr. Willner came in and said everything looked great about my liver, but he was not pleased with the long term plan for the fluid in my lung area. I have concluded that the drought in Possum Kingdom has not affected the flow from my lung. He is planning on changing some medication and he has referred me back to Dr. Sahn. I am waiting on the next Ship N Grits date.

Claire has a great opportunity at work, she has been in the ER for 23 years and the average ER nurse last 3 to 5 years. She is not leaving the ER department but she is moving down to Minor Care, same address different building. I am so proud of her and for her. This will be a slower pace and a whole lot less stress, so maybe I can get her to work more over time. You know a man's toys are expensive and they change so often.

Well during this down time between postings, some other happenings has taken place. One is Justin is getting older and thank God I am to.

Justin just turned 21 and you know he makes me so proud. I did not get to see him on his birthday so when I called him around 9:30 PM the night of his birthday, I ask him what he was doing. He said got off work, ate a bite and been studying ever since, then Leroy his dog spoke up and confirmed he was at home. He also has another turn of events in his life besides working two jobs for Winthrop and football coaching starting up, he is sweet on a young lady.
I am proud for him, he is dating this lovely young lady from Greenwood. She is so pretty and respectful but on top of that she is smart to. I think he has hit a jack pot with her and I think she is well pleased with Justin & Leroy. Of course Justin had to be sure she could pass one test and that was Leroy, she passed, he approves. She also is working and going to school in Greenwood. When this relationship appeared I though well since Possum Kingdom is between Winthrop and Greenwood he might find his way down her more guess what, he hasn't but that's OK, he is doing well and happy and so am I.

Abigail is having a great summer also she has been working and helping me a lot around the house and she is growing up so fast. She is also taking a one day class, a week to keep her studying habits good over the summer break.
My favorite sister, Meleeda has worked with Abigail and Meleeda's two grandkids during the summer. You know when I think about Meleeda having grandkids I realize how old she is getting. Meleeda has kept the studies fun with some sort of fun actives at the end of each study, like picnics, swimming, baking ect.
This has surprised me how much Abigail looks forward to each class.

Well as most of you know how I love to run my mouth. You also know how much I loved my job, but you may not have know one of the parts of my job I really enjoyed and that it interviewing people. An expert interviewer once said a good interview is like opening up someone's head , turn them upside down and see what falls out.

I have been helping what little I can with my local fire department, South Greenville Fire Department, to help establish a well rounded investigations unit. Just a week or so a go I was asked to help with some interviews and of course I agreed. It turned into a interview marathon, we interviewed several folks in the span of over 16 hours straight. We were tired but we sure got a lot of great information. I sure am lucky to have the chance to be involved in the fire service, but most of all the great friends, brothers and sisters I have in the fire service. Of course that goes for law enforcement and ems also.

Chief Taylor of South Greenville Fire Department is just an outstanding Chief to work with and of course I had the great opportunity to work with him across the river, Chief Taylor has allowed me to remain a part of the fire service even with all my bad days that's alright with him. I will always be indebted to Chief Taylor for this opportunity he has given me and ask nothing in return, he is a excellent Fire Chief, friend and brother. South Greenville has given me the chance to work with another great brother, friend and expert and that is Bum. He says he has a name that's not hard to live up to, but he far exceeds any goals his name may make. Bum and I started our careers side by side, he was the 26th person hired at South Greenville and I was the 27th. Besides his fire service and other side line expertises he has, he is one heck of a fisherman or shrimperman.

Any way he is doing a lot of shrimping and he brought me 3 pounds of 150 pounds that he caught on Monday. Abigail and I ate all three pound for supper tonight and I just though I had eaten some good shrimp in the past, now I know what good shrimp taste like.

We have just finished up our vacation bible school at church, I sure did learn a lot. I have not been to bible school since I was a child, but this year I wanted to help. I helped with the kickoff, ran the sound system and taught 2 nights of the adult class. It was more fun for me than most of the kids. You know sometimes you wonder if you are just spinning your wheels but when the preacher got up and read the names of the children that gave there hearts to Jesus that made every moment worth while. Next time you have a chance to help in vacation bible school try it you will learn a whole lot.

Well I guess I had better get to going, told the wife I was working on bills, so I gotta get to them and get to bed won't be long til church time.

God Bless You,
Pel

43 Years Ago................

2008-06-16T10:28:00.007-04:00

Well, well, well today is not just another day in the Kingdom. Why? 43 years ago today a beautiful young couple was in the hospital awaiting the arrival, of what turned out to be, their favorite son and nightmare for their favorite daughter. Yes a new life arrives, not far from Possum Kingdom and as the years past a lot of things have change. One thing as you might know, this day 43 years ago was the only time I was little after that day, I was younger but never little again. Mama has answered a higher calling and left us way too soon, but God commanded us to go forward, we have and life has. Changes are always in the awaiting moment, we are too busy to acknowledge the moments until they have come to past. One change that I again, look forward to is my birthday. My beautiful daughter reminds me how wonderful birthdays were in my younger days. The meaning however changes with the years; in the young year we look forward to our birthday to receive the gifts. In my 20’s & 30’s I did not think much about birthdays, they came along as just another day and even sometimes a day to lie about your age, because remaining young was always on the mind. Today at the age of 43, I thank God for my birthday. The past couple of birthdays I started thinking about how they were almost my last birthdays and I don’t care how many birthdays you have had you should always look forward to the next one.

I thank God for my family as they have put their lives on hold for me, they have stopped their priorities to be sure I was always comfortable; I know I can never repay them but thank God I am here to try or at least here to harass my wife, son & daughter. I was thinking yesterday in church of how privileged I am to have a loving God who sent his son, at an early age, to die for me. I also have the love and support from my wife, son and daughter, to have a wonderful father’s day but every day is wonderful because of them. Father's Day is one of the days that I stop and think of how much I enjoy being a father. My sister and her family have always been there for me to pick on, lean on and even cry on and for her to make pictures of me, in some of my most flattering moments. Yesterday however I sat in church thinking today is father’s day and I wanted to honor God, our heavenly father and as I sat there I knew I was, just by being in his house on Sunday worshiping him. I also sat in the choir loft wanting so badly to get up and tell my earthly father how wonderful he is, I was so full of emotions I could not speak. You know as you get older you think you will have the chance to repay your parents and help take care of them. God changed that for me, because Daddy is still taking care of me and always checking on me, asking the question that comes from his heart, how are you today and is there anything I can do for you. I am at the age that I though I would have the world in my hands and would not need any help from anyone. God stopped me in my tracks and showed me he has the world in his hands and only he can handle it. I do however feel sorry for all of you, well except my sister, because we have the best Daddy in the world. He has always been there from that first breath I drew and still there even today. Mama however reached a level in her life earlier than we though, but we should have known, that level was what we all aim for, to reach heaven. I have more things to do and learn before I reach that level. I thank God for Mama and her teachings and I guess even some of her hickories, they both have made a lasting impression on my life. Daddy however continues to share his wisdom day by day; he gives me knowledge that can’t be learned from a book. Daddy, Thank You, you are the best. You have set the bar high and I hope one day I can be a fraction of the father to my children that you are to us. Daddy you also set another bar high, that being a man of God, you walk the walk, sometimes a man of few words that are spoken so loud I can only hope to show God the love that you show him. I hope one day I can repay you for what you have given me. Daddy has also given me something else that I never dreamed of, that is a wonderful step-mother. She has never tried to take Mama’s place but she has created a place in my heart that I did not know there were room for and an even larger extended family that has been there for me all the way.

Father’s day did not end there with my thoughts because on June 19, 1996 my best friend became my wife and with that she shared her great father with me. PaPa’ you are a man of many works and few, soft but powerful words. You also give me that Godly example to strive far and show how God will take care of you all of your life and you have proved a Christian Life is a great life. Happy Father’s Day, PaPa’! With a great Christian man comes a great Christian woman, MawMa also reached heaven early in her life, a Christian example and a great woman.

Well I have babbled on but I hope you understand how much Father’s Day means to me and how I cherished my second Father’s Day (since my transplant) and now always look forward to my birthday.

I hope you had a wonderful Father's Day and look forward to your birthday no matter what your age is.

God Bless You,

Pel,

Lightning

If you meet me and forget me you lose nothing......

If you meet my God and forget him you lose everything........

www.UpstateChristianFirefighters.org

www.LifePoint-SC.org Organ donor yet? Tell your family today!

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T10:56:00.004-04:00

"Flags-in"

The 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) has honored America's fallen heroes by placing American flags before the gravestones and niches of service members buried at both Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldier's and Airmen's Home National Cemetery just prior to Memorial Day weekend.

This tradition, known as "flags in," has been conducted annually since The Old Guard was designated as the Army's official ceremonial unit in 1948. Every available soldier in the 3rd U.S. Infantry participates, placing small American flags one foot in front and centered before each grave marker.

During an approximately three-hour period, the soldiers place flags in front of more than 260,000 gravestones and about 7,300 niches at the cemetery's columbarium. Another 13,500 flags are placed at the Soldier's and Airmen's Cemetery. As part of this yearly memorial activity, Old Guard soldiers remain in the cemetery throughout the weekend, ensuring that a flag remains at each gravestone.

American flags are also placed at the graves of each of the four unknown service men interred at the Tomb of the Unknowns, by the Tomb Sentinels. All flags are removed after Memorial Day before each cemetery is opened to the public.

Pictures and Statement from Arlington National Cemetery at http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/

Good Morning,

Did you wake up this morning feeling secure? Well you should have because we are secure. This security comes from us being a God fearing nation and our men and women in the military. Did you know that God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross for our security and over 1 million American’s have died to assure us security? What have you done for God and our military? God only ask one thing; accept Jesus as your personal savior. Our military only ask that you pray for their safe return from war and pray for their families. Tell a solider Thank You the next time you have the opportunity. I know that this is no breaking news to you, but today is Memorial Day, so at 3:00 PM today stop what ever you are doing and pray for the soldiers who have died and pray for their family. What connections do you have to the military? Well I don’t have any close family members in the military, but I have always had a close relationship to the military. I have great friends; brother and sister firefighters that fight for our freedom and security. I now have a great friend whose son is a pilot, fighting for our freedom and security as I type this blog. I want to send out a big THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU to everyone in the military. I must THANK the families who did not get that reunion hug from their solider; instead they received a flag, GOD BLESS YOU. We as American’s must remember the soldiers who have already gone ahead of us and know they will never again have to worry about their security for God has promised through the blood of Jesus to forever be secure in heaven with him.

Well I know I am a week and a day late writing and you know me I have an excuse, I am lazy. So I am going to back track to catch you up. I had to return to Charleston for a follow up visit with my surgeon about the infection I had. This was one of those trips that was going to be about a five minute doctor’s visit so the plan was for me to journey alone because Claire and Abigail had work and school. I then talked with my ole buddy Al and told him I was going to Charleston for some Shrimp & Grits and he decided he wanted to try them, so off to Charleston we went. We left on Monday afternoon and arrived there just in time for supper at Hyman’s Seafood. Can you tell how a fat boy plans a trip? We arrived and I kicked Al out of the truck so he could get in line, I did not want any lost time for parking, supper was great. The Court Yard by Marriott again provided that great night’s rest and I awoke to the pleasant smell of breakfast, there in the motel. Al and I went to the “Shoot til you win”, “All you can eat”, or “Graze til you bust” but really it was a buffet so there again I got my monies worth and more. After grazing we arrived at the doctor’s office about 8:25 AM. I went back to see the doctor, he mashed and tried to hurt me again but he was not able to so he stated all was well and to call him if I needed him. He did stated he wanted to see me back for a year check up in August. We then chatted for a while longer and the nurse and I replaced the dressing, about 9:10 AM I was out front making my appointment. While I was standing there making the appointment, I could hear a lot of talking but one voice stood out above the rest, yelp it was Al. I think he had already finished his fire inspection and was now socializing with the patients, can you believe he had them old sick people down in the floor teaching, Stop, Drop and Roll. Well the next item was to check out of the motel, go to the market for some goodies for the girls and be close to the Charleston Crab House for the good ole Shrimp & Grits. We walked through out the market, I bought some goodies and got scolded for picking up a grass basket when I told the lady I was just looking, she said for me to just look not handle, if I was just looking, she said people would mash the edges. I placed the basket down in shame and traveled on. We then went into the Charleston Hat Company, yelp that’s were all the hats come from. I ask the lady who always helps me to fix my brown hat because I got caught in a bad down pour a few weeks ago. While we were there I had to look around and try on some more hats. Then on the shelf, sat a hat that just reached out for me and I tried it on. Yelp you guessed it I got another hat. I needed this one because it will be cooler for the summer, Claire and Abigail also approved it. With my treasures in tow and on my head off to the Charleston Crab House we went. You know you go to a restaurant to often when you are out of town and the staff recognizes you when you walk in. We ordered the small Shrimp & Grits, chatted with the staff and recommended food selections for other patrons. We sat there realizing that the small bowl of Shrimp & Grits had many more vittles in it than either of us could handle but we tried. We then accepted defeat and left in our bowls the evidence that the small bowl was much too large for either of us. Realizing the end was near for this trip, I left Charleston full and yet hopeful for the return visits I have in the future to go back to Charleston for the food, I mean the doctor’s visits. Al and I arrived back in Possum Kingdom on Tuesday and told of the terrible time we had in Charleston, the long wait at the doctor’s office and the meals we had to eat out of the vending machines, I hope our secrete is safe with you. Al knew he had to get out of Possum Kingdom before dark, because the streets are rolled up and the gates are locked til day break, but Abigail had a different idea. Well let me set the stage for you, Al has a nice shinny convertible. Rebel stood guard while we was gone lying beside it and Abigail just ain’t never seen a top fold up and disappear. I had her convinced that the Gator was a convertible, now she knows better. She convinced Al to carry her for a ride before he drove out of the kingdom. Abigail came back smiling from ear to ear, grinning like a mule eating briers through a picket fence and with that wind blown look. You can now tell that there is always a silver lining behind every cloud. Preacher Mike stated this past week that we must thank God for ever event in our life, the good, the bad and the ugly. I have since decided that I needed some new drama in my life, so now I have a bad chest cold, at least that’s what I am calling it, Claire looked over the medication list and gave me the correct medication. I am the luckiest man alive.

Have a God filled day and remember the sacrifices that have been made for each of us and be careful this long weekend is one of the deadliest on our roads.

God Bless You,
Pel

Road Trip - Sun Shine in Charleston

2008-05-08T02:34:00.006-04:00

Well once again we had this urge to go and see if the sun was shinning in Charleston, I guess you could say my body had that urge. Well I will try to stay on track and tell you what is going on with me, but you know me and somewhere along the road I will fall of the turnip truck but it's always fun getting back on the truck. To some people this statement made no sense and you have no idea what I just said and to some others you felt like you was right there with me and almost fell off the turnip truck with me, now that I have confused my darling wife twice, I will give you an update.

In the past couple of weeks I have not felt 100%, but you know for a fat country boy from Possum Kingdom 70% is passing or just getting by and anything above that is extra effort. Well the fact is I just did not feel good. Last Friday I became quite aggravated because the bandage covering the Plural-X catheter was causing some irritation. On Saturday it had gotten to the point of being very uncomfortable, so I changed the bandage and observed a red area around the area. On Sunday, which was the scheduled day for draining the fluid from my left lung area, we then knew what was going on, I had an infection. On Monday I was advised that I needed to go to Charleston and see the surgeon in the event the catheter had to come out. Claire, Abigail and myself loaded up the van and off to Charleston we go. To give you a visual, close your eyes and think of Granny, Ellie May and Uncle Jed loading the truck and going on a road trip. OK now that you have that visual we will move on with the story. Now when we arrived in town after a long rough ride, still keep the visual, I went inside to check us in a new motel, at least it was new to us, you know we wanted to just try it. So I and my old hat wobbled in the fancy lobby of this motel to check in. I was standing there thinking we ain't got nothing like this in Possum Kingdom, but I do my visual inspection and felt a little better because they had a concrete pond in the front and a sprinkler system. I then got my room assignment and that did not help a lot because it was on the 7th floor and I knew that kind of jump out the window would leave a mark, but thought between the concrete pond and the sprinklers we could get out if we had to. OK enough of check in, I got to tell you about supper. I should tell you one thing that we liked about the information we had read about this motel was they served 3 meals a day and the one we always stayed at only served breakfast. OK so we check in about 2130hrs and the supper hour was over at2200hrs, so we had to hurry! Well the fun for me was just beginning, we walked down to the restaurant, which was so fancy I had to ask if this was the restaurant, and it was. We went and started to set at the first table we saw, but that seemed to bother the nice lady trying to get us to sit at a booth, you know a fat boy at a booth with fixed benches can make the meal uncomfortable. OK for the grossly under weight people, if you were at the range of above normal weights when you sit at a booth your belly, table and bench all become one. Anyway we sat at the table we chose and she handed us the menu, things went down hill after that. Claire wasn't feeling well after the long ride, she was the designated driver since I was on drugs, pain meds, so she left Abigail and myself to eat alone. The waitress came back and said I am so sorry, your are here for dinner, I said no supper and she said I must change the table because it was set up for breakfast. Now there was all I needed, you know dishes, to eat and drink with and even some left over. The nice lady insisted that she had to change the setting from breakfast to dinner for us. She gathered all those dishes including the napkins and returned with another pile of dishes, many more that we needed, I even insisted that she take the small fish bowl back so they did not have to was extra dishes, because I was not going to drink out of two glasses and that fish bowl one would not hold much and you could not get that manly grip on it like you can a Mason jar. We started reading the menu and it was wrote in English, but they were doing so much with flour, dead critters and a small mess of vegetables, that gave all of the good old food new names, it scared us. We decided on what to eat but we did not see it on the menu, so we asked. The waitress agreed to fix it our way, Abigail wanted some shrimp and mac & cheese. I saw something on the menu that sounded good, but there was numbers besides the writing (ie. 6 or 24 and ect.) and I decided that was how you ordered, you know by the number! Well I was wrong, so if you ever go to a restaurant that has just numbers beside the words, don't order by announcing the number, because that could be the price. Any way I got a coupon when I arrived and it was good for for a drink and flat bread. Well I had to ask what flat bread was, Mama always fussed if you mashed the bread because it would become flat. I agreed to have the flat bread with some grilled shrimp and a side order of a lot of words because I did not know what that stuff was, but is was free with the coupon. The time came for us to order the drinks, so I ask what kind of drink the coupon was good for. The waitress looked at me and started with the beers, wines and all of that stuff. I ask could the coupon cover the Mountain Dew drink Abigail ordered so she said yes and I ordered water. We then had some down time so we went out and looked at the cement pond and on the way I even found a big chunk of marble with a hole in it and it had lava rock in the hole and fire with no smoke coming out of it. We then returned to our table to await our freshly prepared meal. I got a plank for a plate with a thin crust pizza on top with a good flavor of shrimp and other stuff. Abigail on the other hand got a great big plate of macaroni with maters and green beans and some really big shrimp. Abigail said our blessing and we began eating supper. We had a great talk with the waitress and even about her brother just finishing the police academy. We retired to our room with two great ole big beds, and really pretty furniture and so much furniture, they even had two tables that fit together to make a computer desk. The TV and fridge were both hiding when we arrived but after a short game of hide and seek we found the TV and fridge hiding behind some doors on this big pretty thing, I guess it was an entertainment stand? We then retired to bed and arose the next morning after a good night sleep, but we packed up and deceided if the doctor wanted us to stay in town we were going back to the motel we had been staying at. We arrived at MUSC to have X-Rays before seeing the doctor. He came in without much delay, had the bandage removed and he started poking and mashing. Now keep in mind, no visual this time, I had taken a small amount of drugs before I went and I found out real soon I did not have near enough on board to take care of the poking and mashing he did, but I survived. He said the infection was just around the surface area and not in the chest cavity or in the catheter, which was great. He put me on oral antibiotics and wants me to come back in two weeks. We ask, what was his long term goal, as he was the one a referral was sent to for a repeated VATS with talc procedure. He replied that there was no need to repeat the procedure, because it failed one time and he was sure it would fail again. He told me we had done well keeping the catheter clean for all of this time, 9 months. We talked about other long range procedures such as a shunt. He stated that I would not like that because I would have to push on the same spot everyday about 100 times to pump the fluid out, and it would get sore. Therefore my understanding was get use to the catheter, because the catheter was the best thing to treat my plural effision with. He finished hurting me and after we left I got to thinking. The biggest thing I remembered was my small hope of going back to the work I loved so much was now over and I know I should have learned that by now but I always hoped, but God has another plan for me. I have to pray for God to keep my eyes and mind open and seek his will. God has blessed me so much I have nothing to complain about.

Well the time has passed and my writing skill has not gotten any better so with that I will end. Remember when things don't go your way and you feel like nobody cares, know for sure God cares and so do I.

Remember, if you meet me and forget me you loose nothing.....
If you meet my God and forget him you lose everything........

Make things right with God, sign a donor card and tell your family, you can help save lives long after you are gone....

God Bless You,

Pel

Sun Shinning On Our Tater Hill

2008-05-04T13:00:00.003-04:00

Well for the most of you sun shine is not a big deal, but we here in Possum Kingdom are proud because that gives us some time off. Time off you ask? Yes because here in Possum Kingdom we only have 3 main stop signs and we have no way to prewarn people of the approaching stop sign. So we have to take turn about shinning our flash lights in the eyes of the drivers and then shine it on the stop signs. It works really well, well most of the time. I'll tell you what happened but you must understand tha it was not on my watch. One of our local residence was on his tour of duty, picture this he is a stump of a man, over six feet, almost 500 pounds, beard and overalls. He also has a mental condiction with a big 6 clyinder word, be we here in Possum Kingdom just know that Bubba is just crazy. Well he was watching the signs and just at dark thirty he had to vehicle approaching at he same time. This is a touchy situation for most of us to handle, but Budda had a unique way of handling it. The car approaching from thr right blew their horn and scared the dirt right out from under Bubba, so there he goes up in the air and there must have been enough cross wind to catch this mountain of a man. He landed right on top of the that rich man who was rambling around down here that day in his high dollar Volvo, us country folks call that a sissy car, you know if it ain't a Chevy, Ford or John Deere no need to drive it. Bubba being the young man he was will try anything, when he labded on the roof of the car he made the moment as good as he could. He sat up on that well dented roof and started a political type way to the crowds of peope that gathered. When the driver got out and being a city guy he started in on Bubba and when Bubba broke 4 of the five fingers on the stranger's hand, just to say hey. The city guy deceided that just because the roof now sat where passengers usually sat, that he would just head on back to the city and he appoliged to Bubba. We never did see that guy around here again.

OK on to health things, Claire is doing better, so well I was able to get her in there today so she can get some of that weekend money. Justin, Abigail are doing great, Justin will finish he exams next week and Abigail is just getting spoiled. Claire went with the 3rd grade on Friday to Columbia, way to go Ma. Abigail retured from that trip to only pack for a beach this weekend with the Acteens .

I have spoken with the doctor's office in Charleston and telling tell lets go forward with the VATS w/talc. We are hoping to have it done sometime in June, but we will have to see. Have a great week, Smile because God Love You.

God Bless You,
Lightning

Proud Daddy

2008-04-19T22:40:00.009-04:00

Well all of you know that I am a proud Daddy of two youngins and today God just gave me another reason to brag. Most of you know that Justin is a junior at Winthrop with his major being Physical Education with a teacher's certification. Today at the Lois Rhame West Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center the Distinguished Alumni in Physical Education held their awards breakfast and we were invited because Justin was receiving an award. He was awarded the Mary Wylie Ford award, this award is given in honor of the former chair of the Physical Education Department. Dr. Ford received her undergraduate degree in physical education from Winthrop. After teaching and earning both master's and doctoral degrees, she returned to Winthrop as a member of the physical education department. She then became department chair, a position she held for more than 30 years. This award is given as a tribute to Dr. Ford's professional service throughout her career and goes to a senior physical education major who demonstrates professional promise. Justin is the 16 student to receive this honor.

I sure am a proud Daddy from Possum Kingdom, this goes to prove that someone from Possum Kingdom can walk and chew chewing gum at the same time and spell.

Dr. Mary Wylie Ford and Justin

In closing one of Justin's Professor's gave him a complement that really made him shine. She said that when Winthrop was talking about becoming a co-ed campus she was dead set against it, she felt that it should always be a women's only campus. She said that if she had known that it was going to bring young men there like Justin she would have always been for the idea.

OK my head has swollen and I have a tear in my eyes so I must go now.

Justin just know that God and all of your family are very proud of you and we love you!!!

Good Night and God Bless You,

Pel

Update From Our Tater Hill

2008-04-10T17:47:00.004-04:00

Good Afternoon Everyone,

First of all I want to clear up something, Claire ask what I was talking about and I had to explain it to her last night and I got to thinking about it today and decided maybe I should explain it to you also. I won't tell anyone if you did not get my joke either. Anyway what I am talking about is the comment I put in the last post "My mind is just too tired to share, well in other word you know me and know I don't know nothing, the doctors are still trying to figure out what that dot was on the brain scan they ran." OK it was a joke, me talking about the size of my brain, you know, like they ran a scan looking for my brain and all they saw was a dot!! It was a funny, so now laugh, but please don't get mad at me. I was afraid some one would read it like Claire did and think I was talking about a spot on my brain, no my meaning was my brain was the size of a dot. I sure hope you understand and I hope one day Claire will get it also. So we all know now why I don't write for the funny papers! HaHa Laugh with me now HaHa

Now this part is serious, Claire had her surgery today and all went well, I got her home already and she is settling back in my recliner. I think she is going to try to make me wait on her and I will hand and foot. She is on a long nap right now so I can get by with anything. I must go now and get her some drugs. Thanks for the prayers, visits and phone calls. You are too good to us. Our God is an Awesome God!!! Thank You God for the Answered Prayers!!

God Bless You,
Pel

Tater Hill News From Possum Kingdom

2008-04-09T23:27:00.004-04:00

Hello Everybody,

Well things here in Possum Kingdom are SpRiNgInG right along!! I am not going to fill your minds with a wealth of information tonight and I know you are sad. My mind is just too tired to share, well in other word you know me and know I don't know nothing, the doctors are still trying to figure out what that dot was on the brain scan they ran.

Anyway the past two week have been full for us out here on our tater hill. All last week I just sat at the house, not felling like doing nothing but was not sick, I call it fluid build up; some people call it fat and lazy. Then my darling wife, Claire became sick. I had to get her up and going so she could go to work and make some money. She tried real hard and she finally gave in. I don't have to tell you about how hard headed an ole ER nurse is!! I knew she did not feel well, but when she told me she had an appointment with the doctor I knew she was really sick, like fill out part of the tomb stone kind of sick. Now that sickness has lead to surgery. She is going to be all right because she has got to get back to work, I might even sign her up for some over time!!

Please put Claire on your prayer list and ask God's will to be with Claire, the surgeon and all the staff. I know I pick on my darling wife but she is so special to me and when she hurts I hurt so bad, I wish I could take her place on the operating table but I can't. Please pray for Abigail as well, she told me that she had to be there with her Mama because she is always there when someone has surgery. I had to explain to her that she had to go on to school and then when she got home she is going to have to help take care of Mama. Please pray for Justin as well, as he is traveling on school business and he was going to cancel his trip when I called him and told him about Claire being sick. We have convinced him to continue on with his studies and everything will be fine here.

Thank you for your prayers,

God Bless You,

Pelham

Happy Spring 2008

2008-03-20T23:44:00.004-04:00

Let me tell you about Spring in Possum Kingdom!

Well I will start with Words of Wisdom, as you have noticed that as Spring arrives one thing you should be very alert to and that is green pastures. Yelp green pastures mean don't stand at the South End of a Cow that is headed North!!!!! If you just don't get it drive to the county this week end and watch North bound Cows from the South End. I will have to carry Claire out in the pasture so she will understand this one, won't take long. A quick but true story. When I was about 7 years old one Spring Sunday afternoon we was down at our neighbors, Hayne and Mary's, and remember after church on a Spring day. This was one of the times in my life I was little. Daddy and Hayne was going to walk through the pasture and look at the cows. I just had to go with them; Mama told be careful and don't get your clothes dirty. I was dressed in a pair of white shorts and a white button up shirt, knee socks and black dress shoes. I was holding Daddy's hand with my right hand and Hayne's hand with my left. They were talking and not paying much attention to me but that was OK I was holding their hand and every time I got to a cow pile, cow pattie, I would jump and they would pull me over the cow pile. Well this was fun and there was a big green juicy pile, so fresh the flies had not found it yet. I went to jump as always and my grip in there hand lost connection and I plopped in the middle of the cow pile. I jumped up and ran back to Mama and said Daddy made me do it, it was not funny so stop grinning from ear to ear.

Yelp spring has arrived here in Possum Kingdom and everything is blooming and of course we have a fresh new crop of Fire Ants. I had an experience with them this afternoon like never before, I was setting out a vine and the ants were in the soil that the vine was in and I though nothing of them when they bit me. I just squeezed each one and enjoyed watching it die between my fingers. I received about 6 bites, killed them and going on. In about 15 minutes my head started pounding, not a headache but just hearing my heart beat. Then my head got hot and I felt as if I had a bad sun burn, with my big cowboy hat on right. I finally made it to the house, feeling so bad I did not feel like answering my phone when it rang. Well anyway after I was treated by my in house nurse it was determined that I must have had a reaction to the bites. After about 2 hours and some meds I got to feeling better.

No other medical news, waiting on an appointment with another surgeon and we will go from there.

We had a meeting in Greenville last Monday night at Greenville Memorial Hospital and we got our official training from LifePoint, we had a great turn out, great meeting and great food, because my ole buddy Steve Carr went out begging for food and he received a lot of fresh good food. If you think about it I can not go out begging for food it just won't work, a fat guy asking for food for a meeting yeah right. Steve made that tear in their eye and they gave food right out of the mouths of their own children. I am looking forward to my next speaking engagement, not sure where it will be but that will be OK, just whatever God has in mind for me, I will go.

I hope you have gotten into the right mind set for what happen many years ago on that mountain and on that cross and the reason we celebrate Easter. Jesus Christ is not in the tomb; he has risen and is at the right hand of God Almighty. Praise God. Heaven is just a prayer away.

God Bless You,
Good Night because it is already dark,
and remember
If you meet me and forget me you lose nothing.......
If you meet my God and forget Him you lose everything......

Pel

Live From Possum Kingdom it's Friday Night

2008-03-14T21:15:00.003-04:00

Good Evening All,

I hope your evening is going well. I am having one of those days and nights that I just don't feel good but nothing is wrong.

I have some news from Charleston and I was hoping that I could give you all of the details at once but I can't. The news is the lung doctor in Charleston has told me officially that all of the test ran proved nothing about where the fluid in my chest is coming from. He furthermore stated that there was no other test. He was holding out for a leak from my transplant, but no proof of that. He now is suggesting another pleurodesis with talc; you know that's the surgery that I have whined so much about, because it hurts so badly. Oh well, I have not agreed to the surgery yet but I have a great group of doctors I am polling right now for their opinion. I have been told that it can take two or three of these procedures before they work.

OK now this is my Possum Kingdom Red Neck theory.
There was only about a 70% chance of it working the first time and I hit that 30% group. My thoughts are what has changed, my answer is nothing. That is when my local lung doctor told me it could take two or three times. I of course have other options, one is where they make a bigger hole and go in and scrape the entire outer lining of the lung and make it irritated and therefore it would stick and of course there is the procedure where they strip the outer lining off with their hands and it would stick. The other question that I had to get answered is that if the leak was coming from some where else after the chest area was stopped up what then? They told me the fluid would go some where else but it would not cause as much of a problem as it does in the chest cavity. So if my belly don't stick out enough it could have a few more liters put in it. He told me that it could be drained from my belly as well, sounds like new fun to me!!

Anyway I am gonna talk to some other docs and do a lot of praying for the answer, and the answer will be in God's will and time.

FYI - We have had our second meeting of Christian Firefighters and we now have a web-site and we will be posting prayer request and concerns as well as meeting information. Go to http://www.upstatechristianfirefighters.org/ and check out our web-site and come and join us. It is under construction so keep checking, it will be running full force soon.

God Bless You,
Thank You,

Lightning

Sunny Monday In Possum Kingdom

2008-02-25T14:42:00.003-05:00

Good Afternoon All,

Well I am just sitting here in the house while looking out at the sunshine wishing I was out there rambling around. I know what you are thinking, well why don't I just get up and go outside? Well I wish I could but I can not right now because I can not walk very well because I have the gout in my right ankle, again. Oh well I will whine a while and maybe it will go away soon, guess my uric acid is still up. I get to go see the vampires tomorrow so I guess we will find out in a few days.

Well you will be glad to know that the leak did not go away as I removed over 950mls today. I did however hear from Charleston about those test I was telling you about, they all came back negative, oh well can't imagine where they might stick a needle next.

Don't forget that Saturday night I will be at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church for the men's wild game supper, I sure am looking forward to those vittles.

The meeting of the Christan Firefighters will be on Thursday March 13, 2008 at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church on Hwy. 247 in Possum Kingdom, hope to see you there, more good vittle eating.

Well I guess I better go it's about time for more medication. I hope you have a great day or night if it's already dark.

God Bless You,
Pel

Possum Kingdom News

2008-02-20T11:34:00.005-05:00

Well I guess you have thought that I forgot about you and that is not the truth. The truth is I have not felt like writing in my blog. I have not felt like doing anything, yesterday I read and cleaned up my e-mail. I sure do thank you for all of your prayers, I am glad our God does not mind repeated request. Your prayers and God's blessing have allowed me to get to feeling better. I am still whining about one thing and that is my stomach. The doctor told me I tore my stomach muscles while I was coughing so bad because my muscles were still weak from the transplant. I like this doc's definition of what muscles are, people have always told me that was fat now we know it is muscle.

Tomorrow will be two weeks since I went to Charleston for these last rounds of tests. We still know nothing about the test. I am going to call them tomorrow if I have no news today.

I have some awesome news to share with you, on Sunday February 17; our daughter Abigail was baptized, God is awesome. Preacher Mike stated that being saved was so simple that even a child could understand. Who is Preacher Mike? He is our new pastor at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church in Possum Kingdom, God just keeps blessing us. Please keep Preacher Mike in your prayers along with Preacher Frank. Preacher Frank has a new church in Anderson and God is blessing and challenging him in this new adventure. Prayer is a powerful tool that God has given us, and we so often only use that tool in bad time, pray in the good times as God will make them better also.

I am excited about a new road that I along with others am traveling. That road is called transition because we now are a part of the new era of public education in organ donation for SC. You know how proud I am to be a part of making people aware of the need of organ donation. You know I have been a volunteer with Donate Life SC since my transplant. We now have an old organization that has taken on a new role of public awareness, LifePoint Inc. We the volunteers are now a part of a big organization that will allow us to get the word out for the need of organ donation. What happened to Donate Life SC? Donate Life SC are in the role of the state registry only! WOW to be a part of such a great organization as LifePoint Inc. is truly an honor, so thank you LifePoint Inc. for allowing me and the other faithful volunteers the honor of being a part of such a great organization. Check out LifePoint Inc. at http://www.lifepoint-sc.org/ Please remember get your heart right with God before it's to late and then commit to help save the life of someone else, when you are gone, through organ donation and please tell your next of kin of your wishes.

I have some other exciting news and that is on Saturday March 1, 2008 I will be one of two speakers at Mt. Bethel Baptist Church Wild Game Supper, there will be about 300 + men there in fellowship and good ole eating, keep your eyes open for the failed Possum crossing yeilds, so if you can please come join us as I will tell you how God humbled me and how he has now opened new doors in my life. Just remember ain't no plate sharing on the failed Possum crossings. Mt Bethel Baptist Church is located in Anderson County right at the Abbeville County line at 2603 Due West Hwy. Belton, SC 29627. We hope to see ya there, you can even bring your own road kill.

Finally for the latest weather report from Possum Kingdom, today sunny and cool with a breeze 100mph or so, so unless you eat a second helping of failed Possum crossing last night you better put some rocks in your pockets or you will be visiting you neighbors. Don’t worry Mark I am not a threat to the world of weather forecasting, just fact telling in Possum Kingdom.

God Bless You,
Thank You for all you do for me and others,
Lightning,
Pel,
Pelham

Sick but at Home

2008-02-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

Quick update on me, I got sick Tuesday night and on Wednesday the doctors got with me, you know I have one doctor up here to consult and two doctors in Charleston and I have to keep them all on the same page, sometimes quite a task. My lung doctor and my local doctor thought that my lung catheter may be infected. Since somewhere around two months is all they leave them in people, normally. I have just crossed my fifth month. Those test so far have showed the lung catheter to be OK, some test are still out. The lung doctor said that after he checked me out he thought that I had something viral going on causing me to feel extra bad. He did however go ahead and conduct other test such as a CT to look for pockets in my chest cavity and be sure the lung is OK and that the catheter is still where they want it.

When I was down in November and he ran the other nuclear medicine test, there was a national shortage on nuclear medicine. He checked while I was down there and they were able to go ahead and conducted the second nuclear test. Well this is the one that I was kind of dreading because they have to stick a needle between your toes and inject the nuclear medicine in there and watch it flow through your lymph system. Well I was wrong about the test. It was not one shot between your toes it was four shots between four different toes, two on each foot. They said even at MUSC they only do this test about once every three months, glad I got in that number. That study will see if they can find a leak in my lymph system and allow the fluid to track to my lung. Anyway after a full day, starting at 0800hrs at MUSC we arrived back at the motel around 1900hrs last evening.
We arrived home today about 1630hrs, Saturday.

God Bless You,
Pelham, Claire & Abigail

Unplanned Road Trip

2008-02-07T12:52:00.000-05:00

I wanted to give you an update.
I have talk with my doctor in Anderson and the doctors in Charleston. I was thinking I have a cold or the flu, they think something may be wrong in my lung or with the catheter. Anyway they tested the fluid from my lung for infection last night and I have not gotten a report as of yet. The lung doctor in Charleston however is uncomfortable with what's up so he said no matter what the test showed, he still wanted me to come down there. Claire is now not feeling well but she, Abigail and myself are headed to Charleston this afternoon for an appointment in the morning with the lung doctors at 0820hrs.

I will keep you updated.

Possum Kingdom Words Of Wisdom

2008-02-05T11:51:00.000-05:00

Greetings From Possum Kingdom,

I hope all is well and I hope you are having a wonderful day or a beautiful night if it is already dark.

Word Of Wisdom
Well as we all know of the tradition last week with the Groundhog and you may or may not believe that the Groundhog can predict the future weather. On the issue of maybe or maybe not, we here in Possum Kingdom have a sure prediction that has been tested for years and we know it to be a fact. That is here in Possum Kingdom we have Possum Night, that is to see if the Possum can cross the road with out becoming road kill, well the test has once again added to the factual results, the Possum can still not get past that second yellow line in the road, oh well Happy Possum Night.

OK I will try to be serious now, I want to try to catch you up since I have been dragging my heals, really I have been chasing my Possum, trying to keep him from being a statistic. He is just hanging around right now, so I wanted to catch you up.

Just to recap a little, about the last two postings, I told you how I was in Charleston, to see the doctor for my one year check up, which by the way my year was up last Tuesday. The liver doctor said that my liver was doing fine, but he had some concerns about some of my blood work, he discovered I had red blood. He changed some of my medication and scheduled blood work the following week. I wanted to wait so I could tell you about those test, but as you know I did not tell you nothing because they did not learn nothing, because for what ever reason the improper test were conducted. Therefore I had to go last Monday to get more blood work drawn. If you remember two of my problems are the fact that I am retaining fluid, not just in my lung area, but all over, the other is this uric acid and the pain that it causes all over my body. I gladly went to have the blood work drawn again so maybe they could treat my uric acid levels. I received notice back from the doctor’s office that my liver number are up a little, still in normal range, my creatinine is still way to high for them to administer Indocin to me to treat the uric acid. What does that mean, well as I understand it; my kidneys are not acting right and if they administered the Indocin to me right now, that could damage my kidneys more than what they already are. I guess I will have to wait until February 25, 2008 to have more blood work drawn.

I am up to a weekly call to the lung doctor in Charleston, still waiting for that return call. He sure must be busy, but he sure is seeing my name and number a lot or at least someone is. The fluid is still about the same, for some reason I am having some pains, just minor like cutting your finger nail off in the quick, in the area of the tube, no signs of infection, guess I just needed something new to whine about.

We have gotten some great news about the future of promoting organ, eye and tissue donation. I can’t let the Possum out of the bag yet but keep praying and watching for future events that will promote this great cause. I am so proud of one thing and that is some of the same great folks are working toward this exciting future.

The other event that is so exciting is the gathering of Christian Fire Fighters, we had a wonderful meeting last month we had about 15 present and we are planning another meeting this month on February 28, 2008, the exact time and location to be announced shortly. It was an uplifting event for me as we shared what God has done for us and how we are trying to stay in God’s will and we pray for his blessings on each gathering. We have one goal at each gathering, that is to honor and praise God. We not only feed our hungry souls from God’s word but we feed our bellies, you just can’t get no better than that. Come and join us on February 28, 2008, I will let you know where and what time soon.

A note of what has been taking my time for the past week. Well you know how I love gadgets, so I upgrade my Nextel phone to a hybrid phone, Sprint voice & data with Nextel walkie-talkie. OK no big deal right, wrong. This thing has a bunch of gadgets for the gadgets and now I am at one week still trying to learn all that it can do. I can talk, text, IM, e-mail, browse the internet, play games, get directions and even carry on a conversation with just my phone with voice commands. The tech support people now know me well. I have cause things to happen to this ic902 that they did not know it could even do must less how to fix it, so I have figured some of them out. The biggest issue right now that is whopping me is the e-mail notification, it will notify me when ever it wants to or when I want to use the phone, so I have to figure out how to make it inform me without bothering me, I let you know how all this works out.

Have a great day
or night if it is already dark,

God Bless You,

Pel

January 22, 2008

2008-01-25T11:11:00.000-05:00

Good Afternoon From Possum Kingdom,

I have some exciting news to tell you about, but you will only hear it right here. BREAKING NEWS, according to an expert deep in Possum Kingdom. According to the calendar and the ice on the STOP sign it is winter in Possum Kingdom. You know you can't get this type of information just anywhere.

Now on to other news, well as you know from the last post I was in Charleston to see the doctor. He stated that all my liver number look great and the liver is doing great. The report did show an elevation in my kidney functions, so they changed my Prograf amount. They also changed some other medications around to help with some of the other number that were out of wack. I therefore had to go to see the vampires this morning so they could see if the medication change has worked. If it has then they will start to treat my uric acid which has risen and put me aching all over. So as of now I just sit and wait. I spoke with the lung doctor's office while I was in Charleston, the doctor was out but I am awaiting on a call. The fluid is still the same amount every three days. I am not sure if you remember but I am approaching my one year anniversary for my transplant on January 29.

I am excited how God is working in my life, as he has arranged for another speaking engagement this Thursday evening with a group of fellow firefighters at Washington Baptist Church. I also have another speaking engagement coming up in March. God Is Awesome. God has also opened the doors at our church, Cedar Shoal Baptist and we have formed a new Sunday school class, The Open Arms class, I was elected as the class president and one of three teachers.
Are you attending Sunday School? If not come and join us, we are going to have fun serving & learning more about Jesus.

Praise God,

God Bless You,
Pelham,
Pel,
Lightning

Charleston, Doctor's Appointment, 2008 Great Start

2008-01-13T23:28:00.000-05:00

Hello my trusted friends and family. I am in the ole city of Charleston on a foggy Sunday night. The weather man just told me that it's gonna get cooler here. I hope I ain't here long enough to prove him right or wrong.

Well I am sitting in my home away from home waiting on my appointment tomorrow morning. I have had a thought about all these doctor's visits and one thing I have came up with is statistics. Yelp if I die after January 29, 2008 I will not be a stat for MUSC since the ratings of survival are based on that first year, don't get excited I ain't about to be a stat, sorry.

Well it's getting late and I really don't have any new news, the fountain is still leaking about the same. I was tempted today at Auto Zone to buy some Stop Leak. I will give you an update after I talk with the doctor and I answer all of his questions, you know how doctors are!

God Bless You,
Good Night,

Lightning

Happy New Year

2008-01-08T22:47:00.000-05:00

OK so I am 8 days late, when an hour turns into a day and nobody is fussing who keeps up with time, not me.

Well the New Year is now a thing for history, I hope you ate your greens and black eyed peas, we sure did, of course you know any thing that promotes eating I am gonna remember that.

This will be kinda short, but since my last trip to Charleston nothing much has happened on the doctor's end but I am keeping up my end of the deal I am still make that protein juice, no buyers yet. I did have a visit with my local doctor and he is awaiting some blood work and he is going to cut a new stick and do some stirring, my luck it will fall into the hands of Claire and we all knows what happens then. So if my blog becomes later and later call Claire and I am sure time will matter to me then.

I will be headed to Charleston soon for my one year check up. I am not sure if I will get a prize or if I am suppose to carry one, but as long as I don't die before January 29 I will have made it for one year. Well don't get excited, because I am feeling pretty good and chances are I will make it past that date. Besides look at all the people I have to harass yet!

Some great family news, Sunday January 5 Abigail got saved, Claire and I sure are proud parents.

Some sad news, on Sunday I attended a funeral for a very dear friend, Mr. Wade Phillips. Wade was one of those men that comes into your life and he is always there, but never wants to be in the way, just to help. Wade and Joan had to put up with a lot years ago because they inherited another mouth to feed and another worry of who their son was out with. They acted like I would go in a burning building with their son and they were right. Todd Phillips and his family is my family. Todd is a brother of mine and that history goes way on back. Even his Mama and sister said we looked like twins, must have been that fat roll on the back of our heads. Todd is one of those men just like his Daddy always there. I offer my daily prayers for the Phillips family and I ask that you include them in your daily prayers. We all know that it's the days after the crowd has gone when they need to be held up the most and God know when those moments are. Please just pray for that loving peace in their hearts, Wade can never be replace and no one would wants to try, Wade is where we all look forward to going one day. Wow, what must it be like to see Jesus face to face, a crown, golden streets and to kneel at the feet of Almighty God as he welcomes you home. Jesus said I will go and prepare a place for you and I will come again for you. Wade's place was ready, ours will be one day. Be sure you are ready! Praise God Almighty.

God Bless You,
Lightning

Happy New Year

2007-12-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

Well can you believe it another year has gone, and boy do I have a lot to remember and be thankful for, just look at the blessings God has given me. Just in case you are keeping track I am getting close to a year since my transplant. I am still bottling the ole lung juice, I came up with a possible marketing name, protein in a jug! LOL

Not sure if you got to hear the Christmas message or not, but God is awesome, he allowed me another year and to broadcast the Christmas story one more time. Praise God Almighty.

Well are you headed to Atlanta? Well I ain't, but Justin is. I can watch everything from my chair and my bathroom is not crowded. If you are going be careful and watch those Clemson Tigers go.

Happy New Year.

Are you a Christian?

Make 2008 the year for you!

God Bless You,
Lightning

Christmas Eve Eve

2007-12-23T23:28:00.000-05:00

Well I am ready for Santa Claus(e). Abigail has been counting down, so she would not count the day we were on and would count to Christmas Eve and say there is so many days to Christmas.

OK my exciting news, as you know for over 10 years I have done the Christmas story over the Anderson County Fire Radio. Well I won't be doing it this year, but we are starting a new tradition at South Greenville Fire Department, so this year around 1000hrs. set your radio or scanner to 154.280 and join us for a new tradition, the Christmas story from South Greenville Fire Department. God is still opening doors, join me as we walk through them in search of God's will.

Merry Christmas from Claire, Justin, Abigail & myself, and thank you for all you have done for us.

We Love You,
God Bless You,

Pelham

Week Before CHRISTmas Day

2007-12-18T08:43:00.000-05:00

Good Tuesday Morning,

I know I am behind and slow, but one thing is far sure I still got no watch on my wrist and I still don't care what time it is, so here is my late Monday Post.

First of all if you got the e-mail from me for a new or update blog post and you replied to my e-mail you should get an e-mail about this post. If you did not get my e-mail or you forgot to respond you can be added to the new or updated blog e-mail list, just by sending me an e-mail at lightning@wildblue.net and request to be added to the new or updated blog e-mail list. OK, confused now!

I want to post a couple of links and if you have time go to these links and I think you will enjoy them.

Christmas with a capital C www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAckfn8yiAQ

Interview With God http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/

Well I don't want to cause a panic or stir up your troubles but CHRISTmas is almost here. Have you done your shopping yet, well I have done some, but I am waiting on Abigail to get out of school, so she and I can get it done. Thinking about CHRISTmas, what does it mean to you? Is it all about the children, or is it about all the gifts you will get or not get, is it about all the gifts you will give or is it about a birthday? Well for me it's about a birthday, the most important birthday ever and I am not just talking about the date, I am talking about the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. You know, Claire was the first person I ever heard talk about the big birthday party in Heaven. Can you even imagine what it must be like, we can try but I believe our earthly thoughts can not grasp that kind of event. You know we are always sadden when someone we know and love has gone on to Heaven, but the sadness should be for ourselves, just think what Heaven must be like and to be present for that grand birthday party, I know I will be there one day, singing praises and happy birthday. How about You?

Well I will give you an update! I still get up every morning and put my britches on one leg at a time. The fluid is still a flowing, taking about 1000ml or 1 liter out every 3 days. I am still tired and my joints still hurt, but thank God I am much better than I was this times last year. I still have no report from Charleston as to what the next step will be, but I am getting of the mind set that maybe I will always have this fluid problem, so what! God has blessed me more than I deserve so if a little fluid in my chest is all I have to whine about, then I know you will be glad for me to just get over it, so I am trying to stop whining and just looking forward to every day that God has made and allows me to be in it.

I have some exciting news to share with you, but I can't tell you right now, but it will be in my next post, at least by Sunday night. Guess you will have to check back and see what my exciting news is.

God Bless You,
Merry CHRISTmas,
Pel

Allen's Pain In The Neck

2007-12-05T22:11:00.000-05:00

Good Tuesday Evening,

Well today is another great day that God has made. God has yet answered another prayer and performed another miracle through modern medicine. We have prayed that God’s will to be done in Brother Allen’s neck surgery. He had his surgery this morning at AnMed, he had to be there at 0530hrs and they took him to surgery at 0750hrs. I stopped this morning and had a bowl of oatmeal for him. The doctor came in about 1245hrs and said everything went well. I did not hang around any longer because you know Allen is goofy enough on his owe, I knew the hospital could not deal with Allen on drugs and me making fun of him, of course I’m gonna make fun of him anyway. God Bless You Allen. I am praying for God’s will in a speedy recovery. We must also remember Glenda & the family’s while they tend to Allen’s needs. We must also remember Allen when his good friends, like me, go by to harass him.

Well you know the weather man is not calling for much rain in the future, I understood that maybe by next fall we might get some rain! Let me tell you that the dry weather is not affecting my leak; I drained a day early and still maxed out, 1000ml or 1 liter or a good Dr. Pepper for the country folks. The good doc from Charleston has not called as of yet, you know we are limited on way out yonder phone calls.

I got a great letter from another one of my best friends today, ole Sully. You know the Yankee that moved to Charleston and then got stuck in Anderson, just our luck. Sully has an idea for leak he told me about what the Navy done in the submarines when they had a leak, nope not stop leak but duck tape. Sully decided to move away and go back home to Iowa, can you believe he chose his Mother and other family over me. Well he might have moved away but he can’t get rid of me that easy, I’m like snow to Sully just won’t go away. He told me that it may warm up to 28F or so and snow is already being measured by the foot not inch, he stated that another dusting was coming about 6 inches. Sully you should have stayed down her with me and moved the family down here with the rest of your family, but anyway it’s cold here to me, in the 60’s HaHa.

Well the youngin has been washed and Mama just got home so now it’s time to eat so I must say Good Night.

Wednesday Update – Allen is on the 7th floor at AnMed, Claire has stopped by a couple of times and said he is still in a lot of pain. I again ask for your prayers for God’s will to be done with Brother Allen’s recovery. He has probably named his pain Pel, you know a pain in the neck.

God Bless You,

Pel

Charleston Trip 11-29-2007

2007-12-03T11:55:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Everyone,

Well we went for one test which meant one injection site with one dose of nuclear medicine and one day. Well you know me I am going to be different and more difficult. We arrived on Wednesday night after a good trip down. We went to the hospital for a 1000hrs appointment which they took me right on back. The procedure was to be done as a ultra sound guided catheter, of course that means guiding a needle, they were saying that they did not want to do a gut shot, I did not think I wanted that either. Well never the lest to say by nearly 1700hrs, after two injection sites and three doses of nuclear medicine and two liters of normal saline injected under my skin, suppose to be in my abdomen he put another one there, and a lot of walking, trendelenburg position, belly rubbing, gut sloshing and a lot of laying around on my sides, back and belly the doctor said for me to go to the motel and come back first thing in the morning and he would see if it had moved. We went away with me being very warped sided and now my shirt would not even fit correctly and retired for the evening to be ready to return early in the morning. Morning came and I arrived back around 0800hrs for the doctor to look at the pictures and to say well it did not work. The doctor, who is the professor of radiology told me that I was the hardest case he had ever done, he then decided to carry me to the ultra sound area and to yet inject me again using a newer ultra sound machine. The procedure is quite complicated, the site is located, Novocaine is injected, then he cuts (nicks) the skin with a scalpel then inserts spinal needle to the target area and then feeds a catheter to that area, they then inject about a liter or so if fluid, the nuclear medicine and then more fluid, and of course everything has to be sterile and a feeling within yourself to be still while watching all of this. OK so he has completed the fourth dose and all of the above issues had to be done over again and then later on after a bunch of pictures the doctor concluded that the test was negative and that the fluid in my lung area was not coming from my abdomen. He studied for a while and said he had no other test that he knew to do right now to help figure out where the fluid is coming from, so he will send the report over to my lung doctor and I am waiting patiently for the lung doctor to call with the next step. I guess to sum up the two days, there was about 11 hours of testing and I guess I did not study well, because I failed, I never was good at taking test.

I have also created a Blog Posting Notification and if you would like to be notified anytime a new or corrected blog posting has been posted just respond to this posting at the comment section with a valid e-mail address and ask to be added to the Blog Posting Notification List.

God Bless You,

Pel

Turkey Gone?

2007-11-25T20:51:00.000-05:00

Well Sunday night has came and now you must stop rubbing your belly and get ready to go back to work and school. Abigail told me today how lucky I was because I could stay at home and do what I wanted, not like her having to go face school, the third grade after the Thanksgiving Holidays. Well my first thought was that no I wasn't lucky, because I had rather be headed back to work. That was a dumb response on my part because she was right, I am lucky. I am the luckiest, no the most blessed man alive. First of all God has given me more than I deserve, just to be alive is more that I deserve and then there is my family, my friends well that stops me there. You are either my family or my friend and my friends are my family and I don't deserve that but you are stuck with me. Remember, careful what you pray for because God answers prayers. Even if the doctors only gave me until November 2007 to live, God gave me that transplant that you prayed for, so you see I am here a whole lot longer because God answered your prayer.

This was a wonderful Thanksgiving for me and my family, one thing I love to do is cook on the smoker. I got out the ole smoker out of the loft of the barn and cleaned it up, took some hickory that Daddy cut for firewood and cut it into one inch thick chunks and soaked them in good ole Possum Kingdom water. I smoked a ham, Claire out done herself with some pan fried fresh corn, pea salad and an awesome red velvet cake. This was just a small part of the feast that we enjoyed, everyone vittles were just awesome dishes and boy did we get full. Strange things were going on after we ate, like I will never eat again and people just walking around rubbing their bellies. It was wonderful having all of the family together. Justin came down Wednesday night and stayed until he had to go back to work at May-Lan Christmas Tree Farm at 1045hrs on Thursday morning. The rest of the family arrived at Daddy & Deeda's around 1200hrs with baskets full of goodies. It was awesome sitting at the table with all my family. Just to catch you up in case you are not sure of who all my family are. Claire & Abigail, Daddy & step-mother Deeda, sister Meleeda & Anthony with his scrapes and bruises from his wreck on Wednesday morning going to work and we thank God for his safety during the incident of the big rig (bob tailed) hitting his Nissan pickup in the drivers door at the Ware Place, step-brother Larry & Kim, step-sister Vicky & Jerry and all our kids. After we ate and the ladies cleaned up we sat around and chatted a while and then slowly one by one we all returned to our homes. Claire, Abigail & I then went on another visit, this was to see PaPa (Claire's Daddy) so off to the lake we went and it sure was great to see him and spend some time with him. We knew this weekend was out for a visit, due to the Clemson football game on Saturday. PaPa may not be able to go to all the games but his true Clemson spirit is not getting older, because he will get his orange on and sit and watch or listen to those tigers, and I found out early on not to bother the Clemson game day.

Speaking of Saturday's football game, Claire was planning on her way home from work as to what she had to do before she could sit down and watch the game. Well the game was well worth watching but it was even better in my house, Claire pulling for Clemson and Abigail pulling for Carolina. Well we all know how it ended!! Go Clemson.

Well the night is growing on and I must retire to bed so I can arise on time in the morning so Abigail isn't late to school.

Claire and I will be headed to Charleston for a test this week. Keep us in your prayers and pray for my donor's family every day.

God Bless You,

Pel

Prayers Answered

2007-11-20T23:07:00.000-05:00

Hello My Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for the prayer for Brother Allen Billings & Family. He had his cath today and they found that the stent he had put in back in 1999 had some blockage. The doctor said it was not as important to fix it right now as it was for him to have his neck fixed first. He said his heart was good enough for the surgery and they would fix his heart later. Thank God for answered prayers. Please keep the Billings family in your prayers, for as of now he is scheduled for surgery on his neck next Thursday.

Thank You for your prayers,

God Bless You,

Pel

Urgent Prayer Request

2007-11-19T23:36:00.000-05:00

Good Evening,

I was not sure how to get the word out the quickest and duh, I thought of the blog.

I am requesting prayer for a true dear friend of mine and yours, his name is Allen Billings (Fire Marshal - Retired). Allen is in need of our prayers because he is faced with some tough days ahead. Allen has a problem with his neck C-6 to T-2, will have to have some removal of the bone and replaced with a rod and screws. The doctors have told him to be very careful of how he moves between now and the surgery or he could be paralyzed. The surgery was set for November 27, 2007, but he had to have his heart checked out first, he has already had two open heart surgeries, one in 1982 and one stint placed in 1999 and another open heart in 2000. He went today for the ole treadmill test and after about two minutes the doctor stopped the test and instructed him as soon as a room came open at AnMed, he would be admitted. Allen is resting at the hospital tonight, awaiting his turn tomorrow for the catheterization, and if need be any other procedures the doctors see that needs to be conducted. The doctor told him that he must have his neck fixed or he could be paralyzed, but his heart had to be able to stand up to the stress of the surgery. Please pray for Brother Allen as we all know the unknown can be scary. Please pray for his wife Glenda and their children as the days ahead approach. Brother Al we love you and we are praying for you, keep you faith in God and he will see you through, for God is in control.

Please send get well wishes to
Allen & Glinda Billings
Email: agbillings@bellsouth.net

or to me Pelham Medlock
Email: lightning@wildblue.net
as I will see that they get them.

God Bless You,

Lighting

Happy Thanksgiving Week

2007-11-19T00:15:00.000-05:00

Good Monday Morning,

I trust that you had a wonderful week. Well down here in Possum Kingdom all things are Great because God is in it. This week has been good, but it also held it's challenges. Daddy & I hauled some logs to the saw mill. I know this sounds like a lot of work, but Daddy had already done all the work, he cut the trees over a year ago. Daddy then loaded them on the trailer and tied them down, really all I done was drive the truck. Anyway on our second load, of course something must go wrong, it was just a small thing. Well at least that was the way we told Claire and DeDa (Joyce). The only thing that happened was just one of the straps holding the logs on the trailer broke, course we only had two on it. I slowed the trailer down and stopped and as we regained our thoughts we applied a chain and a smaller strap to the load, then Daddy discovered what caused the strap to go flying up in that yard. The strap broke due to the fact that one of our tires on the trailer had separated and broke the strap, so what do we do, we went on to the mill, very slow. God got us there and said all right boys fix this before you do something really dumb. Therefore we emptied our load and came home without the lumber due to the tire issue, on Wednesday after two return trips we had all the sewn lumber back in Possum Kingdom. I had grown very tired during the week and was having a lot of stomach pain, so Daddy & DeDa started stacking the lumber and a little after dinner (12:00PM) the lumber was stacked safely away. I retired to my chair at the house and have remained there through out the week. I picked Abigail up at school on Friday, after her trip to the Upcountry Museum and discovered that she to was sick. Claire came home from work Friday sick as well. Claire had to carry Abigail to the doctor on Sunday afternoon and she has strep throat and will be out of school Monday and Tuesday. Claire was hurting so when she came home Friday that she had made an appointment to see her doctor on Monday. On Friday, Dr. Sahan's office called and advised me that they had scheduled the nuclear medicine test for me on November 29, 2007 in Charleston. I guess he just wanted an after Thanksgiving gathering in Charleston. They will skeet some nuclear (glowing stuff) in my belly and see if it winds up in my chest, sound like fun? I am not sure what kind of prize I will win if it does wind up in my chest, maybe it will be something fun? Then after the the prize ceremony they will then skeet some other nuclear (glowing stuff) in my foot and that is suppose to show them where the leak is, I'm still thinking stop leak is all I need! I am just not sure how soon after one test the next test will be and then when the leak stopping, or patching will be? I sure hope this Thanksgiving turns out different that last year, because if you remember I spent the Thanksgiving Holidays with the fine folks at AnMed Hospital, and my family sneaking in turkey, they could have brought just a little more. This year I am going to be standing by when the turkey is ready so I can taste first, to see if it is done, then I will need to test just before everyone eats to be sure it is warm, and then one final taste to be sure it has not sit out to long, last year the turkey they brought me just sang and danced. My family thought it was funny, but it was hard to eat, I don't think it was done.

Well any way I sure do have a lot to be thankful for, do you? I want to Thank God for saving my soul and allowing me to live through this transplant and all the other wonderful blessings he gives me each day. I am so thankful to my donor's family, to allow him to Donate Life. I have a wonderful family that I am so proud of and thankful for. My wife Claire, she sure took each one of those words she spoke on June 19, 1996 to it's true limit, you know the part about in sickness and in health, she could have threw me away and who could have blamed her, but I thank God she kept me. I have Justin, our son who has stood tall as a man and took care of us all and Abigail, our daughter who always wanted to be there with her Daddy and still keeps me young, both I am so proud of and I am so thankful of. I have Daddy & DeDa who has stood by us each step of the way, you know I am suppose to be helping them but they are still helping me. I have Meleeda & Anthony who was always there with us and at home with us. I have so many other family and friends that has helped us in so many ways, from raising money to visits and phone calls, but most of all I have all of you who have always been there for me and my family through your prayer, I could never thank ya'll enough. I thank God for our millitary men and women and their families, pray that they remain safe. OK so I have sit here late at night or early in the morning I should say, writing what I thought to myself was going to be short and now you have a knot on your head from banging it on the monitor, so wake up. I hope that you take that extra moment and tell the ones around you that you love them and thank them for being there for you. I sure do love you and thank you for being there for me, this thing is not over so keep praying and don't be surprised that one day I come knocking on your door just to whine and cry on your shoulder. If you have a friend you have not talked with in a while, stop and do it, hug your Mama and Daddy or at least call them and let them know how much you love them, you never know when you won't have that chance again. If you have not ask Jesus into your heart do it now and tell everyone, we all have been praying for you, you never know when it will be to late. What will you leave behind? Will your soul go where your Mama always prayed it would go? Have you made you decision to Donate Life, if so have you told your family, tell them over the Holiday, remember 18 people will die each day waiting on a life saving transplant. If you remember November 2007 was my project death date, but Thank God my donor's family decided to Donate Life.

I hope each one of you have a great Thanksgiving Holiday, be thankful unto God who all things belong to.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Love Ya,

Pel

Bad News!!

2007-11-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

I am sure that this will be some bad news for some; well the bad news for some is that just because it has been a while since my last posting, I am not dead. Thing are going good for me and I don’t want to complain all the time. I will however catch you up on the past few weeks.

In October we had the great privilege of attending an event for all people involved in transplants from donors & family to recipients & families, this was in Charleston SC and it was wonderful because Claire, Abigail & Justin were all there with me. We had the opportunity to talk with other family members and even meet people from the upcountry that I had only heard about. The booths that were set up provided fun for both the young and the old. Then there was the food, and we all know that a fat boy from Possum Kingdom is going to find the food. They served us a lowcountry boil in a wooden serving trough and I think that made it taste even better. The day grew to an end much sooner than I wanted, because that was going to cause a separation of my family. Claire and Abigail loaded up and were heading back to Possum Kingdom, Justin Loaded up and headed back to Rock Hill and I headed to the Donate Life booth, to gather items that were left over so I could carry them to my next stop. My next direction was up the east coast from Charleston, Myrtle Beach. I loaded up my supplies and headed up the coast to my next destination, which was the Crown Reef motel at Myrtle Beach and to meet up with my dear friend, Bum (aka Curt Bumgarner). This was a meeting that I was looking forward to. The 11th NC / SC IAAI this conference was something I had missed the past two years and was not sure about this year, but God worked it all out.

How did I get there? Well it all started with a conversation with Chief Ken Taylor and I were talking about the need for more intense investigations being conducted from the fire department side in Greenville County. I spoke of the great training that was available at the annual conference, so he suggested that Curt and I go. I thought this was an awesome idea, to have the opportunity to go to the conference and to spend a week with my awesome friend, Bum. Let me tell you just a little bit about Bum and how far we go back. He was hired as the 26th person at South Greenville Fire Department and I was the 27th, so you can tell we have been close a long time, such as taking one of the first field classes of the trio of the interior fire fighting classes, to going to the SCCJA for two weeks to take our basic arson training. I knew just from the beginning this was going to be a great week at the beach. OK so we arrived at the beach and wow the people that I think so much of and had not seen for a couple of years, I knew my week could not go bad. We then went to an invitation only lowcountry boil for the staff and instructors of the conference. I was so honored to be among such a room full of professional and to be greeted with such open arms. To think this was just the beginning of the week. We then retired for the evening and arrived back at the conference center at 0630hrs on Monday morning to set up the booth for Donate Life SC and to set information on each row of the tables.

The greetings I received from everyone from North and South Carolina was outstanding. I was then asked to set at the head table to pray during the opening ceremony as well as speak.

I was able to thank God in front of my piers for all that he had done for me and I was as well able to thank each chapter for all that they had done for me and my family. I was also able to tell them about the need for organ & tissue donation. They did give me a time limit so I tried to keep it brief. This was an awesome start of the week and training had not even started yet. The week went on and the classes were great. I got to talk to people one on one and train with the best of the best, not just in North & South Carolina but the nation. We even got the flash back of our school days because we went on a field trip on a school bus. On Wednesday night we had the banquet and again more good eating. I was ask to sit at the front, but I did not think nothing was up, I sure was wrong. They are up there giving talks and then giving out awards and I was just proud to be there. SC President Jeff Allen was giving out SC awards and then he started talking about a special award that award being a Life Membership, then he ask me to come up front. I was overwhelmed and as I arrived up front I looked out at all of those people standing up, clapping and I knew they were clapping for me, but I knew how unworthy I was for that caliber of people to stand up and clap for me. Jeff then asks me to speak if I wanted to.

You know me I am not going to give up that chance, but you know I was so surprised that I don't remember what I said, other than as I was wiping tears away I told them that it was OK for a fat boy to cry. Why does God bless me so much? I hope I can live up to the expectations God has for me and maybe one day I could be half as good as those who stood up and clapped for me. Thank You God, the SC IAAI board and members, my family, my donor’s family and all the ones at the conference. This was again another proud moment for a country boy and my new liver.

I was able to hand out a lot of information during the week; we had over 300 at the conference. I was able to talk to very good friends about all my liver troubles and about some of their liver troubles. I was able to provide information both to SC & NC member as well as President Tom Fee IAAI The web sites are,
SC Donate Life SC http://www.donatelifesc.org/
NC Donate Life NC http://www.donatelifenc.org/
Carolina Donor Services http://www.carolinadonorservices.org/
Life Share Of The Carolinas http://www.lifesharecarolinas.org/
The week progressed on and the great instructors continued the task of trying to make us smarter. My time with all the NC & SC members was growing to a close and as well as the time with my great friend Bum, Friday came and as all good weeks this one ended with a test. Test is which a curse word to a dumb country boy but by the end of the grading I had survived the test and received my certificate. We all then went our separate ways and traveled home, but before I left the beach I had to stop for that most important item, the souvenir for Abigail, so with gifts in tow I was homeward bound. I was looking so forward to seeing Claire & Abigail, Justin was still away trying to get smarter. Many Thanks to Ricky Seel of Columbia for the photographs.

The weekend was a night mare for the victims, families and friends of the house fire at the beach; it was also a big task for my dear friends who had the weight on their shoulders to figure out what snuffed the life away from those seven young men and women. The firefighters who fought the fire did so, bravely and with pride, to yet suffer the sadness that no matter how hard they tried the loss of life had happened. May God bless all who are involved in this tragic loss.

The weekend at home was great, but then on Sunday night we received some very sadden news, our pastor was leaving. Rev. Frank Dooley would be moving on in reverence to God’s will. Our church members and community will miss Brother Frank more than he will ever know. We all know that it’s not our will but God’s will, God Bless You Brother Frank. I wish I could tell you the words I feel for you, you have been a pastor, friend, brother to me and my family, from Mama’s death to my sickness. We Love You Brother Frank.

Monday came about and I got to go to my visit to see the vampires. The blood work came back and as usual some things were elevated but nothing real bad, my uric acid was the one of concern right now and my liver doctor in Charleston wanted to wait until this Monday and test it again before treating, I guess that way I get stuck an extra time, ha ha.
My fluid levels are still going up, on Monday I drained 1100ml, so if your keeping score the numbers go from 325ml in the start to 1100ml now and still no buyers for the liquid gold. I went into town during the week and seen some good ole friends that were truly a blessing for me to see. Some I haven’t seen in a while and some I just lost contact with but it sure was an awesome experience for me to reunite with them. Some explain how much they enjoyed reading my blog and that made me feel bad since I have not update in a while, so now you all get to read a lot. I remained around the house the rest of the week moaning and groaning, but they tell me the aches and pains will go away once my troubles are fixed with this fluid. We will see!! The weekend began with a blast for me I went to Greenville on Saturday for some training through Donate Life SC. It was called TSI, Transplant Speakers International. The training was to teach the ones of us who are shy and don’t like to talk in front of people how to get up and tell our story, which the ones of you that know me the more the merry for me. The next part of the training was to teach us how to tell our story with the power statement, body and ending all in five minutes. I laughed to myself and thought I would still be telling my name by the end of that short time but I guessed the training worked because I told my story in 4:59 ½ minutes, and I got a good rating on that, I sure felt like I had a hole lot more to say but my time was up. Sunday was a lazy day as I just went to church and lay around until church time again. Claire, Abigail, Samson, Rebel & the chickens went for a walk in the woods and the dogs played in the branch. They returned just before dark and then Abigail wanted me to go down there, I put her off until Monday night.

Monday I went to the Anderson County Arson Unit and gathered the last things I still had over there in their way, I think after two days maybe when they look around the office they won't see my junk in their way. I was also able to congratulate a very good friend of mine into the position of arson investigator in the Anderson County Arson Unit, my friend Brother Ken Blakely.

On Thursday I went to see Dr. Kopp in Anderson and he made some adjustment and told me to hang on for the word from Dr. Sahn in Charleston, every one tells me how much he knows. Well then today while I was writing in the blog, I got a phone call from Charleston; it was Dr. Sahn himself calling to tell me what he wanted to do next. He stated that he thought I had a leak from my transplant and that he wanted to have some glowing medicine put in my belly, not my stomach, and see if it glowed, I mean flowed up to my chest. He said if my chest then wound up with the medicine, he meant glowing, that they would then put some other kind of medicine, some other glowing stuff, in my foot and as it worked it's way to my chest that could possible tell them where my leak is, I still think a good dose of stop leak should do the trick, guess they don’t have a medical grade of that yet. Once they find the leak then they will decide how to fix it, I am not sure if they will solder it or weld it. I am confused about one part of this test, I know the old saying about a way to a man’s heart is through he stomach, but I have never heard of the way to a man’s chest is through his foot, oh well what do I know. Well now you are caught up to Friday afternoon, November 9, 2007.

This Sunday November 11, 2007 is Donor Sabbath.

I will be speaking at Fair View Street Baptist Church Sunday morning at 1030hrs., please come and join us for worship, fellowship and a whole lot of praising God.

God Bless You,

Lightning

WAW - Gotta Think

2007-10-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

What A Week

Were should I start. I think I will start on Friday October 12, 2007. I had the honor and privilege of participating in the first Clergy Appreciation Luncheon, that's a lot to say for a country boy. For all you other country folks, I helped with a dinner where we had a whole bunch of preachers all in the same room. I had such a God filled day and an inspiring intermingling day with fellow Christians. I am privileged to be a part of an organization that has such a staff who loves God, is straight forward thinking, mission statement minded and individual focused. This staff along with some help from DLSC volunteers were able to not just feed the preacher's bellies but filled their souls with inspiring song and words of wisdom from inspiring people and then followed up with a key note speaker everyone should hear because he is a God fearing man and a servant of God, Mr. Truett Cathy - Founder of Chick-fil-A. Mr. Cathy will tell you real quick that the success of Chick-fil-A came from God, because God was in it.
Our hope through all these efforts, the Clergy will be able to help achieve the goal, that being more people being organ & tissue donors. Remember that at the end of any day for us, 18 people will have died waiting on a lifesaving transplant. Are You A Christian? Get Jesus in your heart and then agree to be a donor once God has called you home, and remember to tell your family. Tell them Yes your a Born Again Christian and yes you want to be an organ & tissue donor.

On Sunday October 14, 2007 the journey to Charleston was once again traveled. As the waiting room fills, the event of who will be next began as the wait began to see Dr. Willner. I am greeted by the nurse as she points to the dreaded scales. I began my stripping act right there in the waiting room, with the heads around the room turned in embarrassment. I look at these things this way, if they are going to fuss about what I weigh and they don't want this behavior to occur then they need to put these scales in a closet or just throw them out the door. I however cowardly stepped on this dreaded monster and immediately started spitting out excesses about why my weight was not my fault. I gathered my hat and other belongings and down the hall I go with my head lowered and hoping the walk would not be long because I just could not walk muck more. The nurses came in and of course they had to find something to fuss about so they decided to pick on my blood pressure. Let me tell you once they decide your blood pressure is up, you sure do get a lot of attention, after all of those excuses. The room grew quite as I sat there waiting on the next round to start, I knew that some one was going to find something to fuss about and of course Claire is going to chime in her two cents worth, that usually don't help. Her chiming usually get me stuck some how some where. This time I was proud of myself, I did not sir up any hate and discontent. Dr. Willner then walks through the door and gleams down at me and ask how I am doing. I know this could be a tricky question so I am not sure how to answer it, but I try. I replied by saying fine, and then drawing up. Dr. Willner smiled and said all my liver numbers looked great, blood pressure was up and he was not pleased that my leg was swelling, so he increased my blood pressure medication and started me on Lasix, but you know it did not stop there, I have not been stuck yet then there she is with the needle, yelp right there in the arm she gigged me and gave me my flu shot. He then said he was going to send Dr. Sahn a letter that he agreed to the nuclear medicine test. He said that Dr. Sahn was going to have to figure out what was going on with my plural effusion. He said that he was cutting my blood work to once a month and I did not have to come back and see him until January, that's my year anniversary month.
Now talking about that plural effusion, just to bring you up to date. When they put this tube in me they said they would not consider removing it until I got down to about 50ml at every drainage, that's also 50cc. I started with the drainage numbers being about 325ml and as of today I removed 1000ml, I know the number are going the wrong way. Just don't get all excited and start fussing at me, because me & you know God is in control and he knows what he is doing.
Now to this weekend, we arrived in Charleston just a couple of hours ago and Justin just came in, now we are ready to start a weekend. That's right we are in town this time just for fun. We are here for the MUSC Transplant Center's 2007 Celebration Of Life. This is were the donor and or family and recipient and family come together. I am not sure what all is going to happen but they did say we were eating dinner (lunch) so you know me I am here the night before. Once this big dinner is over, Claire Justin and Abigail will be headed home and I must make a stop at Myrtle Beach for the NC/SC IAAI convention. I sure am looking forward to the entire array of events.

God Bless You,
Put a smile on your face,
God Loves you and me,

Lightning

Doctor's Vist in Charleston on Friday 10-5-2007

2007-10-06T19:06:00.000-04:00

Well Hello My Beloved Friends,

I wanted to give you an update on my last Charleston, 10-5-2007. This was one that we were looking forward to, since we were going to see Dr. Sahn and his team. The last time we spoke with them was about a month ago when I was in the hospital. I went in for my appointment and I had a PFT - pulmonary function test. This kind of reminds me when we have to do the test for firefighting and the folks at North Greenville Fitness would give us that cardboard tube and make you take a deep breath and blow it out and they keep yelling blow, blow, blow, keep blowing, keep blowing and them you realize that you just blew out one eyeball and then they tell you to stop. Well this test was just like that except they made me do it three times, must have failed cause they gave me some medication that I had to breath, I think it was to keep your eyeballs glued in and then they made me do it three more times. I had one excuse, at least I tried to use it, I have to drain my lung cavity ever three days and Friday was the third day. Over all they compared my test scores from a year ago, and I guess I have gotten dumber, because my score went down this time 28% to 30%. I am still however sucking in good air, my level was 97%, you know when they stick that close pin with that red light on your finger. I then had to go have a chest x-ray, don't know but I think Claire put them up to that to try and see if I had a heart, I sure do. I then saw Dr. Sahn and two of his FELLOWS, that is a speciality in the medical field, not just good ole boys, why some of us are smarter than we thought, cause people be calling us fellers for a long time, like look at them dumb fellers climbing that tree after that possum. Anyway Dr. Sahn and the other two doctors talked about a lot of different things and then Dr. Sahn sat down and told me that right now I was still a mystery, he said he did not think it was bad but he just did not know why I had this fluid. They then talked some more doctor talk with those five and eight cylinder words and they sent me for more test. I went down to the bronc sweet, that's the place where they stab you in the back or shove a tube down your nose or mouth. This time was different for me, those kind nurses hooked me up and drained my chest cavity, no stabbing in the back this time, but they got about 800ml out. Then just when I though I had gotten through the day with out being stuck, right there after them draining me with no sticking, she gigged me right there in the left arm, and drew blood. After that enjoyable stop I then went to the ultrasound area for an ultrasound of my liver and all of my belly, you know that took some time cause that's a lot of belly to cover, after that we headed to Possum Kingdom and it sure was great to be home.

Thanks for all your prayers and calls and all the other ways you help us.

God Bless You,

Lightning

WEHAVE5 - Please reply

2007-10-06T19:03:00.000-04:00

Hello to the lady who was asking me some questions about my some of postings if you could please e-mail me directly to chiefashdigger@juno.com so I can reply to you I have been trying but I can not get through to you.

I hope all is well with you and your husband.
God Bless You,

Pel

What A Full Month - October

2007-10-02T10:18:00.000-04:00

Hello folks,

Just to bring you up to date, I am still looking for that buyer, becasue I am still producing fluid, found out it won't run a gasoline engine. In other words drained it again Saturday, still draining every three days, and I filled the bottle up, 550ml and that was not all. I just decided not to open another kit, I have been trying to hold out til today for my third day draining again. Home health care is coming today to discharge us. Claire and I have passed the test and proved we could manage this task on our own. The home health care people are just great people to have around you and I am sorry to see them go, but there is sick people out there that needs them a whole lot more than me, still good byes are sad.

Daddy pulled a good one on me yesterday, we had been talking about cutting hay, well weeds, and we said we was going to cut the hay soon. I came home yesterday from picking up Abigail and the hay was being cut, so yelp he is doing great also.

This week is a special week for us, we will be in Charleston on Friday to see Dr. Sahn, the lung doctor, we are hoping he has came up with the cause of the fluid and then will know how to stop it.

Next week, on October 12, 2007 I have plans to help with the Clergy Appreciation Luncheon a Donate Life SC event and then on the 15th I will go to see Dr. Willner in Charleston, and we then will return to Charleston on the 20th for a Family Day that MUSC puts on, and on the 21st I will be headed to Myrtle Beach for the NC/SC IAAI, I sure am looking forward to that, they are even going to let me talk a few minutes, I will attend the classes and set up a booth for Donate Life SC.

God Is An Awsome God.

Pray for my Donor's Family
Pray for my family
I will pray for you

God Loves Us All,

God Bless You,

Pel

First Annual Farm Day

2007-10-02T08:55:00.000-04:00

Well, how do I start. I guess a Big Thank You to Jerry & John Munns at The Big Sky Farm & The Barn (801 Princeton Highway, Honea Path, SC 864-369-0988), for opening up their farm for all to come and wonder around and have a chance to see local animals and talents right here at home. The way I understand things Jerry Munns & Angie Craft were talking (can you believe that) and the next thing was, not only the plans for the Farm Day was a done deal, they decided to do a fund raiser for my family and I. They then contact South Greenville Fire Department, and Chief Taylor and some of the guys came to the farm and parked cars and took up a donations, these guys parked a bunch of cars, thank you brothers. I know I have left some people out and if I did I am so sorry, please let me know so I can thank you also. I would like to also thank all the vendors and all the people who came out for a wonderful, educational, and family day. Please remember to continue to support these vendors all throughout the year, one work day does not make an annual salary. Please remember to support our youth at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church (864-338-9241) they were selling bake goods for a trip next year and will continue to sell items and work toward their goal, that's continuing to serve God no matter what! God Bless You guys.

I want to Thank each and everyone of you that had anything what so ever to do with the events Saturday, Sept. 29, 2007. God Is Good All The Time

Once again you have have humbled me and my family, the only thing I am going to fuss about is the fact that since Last August with the auction at Auctions On The Square, all the way to Saturday, not only have all you amazing people humbled me, but you make me cry. I am a fire fighter and police officer I am not suppose to cry, I have gotten use to it by now.

I love each and every one of you that has put on an event, called me, prayed for me, sent me cards, ask about me, checked my blog or helped us out financially. I told the church congregation Sunday morning that it would be more convenient to live in Charleston, but Possum Kingdom is our home and through all of your help we have and will continue to be able to continue to commute, Thank You & most of all Thank God.

Words Of Wisdom

Don’t Worry Be Happy

Live every day like it was your last, but remember that if it is your last day, is Jesus in your heart, if he is go out and enjoy and look forward to the homecoming celebration, if Jesus is not in your heart be very afraid, because if this is your last day your life's journey will have given you a ticket straight to hell.

I was 41 years old when I received my liver transplant on January 29, 2007. A couple of years before that I was on top of the world and loving every minute of my God, my family and my job, because I had a long time to go. Now talking about my job, because it is gone right now, I had a job that I loved therefore I never worked a day in my life, in a moment's time, my career was over, don't take it for granted.
Through the mercy of God and the knowledge he has given the doctors, one journey is over but the next ride has just begun, I am hanging on tight because God is in control and he has told me to keep up, we got things to do.

Well see what I mean God is so wonderful and powerful he always gives us something to look forward to even during the sad time.

" I am not as good as I should be; I am not as good as I could be; BUT..... THANK GOD, I am better than I used to be."

When Jesus lives in your heart this should be your thought process
So Many Things To Think About But Nothing To Worry About.

God Bless You,
I Love each of you,
Thank You for what you do for us and all who is around you.

Pel

Hot, Sweet, Possum Kingdom - We are home!

2007-09-25T18:21:00.000-04:00

Hello My Dear Family & Friends,

Just wanted to give you a quick update. I went to MUSC hospital this morning and had two pictures made, funny thing they never told me to smile. I then went to see the surgeon. They took the five staples out , took the bandage off said everything looked good and ask if I had any troubles, I said no. They said to call if I have any problems and to let them know when I will be coming back after these next few visits, I said OK and we left.

Daddy & I went to the Market and went to the Charleston Crab House and ate Shrimp & Grits, just awesome. You know I had to carry Daddy because the last time he went to a restaurant in Charleston he got a bowl of grits and a bowl of fried shrimp, not quite the same.

Well got to go and finish home work with Abigail.

As you all know I am a proud Daddy of my son's football coaching, tomorrow night at 1730hrs. Rock Hill High School will be playing in Mauldin against Mauldin High School. First chance I have had to get to go watch him coach.

God Bless You All and Thank You,

Pel

The Strickland Family

2007-09-24T22:31:00.000-04:00

My dear friends join me as I pray for this dear family, my extension family.

All Mighty God please wrap you loving arms around this dear family in this time of sadness.
All Mighty God we know you make no mistakes and as you have called another child home please God comfort and bless each one here on earth that is coming to grips with this reality.
God we know that to live we too shall die, we know that leaving this earth is a rejoicing time in heaven so please comfort us in this time and remind us moment by moment that you make no mistakes.

All Mighty God we understand that you are in control and we thank you for the wonderful times we have had with Gary, (Son, Christian, Husband, Father & Brother Firefighter). Thank You for being in control. God I pray that your will be done in the lives that Gary has touched while you allowed us the privilege to spend time with him.

Oh God we know that Gary only feels peace now, no more suffering. God as you have showed us time and time again you are with us always even on our final call.

God please bless each family member and each friend and help them to smile instead of frowning because Angles are singing and welcoming a new Angles home and all are praising you, All Mighty God.

Thank You God for allowing me to pray to you,

For it is in the name of Jesus Christ I pray,

A-Men

Attention Business Minded People

2007-09-24T21:31:00.000-04:00

Only Interested Person should respond.

Marketing Specialist

Item to Market

Never Before Sold (Anywhere)

Liquid Gold

OK enough of my silliness, just putting a little humor on the fact that I am still producing fluid! I made this offer to the doctors, but they did not seem to think there was a market, they are probably right. I am still producing about 400ml to 550ml ever three days and just pouring it down the drain.

Well today is another wonderful day that God has made and I am just proud to be in it.

Daddy & I have traveled down to the wonderful city of Charleston for a visit with my surgeon and then we will be headed back to Possum Kingdom.

Sorry for the lack of postings, but our router is down and I just have not felt like fooling with the computer.

Well to catch you up on what has been happening.
I returned home after the surgery and have continued to whine about hurting, but the pain is getting better. Life sure is simpler, being able to drain the fluid at home on my schedule. We have gotten our lives back to normal, at least Abigail in school and Claire back to work.

I will be coming back to Charleston on October 4th to see the lung doctor and maybe they have figure out what is causing this fluid, I will let you know.

I hope you have a wonderful night and a great day tomorrow.

God Bless You,

Pel

Home Again

2007-09-09T22:24:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone,

Well today is another grand day, I hope you had a God filled day.

I just wanted to let you know that we are home again. I had my surgery on Friday and was released from the hospital on Saturday. I think I had one of the longest rides of my life yesterday, but by the grace of God we made it home again. Possum Kingdom looks better ever time I get home. Today has been great, kinda slow and uneventful, little pain and a little drugs.

I had the Pleurx catheter placed in my chest Friday and if you are curious about what it is, I have included a link, www.denverbio.com/physician_pleurx_catheter.html so you can view it and if you are interested you can even view a doctor inplanting one, not mine I was asleep. I watched it once and thought about doing it myself, but I could not see the target area that well on myself.

Well I must go now, kinda tired, don't take much now days for me to get tired.

God Bless You,

Pel

September 7,2007

2007-09-07T20:51:00.000-04:00

September 7,2007

Pelham is in the recovery room, he got out of surgery about 1830 tonight. He is in a lot of pain right now,but the surgeon said the surgery went well, and another 1200ml. of fluid was drawn off. If all goes well, he will be discharged tomorrow. If he is up to the trip home, we will be home, but from the looks of things right now, I doubt he will be up to the trip. I willl keep you updated as soon as we know.

God Bless,

Claire

September 4,2007

2007-09-04T23:41:00.000-04:00

September 4, 2007

Hello everyone,

We are back in Charleston and Pelham saw the cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. DeRosimo today. Pelham will undergo another surgery Friday 9/7 to place a catheter into his lung so we can hook it to a bottle every couple of days at home to drain. It is not a fix, but a management of the fluid until a cause for the pleural effusion can be found. They still have no clue what is causing it. So keep us in our prayers and hopefully we will be back home next week. GO TIGERS!

We Love you,

Claire

September 2,2007

2007-09-02T21:26:00.000-04:00

September 2,2007

Hello folks,

We returned home from Charleston last night and will go back Tuesday morning for an appointment with the thoracic surgeons. Not sure if and when he will have the second pleurodesis. They have mentioned the possibility of inserting an indwelling catheter into his lung that would continously drain the fluid. We still do not know the cause. Hope you all have a restful and great Labor Day.

God Bless You,

Claire

Rainy Charleston

2007-08-31T17:09:00.000-04:00

Hello My Dear Family and Friends,

Well today is Friday and the 10th day here in the hospital in Charleston, but even though it is raining they threw me out today. Claire, Abigail and myself have arrived at the motel and preparing to have a good evening and then travel home tomorrow.

Why have I been in the hospital? To discover the cause for the plural effusion, now 10 days later they explained to us this morning they still have no answers. The test that was sent to Salt Lake City returned today and it was negative, therefore ruling out the liver and other stomach areas, but leaving nothing but questions.

We have to return to Charleston on Tuesday to see the surgeons to talk about more lung area surgery, we will see.

Kind of tired now, so I will go. Thanks for the prayers, visits, and calls.

We Love You All,
God Bless You,

Pel

August 28, 2007

2007-08-28T22:18:00.000-04:00

August 28, 2007

Hello everyone,

We are on our 7th day at MUSC and we still do not have any answers. The test that was sent to Salt Lake City has still not come back. The Dr. told us today right now the only explanation he has for the recurrent pleural effusions is cancer, but there is no evidence of cancer in Pelhams case. Once the results are all back, they will make a decision whether or not to do the second pleurodesis. Pelham was able to walk a little ways down the hall today without labored breathing so that's an accomplishment. Everyday we hope that will be the day for good news. Pelhams father and stepmother was here yesterday and today and Pel was so glad to see them. If anyone has been trying to call him, we discovered today that the ringer on his phone was turned off. So we turned it on and he is in room 1059 at MUSC. He said he would be glad to talk, but if he did not answer, he was either gone for another test or too short of breath to talk. He wants everyone to know how much he appreciates the prayers and concerns. We know several people has come to Charleston to visit and was told he was not here, we are not sure why, but thank goodness they called us on our cell phone and directed to his room. He enjoyed the visits. He is presently on isolation for a hospital acquired infection he tested positive for in Feburary of this year, however, you can still visit as long as you wash your hands good when entering and leaving the room. He is negative now, but has to have 3 negatives before taking him off isolation. I will update you as soon as we know any information. Thanks,

Claire

August 26, 2007

2007-08-26T22:11:00.000-04:00

August 26, 2007

We are hoping the test results will be back tomorrow and we will know more about how to fix the problem. Pelham is still having some pain, but his spirits are good. His dad and step mom came in today and he was glad to see them. Looks like we will be here another week or so. Thank you all for the prayers coming our way. We know that God is with us and will carry him through this.

Claire

August 24, 2007

2007-08-24T22:44:00.000-04:00

August 24, 2007

Well Pelham had another thoracentesis today and they got 3300ml. fluid this time. They still are waiting on the results of one specific test , chylomicron, in the fluid to see if it is present. It has to be sent to Salt Lake City, so it will be Monday until it comes back. That will show if the fluid is coming from the liver. The pulmonologist that is his primary Dr. here is Dr. Sahn, a well know physician who is an expert in pleural effusions. He says that out of 80 to 90 years of medical studies, there were only about 5 different causes and not any of those pertain to pelhams case. They are still saying he will need another pleurodesis next week. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Claire

August 22,2007

2007-08-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

August 22, 2007

Hello everyone, we are still here at MUSC. Pelham had CT scans and ultrasounds today and another diagnostic thoracentesis. The Doctors here say the pleurodesis he had last week was a failure, the fluid is back in his lung and is still leaking into his abdomen and flank area. They have many ideas of what is causing it, but nothing factual yet until the results of the test are back. One theory is that because of the liver transplant itself, a track from the liver to the lung had developed and the fluid around his liver was leaking into his lung and when the pressure built up so much in the lung it began leaking into his abd. Another theory is there may be a clot in a vessel causing the fluid build up. No one know for sure just yet, but the goal is to find out what is causing the fluid to accumulate and fix that. He may need another chest tube, another surgery to repair the tract, but they give us hope the cause will be found. WE appreciate all of you, the doctors back home, Dr. Thompson, Dr. Buice, Dr. Kopp all of them have been wonderful. I'll keep you updated. Thanks

Claire

Road Trip

2007-08-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks,

Sorry I have not been on the blog with any updates, but my dear wife has. I did want to in short tell you what's up and maybe when I get to feeling better I will tell you about this chest tube, bad stuff. I will take a liver transplant over a chest tube anyday.

However we are packing up and headed to Charleston and I will be admitted to MUSC when the next bed comes open. I am having a time with this fluid, not on my lung now but all on my left side.

God Bless You each one,

Love Claire, Abigail, Justin & Pel

August 17, 2007

2007-08-17T22:15:00.000-04:00

Pelham's blood test this am revealed improvement in his kidney function, so he was discharged home this afternoon. YAHOO! He is still very short of breath and having pain, but I think he is better, even he does not think so. We have to follow up at MUSC in Charleston in the next couple of weeks. Maybe in a few days he will feel like dropping a line or two on the blog. Thank you all again.

Claire

August 16, 2007

2007-08-17T00:08:00.000-04:00

Pelham was moved to med surg floor today. He still has the chest tube in place and is having lots of pain. A nephrologist, Dr. Din was called in today because his kidney function is not very good. He thinks maybe it is caused by the antirejection medications he is taking and the massive fluid volume depletion from the numerous thoracentesis he has experienced the last few weeks. Hopefully the chest tube will be removed tomorrow and he can get up and get moving. He has pain and shortness of breath with the least bit of exertion at this point. Pelham's strong faith in God and the support and friendship he has with all of you will comfort him and see him through. Keep those prayers coming and Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Claire

Post surgery August 15, 2007

2007-08-15T07:31:00.000-04:00

August 15, 2007

Pelham got out of sugery yesterday about 1730 and went to the Intensive Care Unit, he had a bad first few hours post surgery, but once the pain med was increased, it was tolerable. Depending on how he progresses today, they may move him to a step down unit for further obseration. He sends all his love and wants to thank each and every one of you. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns through our journey. God Bless You

Claire

Surgery Date & Time

2007-08-13T19:07:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks,

I will be having my surgery on Tuesday,August 14, 2007 at AnMed Main Hospital in Anderson at 1230hrs. I will be admitted at 1030hrs. The surgery is to be around two hours long, I will either go to intensive care or a regular room. Thank you for your concerns, thoughts and most of all your prayers for my family and myself.

God Bless You,

Lightning

Sunshine In Possum Kingdom & Update on Surgery

2007-08-13T09:48:00.000-04:00

Good Morning My Dear Family & Friends,

As I sit here this morning, watching the sun rise and God shine his glory on Possum Kingdom & me, I think of how fortunate I really am. It is sometime easy to whine and complain about how bad things are in our own life, then we can just stop and look around and find someone worst off than we are. I think of that when I am complaining about how I feel. I am truly thankful for what God has done for me and I know he is in control of the future.

I hope this don’t sound oxy-moron but let me tell you what is in front of me. I have to call AnMed main hospital after 1500hrs today and find out what time I must arrive there in the morning and during this phone call I will be informed of what time my surgery will be scheduled for on 8/14/2007. The surgery in case you have not been informed is called a (VATS) Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery with a biopsy and pleurodesis. The surgeon, Dr. Buice, has explained to me that he will put two or three incisions and be able to determine which method will be best. One procedure is using the talc powder, baby powder, but of course medical grade, by blowing it in the chest cavity. The other procedure is by scraping the walls this will causes an irritation, therefore causing the lung to stick also. He stated that he would probably use the powder. I am truly looking forward to this surgery, so this fluid will stop coming back in my lung area.

I had another 2300mls or 2.3liters drawn off my left lung on Friday and my breathing is short and laborious already again this morning. This fluid removal was more painful and the fluid was bloody this time. The doctor said that is was from the trauma from taping so often and that she probably hit a vessel with the tap. Nevertheless, this causes me to hang out in the recovery room for about three hours and get some heavy duty drugs on board and then a ride home from family members. My weekend has been uncomfortable but OK.

I am excited about a new adventure that is about to get underway. On August 21, 2007 a new class is starting at Greenville Tech and I am excited about being a part of it. I will be co-instructing in a class, Fire Investigations 1, on Tuesdays and ending in December, 2007.

I hope each of you has a great week and keep check on the blog as we will post updates as we can. I may only have dial-up while in the hospital, and we all know what that means.

God Bless You,
Lightning

A Liquid Problem In A Dry Season!!

2007-08-07T16:35:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon Folks,

Hello my dear family & friends I just wanted to give you a quick update. The doctor feels it is best to go ahead with the surgery to fix the fluid in my lung area. I have an appointment with the surgeon in the morning. I then have to go to the cardiologist and have an echocardiogram to make sure the fluid is not building up around my heart, he don't think it is but want's to be sure. The answer he has right now is that my body is identifying something is in there that ain't suppose to be. My auto-immune system is sending out this fluid with inflammation to try to find what is the intruder, the anti-rejection meds are working, therefore it can't find that my liver is new, so we won't tell it. He said that the fluid was working more on a pressure theory than a volume theory, this is my words not his 6 cylinder words, therefore when they fix the area around my lung, once it reaches a set amount of pressure in my body it would quite making the fluid and should over time just go away. He said it would affect all my joints and organs that are in a sack, membrane.

Heck I guess he knows what he is talking about, he's got letters before his name and after his name, so who am I to question? My feeling is bring on the knife and let's get R dun!! I do wonder if when they put the talc powder, he said that was like baby powder, a medical grade, if when I sneeze I will blow a little puff of powder out, guess I would always have powder fresh breath.

Words Of Wisdom

If you ever enter a dark room, you know one with out lights, and you are not careful and leave the door open to long you will let all of the dark out.

God Bless You & Your Family,

Pel

Pleural Effusion Update

2007-08-03T14:42:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon,

I hope all is well in your world. In my world, every thing is wonderful because God is in control.

I wanted to give you an update on what is happening with me and this (effusion) fluid issue; you know one of those bumps in the road. In earlier post I told you about the ultrasound guided thoracentesis on July 20, 2007. Well the fluid came back and I also noticed some swelling and pain in my abdomen and my left leg. Dr. Thompson wanted to conduct some additional test, so he ordered an ultrasound on my abdomen and some blood work. This was conducted at the AnMed main hospital. The fluid in my left lung had gotten to the point where just walking in the house would cause me to labor to breath, therefore Dr. Thompson also ordered another ultrasound guided thoracentesis to be conducted after the ultrasound on my abdomen. The ultrasound guided thoracentesis produced 2500mls or 2.5 liters. It all went very well; the folks taking care of me again were both professional and caring. Again I talk about how great some one was to me who I thanked for stabbing me in the back and arm with sharp instruments and the putting tubes in places that God did not leave a natural hole for. These procedures were virtually painless and most of all relieving, hence I can breath so much better now. I am so blessed with many family and friends taking care of me and praying for me. I am equally blessed to have the best medical team taking care of me. Dr. James Kopp, a great long time friend and my personal doctor and liver specialist here at home, Dr. Ira Wilner, my hepatologist and friend in Charleston, and Dr. Charles Thompson, my pulmonolotgist and friend in Anderson. I also must acknowledge their great staff, for they are the ones who first listen to my whining, but don’t seem to mind my whining. These great minds are in communication with each other to determine the cause of this (effusion) fluid and how is the best way to resolve this issue. The issue with the (pleural effusion) fluid in my lung comes from the fact that there is a substance in each of our bodies on the exterior of our lungs that causes our lung walls to stick to the chest wall, at some point my left lung has lost it’s sticky, therefore resulting in a pleural effusion, fluid pooling up in the area around my lung and chest wall. There is a procedure that will fix the problem, and after Dr. Thompson has discussed the possible treatments with Dr. Wilner, they concluded that Dr. Thompson will have a surgeon perform a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with biopsy and pleurodesis (putting in medicine, powder that will cause a chemical reaction, to cause the lung to stick to the chest wall and prevent recurrent accumulation). This will only be a 2 or 3 day hospital stay in Anderson. Dr. Wilner did tell Dr. Thompson that effusions of this type are not common after liver transplant. Dr Thompson had some other test conducted to determine the cause of the effusions, fluid generation. I have an appointment to see Dr. Thompson next week for the next step.

I hope each of you have a great weekend, stay cool.

WORDS OF WISDOM:

The more you stay out of the heat the cooler you will be!!

God Bless You,

Pel

FYI - My chest x-ray just after the ultrasound guided thoracentesis on 7-20-2007 that yeilded
3.6 liters.

Right Left

WOW - What A Weekend!!

2007-07-23T14:39:00.000-04:00

Good Monday Afternoon,

I hope all is well and feeling great. I have had some more weekend. It all started Friday. Claire & I went to the hospital, so they could perform the ultrasound guided thoracentesis. The nurse put me on the side of a bed and I had to be rude and sit with my back to her. She then used the ultrasound and found the fluid; she then performed her artistic work and started drawing on my back. The doctor came in and we chatted for a minute while he washes his hand. He talked about what he was going to do, numb the area and stick a needle in my back to tap into the fluid, and then he would thread tubing and remove the needle. In a little bee sting and a good bye he was out the door. The nurse showed me my first bottle that came out, it looked like dark beer. These were 500ml bottles she used and she filled 5 up and started on the 6th one. I then had some pain in my back and left shoulder, she said she was done and put a band aide on my back. There was 3600ml, 3.6 litters or about 15 pounds removed. I then went for another x-ray and they let me go home. I felt really good then. I could breath. I felt so good I came home, drove to Greenville and returned home to run the weed eater.

Saturday I was a little sore and did not get into a whole lot, enjoyed some time with Justin & Abigail, while Claire worked. I felt good Sunday morning and then Sunday evening came with yet another blessing. I went to Hillcrest Baptist Church in Williamston and spoke during the evening worship service. My step-brother Larry Baldwin is the pastor there and I was honored to share the pulpit with him. I spoke for just a minute in my no clock world; I think it was some where around an hour. We handed out about 80 donor cards and got over 30 donors, Gods blessings still pouring out. I conclude my evening with a nice evening with my beautiful wife and daughter.

I want to ask you a question, when you are gone from this earth what will you leave behind? What kind of mark will you leave on this earth or on people? That’s a lot to think about!!

God Bless You,

Lightning

Speaking Engagement & Doctor Update

2007-07-19T21:46:00.000-04:00

Good Evening,

God is Great all the time to you and I.

God has again blessed me and has given me another opportunity to share my blessings. Please join Preacher Larry Baldwin, the great people at Hillcrest Baptist Church at 1300 Anderson Dr. Williamston, SC and me on Sunday night July 22, 2007. If you have not signed up to be an organ donor yet this would be a great time and place.

Remember if you have already signed up to Donate Life be sure your next of kin knows your wishes.

Watch for and purchase the Donate Life SC tags when your vehicle tag need to be replaced, this will help raise awareness.

This will be a short update, but I wanted to bring you up to date. I have tried not to complain to much but since May, when I had the (Pleural Effusion) this means fluid in the space between my lung & my chest wall, I have not felt as good as I had been feeling. I have been blaming it on the heat. In the past two weeks I have not felt good at all, I have gotten winded when doing nothing. In the past few days things starting getting worst, but on Monday I had to confess to Claire about not feeling good, of course she already knew. I went to see Dr. Kopp yesterday and he said I had the Pleural Effusion again, and he sent me to have a chest x-ray. The x-ray showed the Pleural Effusion was worst than it was back in May. Dr. Kopp then sent me to see Dr. Thompson a pulmonolotgist, a lung doctor. I seen Dr. Thompson today and he had some blood work done and has set me up for a ultrasound guided thoracentesis, in other words they are going to stick in a needle through my back and drain the fluid out, they will then perform studies on the withdrawn fluids, I may have to identify what fires they will be looking at. I have an appointment to see Dr. Thompson again next week to find out what has caused the fluid to build up and also find out what the studies on the fluid showed.

I hope you have a wonderful evening and God Bless You & Your Family.

Lightning

Possum Kingdom - A Great Place To Live!

2007-07-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

Good Sunday,

Possum Kingdom - A Great Place To Live!

Well by now you know what I mean! First of all you know I praise God every day for just one more day and I pray for my donor family each and every day. With out God performing miracles and families like my donor family willing to participate in miracles, I would be a sick or dead man. Course you already know I ain't dead. God is Great and Life is Good, but Life is Great when God is in it. Second of all there is no place like Possum Kingdom to live, I know you are jealous but everybody can not be lucky enough to live in Possum Kingdom

Donate Life what does it mean? Life - when you need an organ.

" I am not as good as I should be; I am not as good as I could be; BUT..... THANK GOD, I am better than I used to be."

Breaking News: SC Donor Registry Bill Becomes Law!

Donate Life SC is pleased to announce that on June 14th, 2007, Governor Mark Sanford signed House Bill 3317 into Law. The passing of this legislation allows for the establishment of a SC Organ and Tissue Donor Registry that will be housed and maintained by Donate Life SC. On behalf of the nearly 700 South Carolinians waiting for a vital organ transplant, Donate Life SC and myself would like to thank the Governor, the Legislative body, Capital Consultants, Inc., and the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles for their unwavering support in this effort.

Look for the launch of the South Carolina Organ and Tissue Donor Registry in early 2008!

On to the health report, I went and visited the vampires on Monday June 25, 2007. I received more good news, liver number are still great, kidney numbers about the same and my Hepatitis and HIV panels came back negative. I felt great about the blood products I received but multiply units meant multiply donors, now I fell even better. The doctor cut my Prograf down to 4mg twice a day instead of 5mg.

I will return to the vampires on July 9, 2007.

My family and I want to wish you a very Happy Fourth of July.

On Friday June 29, 2007 Al Billings & I went fishing and you just would not believe the fish that we caught, so I am not even gonna bother to tell you about them. The ones that broke the line and straightened the hook, WOW. I will tell you that I am fixing to fry the fillets up right now.

WORDS OF WISDOM!

If you go swimming this summer always be aware of your surroundings because this could happen to you;

LOVE IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

LOVE

Jim and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, Jim suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there. Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled Jim out. When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna's heroic act, she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable. When she went to tell Edna the news she said, "Edna, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged; since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and saving the life of another patient, I have concluded that your act displays that you have a sound mind. The bad news is, Jim, the patient you saved, hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he's dead." Edna replied, "He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry. How soon can I go home?"

God Bless You,
Lightning

9 Brother Firefighters Gone; God Rest Their Souls

2007-06-19T17:52:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon Everyone,
I write in the blog today with a heavy and sadden heart, due to the loss of 9 brother firefighters in Charleston yesterday. Please keep each of these firefighter's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers and keep the Charleston Fire Department in your thoughts and prayers also. Pray that God will give us the courage to celebrate their lives and we all will remember what great heros they are.

Our Fallen Brothers

Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson, 48;

Capt. Mike Benke, 49;

Capt. Louis Mulkey, 34;

Engineer Mark Kelsey, 40;

Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity, 37;

Assistant Engineer Michael French, 27;

Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton, 56;

Firefighter Brandon Thompson, 27;

Firefighter Melven Champaign, 46

God Bless Their Families.

Chief Thomas noted that these men together had over 100 years of service.

Charleston Mayor Riley advised that calls of sympathy and support were pouring in from all over the US. He also advised that a fund has been set up to assist with this loss. Those wishing to make donations may do so in two manners;

Go to any Bank of America branch and making a donation to

"City of Charleston Firemen's Fund".

Or, you can mail a donation to:

City of Charleston Firemen's Fund

P. O. Box 304

Charleston, SC 29402

I will now give you a quick check up note I received from Charleston yesterday. I was taken off of the Predisone and my Prograf was reduced to 5mg instead of 6mg. They said my liver numbers look great and the liver is doing it's job. My kidney numbers are no better, but no worst either. Right now I don't have to back for another check up until October 2007, and they are changing my blood work to once a month. When I returned home yesterday I had in tow a gift for my lovely bride.

Why do I tell you this?

Because today is our 11th annervisty and I am the luckiest husband, father, man ever.

I Love You Claire, thanks for being my wife.

Ain't They Both Just Gorgeous!!

God Knows I Am A Lucky Man!

God Bless Us All!!
Lightning

WOW What a week!!

2007-06-15T15:48:00.000-04:00

Good Friday Afternoon,

Well I hope all is well and I hope that you are getting ready for Father’s Day. Well let me tell you I sure am looking forward to this Father’s Day.

Why you may ask?

Go ahead ask, I don’t mind.

Matter of fact I will just tell you. I am looking at this Father’s Day as being my first, yelp my first Father’s Day! Bet that caught you off guard, since Justin is 20 and Abigail is 8. I guess you think what little mind I had is gone now. Just before you get any other wild ideas, no we are not having another youngin either. This is my first Father’s Day since my liver transplant. I will have to admit that this time last year you could have convinced me that would have been my last Father’s Day.

Today there is a much different story, I know I will be around for many Father’s Days to come and I will even be around for my way in the future Grandfathers’ Days.

Well let me bring you up to date since the last posting. It took me about 2 ½ weeks to get over my virus (plural effusion), but when I finally got rid of it, the next thing I knew I was on my way to Myrtle Beach.

We left for the beach on Friday June 8th and we returned home Monday June 11th. It was wonderful; this was the first vacation that we have taken in about three years, that was not related to a doctor’s visit. Justin was even able to get off of work long enough to come down also, God just really blessed us. Claire, Abigail, Justin & Myself really needed this time away, I was thinking that I don’t remember the last time I went to the beach and did not feel bad, that was great in it’s self.

We did suffer one set back while on the beach, this is truly a sad story but with a happy ending but there may be some tears in the middle. I am not sure if you have seen the newspaper or news clips from Myrtle Beach but there was sadness on Saturday at Myrtle Beach, just like the national story had been telling about the mother whale and her calf in the river, there was on the shores of Myrtle Beach a beached whale. Its story was again similar to that of the whale and calf, because this whale also had been hit by a boat prop or something of the like and caused a bad scar on the belly of the whale. The marine biologist and all those nature kind of people was searching for the answer of how to treat the whale and should the whale be carried to a enclosure to heal or just help it back in the ocean at high tide and let nature take its course. It was interesting hearing them all them discuss what could have caused the cut on the belly with a shape similar to the emblem on a Mercedes Benz. One rocket scientist even came up with the idea that it may have gotten the cut on a man made reef, one made with cars, he said that there could have been a Mercedes Benz in the reef. You know I was enjoying the attention until that one little ole lady with that sand bucket finally get on my nerves and I set up and told her if she put one more bucket of that cold, wet, sandy, salty water on my head one more time I was going to throw her out in the ocean at low tide. It amazed her that the whale set up and talked to her, then it insulted her that the whale would raise his voice to her and even threaten to get her blue hair wet, but I did. I then convinced every one that it was just me and I did not need to be put in an enclosure or even be drug out to sea at high tide. I then confessed that if they would just leave me a lone I would get up and walk back to the room and they could call off the rescue efforts, so they agreed. I then gathered my shirt, hat and chair and wobbled across the hot sand to the motel. One thing I did notice during this whole whale event, no one in my family was around, not sure why or where they went.

We did have an awesome time, we ate a lot, I even splurged and eat some broiled flounder and shrimp, yelp it was good.

We returned home Monday, I am still trying to get the sand out of my ears and hair from that little ole lady’s sand bucket, it sure was great to get home, even though it was nearly 8:30 PM. What took us so long? Check out was at 11:00 AM. Claire had this wild idea that we should get to one of those condo sells pitches, so we could get some money back that we spent on the Dixie Stampede Tickets, they told us only 90 minutes. Nearly 4 hours later we are leaving to head home, but by golly we got our $60.00, I think that will be the last time Claire will go to one, and no don’t ask to barrow our condo. We did not buy any part of the package, but we got $60.00, WOW.

I have been running kind of slow this week, nothing wrong just running slow. I did go to my bi-weekly visit on Tuesday to see the vampires in Greenville and I will be leaving on Sunday headed down to Charleston for a check up on Monday.
Starting Saturday what a few awesome days for me. Saturday June 16th is my 42nd birthday, Sunday June 17th Father’s Day and Tuesday June 19th our 11th wedding anniversary, God is awesome to me.

Well I think the rain has past now and I will be headed back outside to see what I can get into. I do want to inform you about some important events coming up. On Sunday June 17th Greenville News and News Channel 7 is going to do a story about my family and my first Father’s Day since the transplant. On Saturday June 16th at 7:00 AM on WRIX in Anderson on Conversations with Paul Brown, Mark Johnson with Donate Life SC is the guest and on June 23rd I am the guest, please join us on those important events if you can.

God Bless My Family
God Bless My Donor Family
God Bless You

Lightning

Hot Days In Possum Kingdom

2007-05-31T14:03:00.000-04:00

Good Day Every One,

Well all is well in Possum Kingdom, I have hit one of those bumps in the road, I think it was just a small piece of sand. I have some fluid (Pleural Effusion) that has built up on my lung(s). This means fluid in the space between my lung & my chest wall. It felt like I had been in a real bad wreck, but everything was fine except I felt like I broke all of my ribs. I don’t know what a broke rib feels like and this was a pain I had never had before. It only hurt when I took a breath. I found that if I was still and took small breaths I was OK. I do however feel better, the thick air and heat today has kept me in the AC. I have forwarded all the information to MUSC and they will advise me as to what may have cause it and what to do about it. The nurse did not brag on me to much when I told her it hurt when I hit a bump on the tractor or four wheeler. Claire, of course said I had done too much, can I argue she is a grouchy ER Nurse, and I am always wrong. She has the whole hospital on her side. All I have is my brothers and sisters in the fire service and my brothers and sisters in law. Some people think these professions are questionable because who in their right mind would run into a burning building, and who in their right mind would run to a location where there has been a report of shots fired. I do however have the good ole boys from Possum Kingdom, so you can see I am going to lose that battle.

Daddy is improving each day, he started therapy on May 29, 2007 and he said the lady told him she was not there to hurt him only to help, he said she did not hurt him. He is in good sprits, resting well and has already been walking around outside. He will probably be talking about how the bumps on the tractor hurt him also, bet he will lose the battle also.

While I have been sitting here in the quite of Possum Kingdom, drinking a glass of Happy Cow milk, I wanted to share a letter with you that was written by a
Physician Assistant about Happy Cow Milk.

“As a Physician Assistant in a growing integrative medicine practice in Easley, SC, I have had to do my research on dairy products. Omega 3 and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) are two very healthy, necessary fats that we all need in our diets. The first, omega 3, raises our level of good cholesterol, helps lower triglycerides and aids in brain function. You get higher levels of omega 3 in animal products when the animals have been fed their natural diets and not? bulked up? With grains such as corn and soy. The second, CLA, has been proven to aide in weight loss; and is found in animal products when the animals are raised in a stress free environment. In my professional opinion the Happy Cow Creamery has the highest quality dairy products of any I know. I have had many patients improve their health drinking Happy Cow’s whole fat milk and dairy products. One man in particular who followed the diet laid out in our Natural Bariatric Program, which relies heavily on Happy Cow products, was able to lose 35 lbs and greatly improve his lipid profile and glucose control in only 3 months with no medication. On 10/15/2006 his numbers were as follows: Total cholesterol 204, triglycerides 227, HDL (good cholesterol) 29, LDL (bad cholesterol) 130, and HgbA1C (which is a 3 month average blood sugar level that is best kept below 5.5) 6.3. On 1/11/2007 they were: total cholesterol 173, triglycerides 128, HDL 34, LDL 113 and HgbA1C 5.5. These are improvements that any medicine would be proud of, but only diet and lifestyle were used. This one of many success stories I have seen when people include Happy Cow Creamery’s dairy products in their healthy diet and lifestyle.”

Cheryl Middleton PA-C

LivingWell Integrative Healthcare

Easley, SC

864-850-9988

As you know by now I am sold whole heartedly on Happy Cow products. I will drink about 2 gallons of whole milk a week and about a gallon of butter milk a week. I know some have had some questions about the process, but the milk is Grade A Pasteurized and in the whole milk the ingredients are Whole Milk. In the Cultured Whole Butter Milk the butter milk is Grade A Pasteurized and the ingredients are Whole Milk, Culture and Salt.
In my opinion “You can’t get no better than that!”

Tom told me how the body needed and used the ingredients in these milks, I told him I liked the whole milk but I just could not drink butter milk, because I did not like it. He told me of the cleansing values the butter milk had and how it helped cleansed the liver. I told him again how I did not like the taste of butter milk. He then ask me if I liked being sick and I said no, he said just drink a glass of Happy Cow Butter Milk each night, now I love the taste and will drink much more than a small glass at night. My weight has been maintaining about the same, around 260 lbs and all the doctors are happy, big improvement from the 350 lbs before my liver transplant. I give God all the credit, God made the cows happy and perfect for all Gods creatures, God gave Big Tom and Lil Tom the knowledge to know and understand the gift of nature, they also know how to keep Happy Cows happy. Big Tom and Lil Tom have bottled Bovine Wine and they share it with the rest of us.

God Is Great All The Time!

Claire & I have finally closed on our house in Anderson. We just wanted to let you know that if you ever need a Realtor contact
Jennifer Robinson with Century 21 Anderson Properties, Inc. at
864-225-7000 she will do much more than she has to. One thing for sure she will do exactly what she says she will sell your house. If you are shopping for a house she will find you one.
Thanks Jen, Paul & Family for what you have done for us.

Well I must go now; I have an appointment with Dr. Kopp in Anderson.

Have a Great Day or Great Night if it’s already dark.

God Bless You,

Lightning

Happenings in Possum Kingdom wif da Medlocks

2007-05-23T13:29:00.000-04:00

Good Day or Good Night if it already dark,

I hope you did not think I had forgotten about keeping you up on my progress, but a lot of things are going on in Possum Kingdom and I am feeling so great I have been busy outside of the computer. I do however have a lot of things to bring you up to date on.

First of all

Words Of Wisdom

If you ever have an upset stomach heat up some Coke (drink not smoke) in the microwave until all the bubbles are gone, Caution contents will be hot once remove from microwave, then just a little kick of lime and drink it down once it is cool or even cold, stomach ache gone.

Ok on to the news, on April 30, 2007 I saw Dr. Willner in Charleston and he was very pleased with all of my blood work and he also removed several medications from my pile. I am now only taking 7 medications now verses when I was so sick I was taking about 24. He told me that I would know my limitations now; he did not have to tell me. You know he was right, I though just because I had no limitations I could do anything, but I did however find some self correcting events that I tried and won’t try them again soon. Dr. Willner also doesn’t want to see me until June 18, 2007, about two months so my visits to Charleston are getting cut back. I have still maintained my weight loss and I am right at 260lbs that verses 350lbs this time last year, Thank You God.

One issue that has kept me busy for the last months has been that we finally sold our house in Anderson, Thank You God. This however created a whole new list of items for me to do. The luck I have also created addition work, just a for instance, I needed to replace the vinyl in the hall bathroom, no big deal right. I pulled the old vinyl up and noticed a discoloration on the sub floor, I picked at it and then determined that it should be replace, I wound up replacing about half of the sub flooring then replacing the vinyl. The vinyl was another issue when Daddy replaced the kitchen floor there was enough to replace the hall bathroom, except when I went to replace it, it was 11 inches short. God is in control and I am still along for the ride, and as always God had every thing worked out. Now we are trying to do the closing, we have just received our third date and time for the closing, but the best thing is no one is waiting on me, at least I don’t think so.

On May 21, 2007 I had a check up with my local doctor, Dr. Kopp and he is so pleased with how everything is going. He even replied that I looked great and he asks if I had looked in the mirror lately. I told him yelp, I just did not tell him about the mirror breaking. He is so happy with all my blood work and blood pressure he said he did not want to see me for two months. That’s from two different doctors; makes me wonder if they are trying to see me the Monday after the Saturday bath, or they are just tired of seeing me.

On May 21, 2007 Daddy received a phone call from his doctor and he wanted to change his surgery from Thursday May 24, 2007 to Tuesday May 22, 2007. This turned out good for Daddy that gave him two less days to worry and to work us all less. His surgery went great he had his right shoulder replaced. The doctor stated that he was not sure how he had handled the pain for so long. He stated all went just as he wanted it to but it was a challenge. The challenge was due to the fact that Daddy had worn his shoulder out so that the socket on the shoulder was flat, nothing but bone and the head of the humerus; the ball was also worn flat. He used a reverse method where he used screws to hold the prosthetic in place instead of glue, because there was such bad arthritis and wearing down of the bone. The doctor however was pleased and said he would be in the hospital for pain management until Friday, but today 5/23/2007 they started therapy. In about two months he will be having his left shoulder replaced. I just wonder if the new shoulders will last another 68 year like his olds ones.

On May 30, 2007 my brother in-law Pastor Anthony Kelley will be meeting with a surgeon to discuss removing his gizzard, no I mean his gall bladder. He just wanted some of that liver attention. Please keep Anthony and my sister Meleeda and their church family in you prayers.

On June 18, 2007 I will be traveling back down to Charleston for another check up with Dr. Willner.

Claire, Abigail & Justin are all doing great, and again we all want to thank you for your prayers and support to our entire family.

Claire is continuing her college education, she is trying to get as smart as me, I hate to tell her it ain’t gonna happen, you know how women are they never listen.

Abigail and I are gonna have a wonderful summer doing a whole lot of nothing but what we want to do.

Justin will be staying in Rock Hill this summer; he has two jobs at Winthrop and also landed another coaching job, Rock Hill High this year, with the 9th grade football team. Yelp I am a proud Daddy .

We Love Ya’ll,
God Bless Ya’ll,

Pel

God Is Great & Life Is Good

2007-04-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

Well let me express how Good Life Is. Right now my beautiful wife and I are sitting on the front porch in the rocking chairs, with the night air ringing a sweet tune on the wind chimes. Yelp life is good in Possum Kingdom, thanks to God and all the many folks who have supported my family and myself tirelessly.

I just wanted to let you know that I will be traveling to Charleston for a check up on Monday with Dr. Willner, my hematologists.

I was getting some blades today for our lawn mower and I told them that last year at this time I did not care if the grass grew taller than me, not much I could do about it, but this year that John Deere rides so sweet.

Well I must go now and drink my night glass of Happy Cow Butter Milk and get ready for another wonderful day.

I will be speaking Sunday Morning at Cedar Shoals Baptist Church during the worship hour, come and join us.

If you would like for me to speak at your church or special event, Sunday School Class or group gathering just let me know. You can reply to this blog or e-mail me at chiefashdigger@juno.com or call me.

Good Night and God Bless You and Your Family,

Lightning

April 16, 2007 Doctor Visit @ MUSC & Donate Life Month

2007-04-22T03:15:00.000-04:00

www.donatelifesc.org

April Is Donate Life Month

The time had come for me to make the wonderful trip back to windy Charleston, SC. The weather was windy and cold. The news from the doctor's visit was great. Dr. Chavin, my surgeon checked in on me and then told me to have a Great Life, meaning he was turning me back over to Dr. Willner a hepatologist at MUSC. I then had to go see the fine folks at the diabetes floor, they checked me out said I did not need any medication. They also told me to have a great life, said they was nothing for them to do.

I then went to Thank the staff on 6-east and found out that it was
Transplant Nurse Week @ MUSC, so I got to Thank them in person.

On Wednesday April 18, 2007 I got to honor two other wonderful nurses,
Debra & Dru.

I want to Thank every one who has had any part to do with my transplant, I owe you more than I can ever repay.

April Is Donate Life Month - Please fill out your donor card and talk with your family about your wishes.

On Sunday April 22, 2007 I will be speaking at Open Door Community Church in Cheddar, please come and join us to praise and honor

God Almight.

If You would like for me to come to your church or any other type gathering, e-mail me at chiefashdigger@juno.com

Don't Worry, Be Happy - God Is In Control

2007-04-22T03:04:00.000-04:00

Easter has came and gone but my Savior Lives!!

By The Stripes on His (Jesus) back I might be Healed.

By The Blood He Shed I Am Saved.

Thank God Almight I am Saved.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

I watched Home Makeovers last week and a quote on there stands out to me.

So Many Things To Think About But Nothing To Worry About.

Happy Cow Creamery

2007-03-21T12:50:00.000-04:00

I hope all is well with you and you are having a great day. I got this info yesterday and thought you might enjoy it also. I think the milk has helped me I have been drinking it for a while on & off. I have been more steadfast with it since my surgery and I think it has helped my blood sugar numbers and maybe my weight. I told Tom yesterday that God has answered many prayers and done more than I expected and then there was Happy Cow milk. Tom rephrased it, God then Happy Cow milk.

Tom also is the nation winner of The Patrick Madden Award for the Sustainable Farmer of the Year, 2002 USDA-SHARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education)

Go to these links or go to the farm you won't regreat it.

www.happycowcreamery.com

www.eatwild.com

332 McKelvey Road
Pelzer, SC 29669

864-243-9699

Store Hours

M - F 9:00 - 7:00
Saturday 9:00 - 5:00
Closed Sundays

To schedule a tour

864-243-5928

Pain that you Thank Someone for:

2007-03-21T12:45:00.000-04:00

Update From Possum Kingdom and of course Words of Wisdom,

Well it is a beautiful day here in Possum Kingdom, sun shinning and a warming upon my face. If your face gets to hot get out of the sun.

Words of Wisdom from Possum Kingdom:

Spring is in the air and it should be, look at the beautiful blooms.
Spring has sprung, but the onions in your front yard are not for the kitchen table. They are a little small and a wee bit bitter.

I just wanted to post an update on my visit to Charleston on Monday March 19, 2007.

We arrived in Charleston Sunday night around midnight; we stayed with Abigail as long as we could. We got a good nights rest and went to Rutledge Tower Monday morning.

My day started with my visit to see the vampires, they are really sweet ladies, but they will take your blood out of you right in front of you, and then you thank them. For what, for sticking you with a needle and then filling up tube after tube of your on blood.

I then went to see the great folks on the 9th floor. The transplant team. They are the greatest, your are treated with respect, but you will thank them also for hurting you, I guess that’s the way it goes. My surgeons are Dr. Chavin and Dr. Lin, great doctors, see I am bragging on them and you should see the big cut and scar they left behind, but just everybody don’t have a Mercedes on there belly, that what the incision is called, the Mercedes cut. Then there are the great nursing staff, they will put you in a small confined room with no windows and only one door and you know they are outside because you hear them out there talking. They then come in and put a tourniquet on your arm and squeeze it till all the feeling is gone and then they write number down, they call it taking your blood pressure. Then they jab a small tubular item with plastic wrap around it in your mouth, and talk about taking an inner core temperature, makes you wonder about that funny taste in your mouth afterwards. They then ask you a bunch of questions, they mostly talk in letters. Then they quiz you on medication that only the person who though up that goofy name could pronounce it, I guess that’s why they talk in letters. When they are finished you thank them. Then through the door comes a happy and cheerful nurse, who is your coordinator. Except for me I have two wonderful coordinators, but they are both wonderful and a pleasure to spend time with, but what do they do ask you a bunch of questions over and over, I guess its to see if you are paying attention. Then when you answer the wrong way on a question they will cause you pain through what they call a test. For example ever since my transplant they ask me one question over and over, I thought it was a goal. I was so proud I had reached my goal so on the next visit I could not wait to tell them how I had reached the goal and could not wait to what king of prize I would get. You know what I got, more pills to take two more times a day. Then what do you do, you thank them. Debra and Dru are the best but I am not sure why I have two and everyone else has only one, maybe I am special, I really think some one has told a fib about me. I am really not much maintenance; just ask me I will tell you the truth. The conclusion of the clinic visit was every thing was going great, they lowered my medication and even stopped one medication. So on a exiting note as I gazed into the eyes of the staff I saw the tear running down their cheeks and I knew without them saying anything that it was because I was leaving and would not return for a month. I am sure that will give them time for a new set of questions for a quiz and they know I will mess up somewhere and then they get to cause me pain, but in the end I will thank them for the pain and go away quietly.

I then had to go to see the folks who check and see how sweet you are. They could have ask the last folks they know, but no they have their on set of test question. My visit here on the 7th floor was with the Diabetes folk. These folks teach you how to hurt yourself, like giving yourself a shot and then you thank them. I have been on insulin since the surgery, they told me that was drug induced, in other words the prednisone make you blood sugar number go up. They took me off of the insulin on Monday and as for now I am not even taking an oral medication.

God is continuing to bless me and my family every day, each morning is a blessing and each evening; don’t take them for granted I sure don’t.

I hope you see the humor in my statement, all the folks at MUSC are the best and they enjoy what they do, I will always be indebted to them. You know I again have another branch to my family tree, the staff at MUSC. From the Super Nurses and staff on 6E to the Super Nurses and staff in the intensive care unit. To the Super Nurses and staff at Rutledge Tower, and of course all the doctors, from the boys to the attending, every one is Super. I am a big fan of MUSC.

God also blessed us with safe traveling mercies to and from Charleston.

I talked a lot about MUSC, but there are some other Super people out there, and that is you. Thank you for the prayers before during and after my liver transplant.

Most of all I thank God for listening to every prayer and answering them 10 fold and much more that I deserved.

Thank You God,

For the strips on the back of Jesus I might be healed and the suffering and death on the cross that I might be saved. Praise God that I am saved and healed.

If things went bad now, I have received much more than I deserve.

Well that’s the update from Possum Kingdom; I hope you have a great day or a good night if it’s already dark.

I Thank & Love you every one.

God Bless You,

Pel

The Good Doctor

2007-03-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

We, Claire & I, arrived at MUSC this morning (Monday 3/5/2007) about 0715hrs to have my visit with the vampires, I could just about get the blood out myself and even put it in the right color tubes.

Abigail sure was upset about this trip, she had to stay with Papa & Deede. She told Claire that she had been on every trip and she needed to be there to hear what the doctor had to say, she just did not want to hear it over the phone. She was not able to go but she was happy, Deeda kept her busy, they even baked cookies after school. They started their PACT testing at school this week.

We found out today that I only had to receive 8 units of blood, a far less amount than what could have been required. ( I think I spilt two units when I blew open my juggler veins, and they give a rough bath after you make a mess like.)

My liver numbers as The Good Doctor stated looked beautiful, never had liver and beautiful in the same sentence before, but boy does that verbiage sound great to me know.

I have been having a little pain under my left arm in the middle if my ribs and it sometimes hurts to the touch, then it will move around to my back. The Good Doctor ordered ex rays of my spine and ribs, he said you know we had you stretched open pretty wide. He doesn't think it is much but he ordered ex rays so that we would know.
(It is probably where they threw me under that bush hog with the one good blade and one bad blade, I think the bad blade just got me in the ribs, it sure made me blue from neck to knees, that bad blade did.)

The Good Doctor said every thing looked wonderful and he would see me in two weeks.

The Good Doctor also said I could drive next Monday. I told Claire to increase the gas budget because come Monday I have got to go. She ask me where I had to go, I told her I did not know, but I was going to drive till I figured it out, might just come see you.

We then had to go see the diabetes folks, and they again cut my insulin back to 10 units in am & 10 units at PM. She stated that maybe by the next visit to Charleston 3/19/2007 that maybe I could go on down to just a pill and no more insulin.

God Bless You,

Lightning

Ringing The Bell and Plaque at the Bell

2007-02-25T22:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry that you can not read the plaque so below is what is on the plaque.

MUSC and the Gift of Life Trust Fund are

honored to be a part of this moment in your

life.

Sailors feel that a bell is the soul of the ship.

The bell is rung onboard ships to signal

accomplishment, honor or momentous events.

You are ringing the bell for another soul:

That of the person whose decision to donate has

allowed you a new start and has given you the

gift of life.

Please cherish this memory and use it to remind

you to honor your donation by living life to the

fullest and taking care of yourself and your

transplant.

Help those who are still on the waiting list by

spreading the word about transplantation and organ

donation, volunteering and setting an example that

organ donation is... The Gift of Life.

2007-02-21T14:40:00.000-05:00

OK I am running behind. We did return home on Monday and the doctor's visit went great they are pleased with all of my blood work numbers, for the first time in years my liver number are at or near normal.

They took the 68 staples out and I did not even yell.

Ever thing looked good enough that I dont have to go back for 2 weeks now.

God Bless You,

Pel

She just wanted her picture taken.

2007-02-18T13:36:00.000-05:00

Camera on bad drugs

2007-02-18T13:32:00.000-05:00

Look I am not as bald as you thought.

2007-02-18T13:25:00.000-05:00

Possum Kingdom Reading pictures only.

2007-02-18T13:23:00.000-05:00

Bell Ringing Trip.

2007-02-18T13:19:00.000-05:00

Now I have more than just a smile on, Found My Shorts.

2007-02-18T13:14:00.000-05:00

2007-02-18T12:59:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

Just wanted to give you a quick update. We are getting ready to leave and head back to Charleston today for a doctor's visit tomorrow. If all checks out OK we will be home tomorrow evening.

God has answered so many prayers I can't even start to explain, but God is Great all the Time.

God has given me life, happiness, & health.

Thank You God.

God Bless You,
Pel

2007-02-12T23:52:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Possum Kingdom,

We made it home this evening and had a good trip down to Charleston & back to Possum Kingdom.

I have been so blessed, I have not taken any pain medication in over a week, and then it was because my back and neck hurt. I am now down to just my back hurting, they say it was the amount of time I laid on the operating table.

Well it is bed time now. I hope you have a great evening.

God Bless You,
Pel

2007-02-12T13:23:00.000-05:00

Hello Again,

Just wanted to post an update on my doctor visit in Charleston today. They conducted blood work and they are pleased with everything. They told us to go home, have labs drawn on Thursday 2/15/07 in Greenville and return to Charleston to see the doctor on Monday 2/19/07 and maybe they will remove the the 68 staples from my Mercedes incision.

God Bless You,

Pel

2007-02-11T22:07:00.000-05:00

Greetings From Charleston,

WOW how wonderful it was to go home on Thursday and not have to return until today. I hope that all will check out in the morning ( 2-12-2007) and we will be headed back to Possum Kingdom by early afternoon. We must still remember that this is God's plan, I am just along for the ride.

I would like to one again say thank you for the thousands of prayers that went to the same spot, I would like to also say thank you for the funds, blood drives, BBQ & Auction, and any thing else that was done for us. You are so dear to our hears and we love you each and every one.

I would also like to say thank you to the doctors and staff at Rutledge Tower, and all the hard work that was conducted for me to receive this transplant.

I would like to say thank you to the surgeons, doctors & staff in the O.R., ICU & 6 East. It has been a honor for me to be a patient that was so undeserving of the care, friendship & love hat was given to me and my family.

I would like to ask you to keep praying for us and please remember my donor's family, they suffered a great loss for me to continue life, because I received the Gift of Life.

All they can tell us about my donor was he was a male 42 years old. God Bless his soul & his family. Thank You

Are you an organ donor? If yes or no talk it over with your family today, they will make that final decision, but one donor can give the gift of life to so many at one time.

God Bless You,
We Love You,
Pel & Family

2007-02-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

Just to let you know that the doctor's visit went well today, but they are not going to cut me a lose next week.

They cut me a lose today, so we are packing and will be headed to Possum Kingdom after while. I have to come back Monday, but it will be great to go home.

God Bless You,

Pel

I will put more details later, right now gotta pack so we can get out of here.

2007-02-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

My New Hat - Keeps The Hair From Falling Out & Looks Cool with my smile & gown.

God Bless Every One,

Pel

2007-02-06T01:27:00.000-05:00

Ring Of Bell

Hey Every Body,

I am still hanging out in Charleston, But I wanted to share a few Pics with you and show you just a glimpse of how Great GOD Is.

Thanks for the prayers and all the support we have felt and had.

God Bless You,

Love The Medlocks

2007-02-01T21:31:00.000-05:00

Good News!!!!

Daddy has been released from the hospital, he will have to stay in Charleston for several weeks, having to have blood work and check ups every day, but he is out of the hospital. He broke the record of transplant to release. They are not real sure when we will be able to come back to Possum Kingdom Memorial, but he is so glad to just be out of the hospital. The hospital staff was great to all of us, and words could never express how much we appreciate all they have done. Thanks again for all the prayers that have been coming our way, and please continue to keep praying, Daddy has made great progress, but we still have a long way to go too, and the Lord has been great to us, and we know that he will continue to do so, but just keep the prayers coming.

2007-01-30T23:34:00.000-05:00

Daddy has been in ICU all day today, but has done real well, he has been in alot of pain, but that could only be expected, they are going to put him in a regular room very soon. He is doing very well with everything, and all the doctors and nurses say that everything looks good. I want to again thank everyone for everything they have done, and all the prayers that have been prayed, they have paid off, and the Lord is at work, it is very obvious.

2007-01-29T23:41:00.000-05:00

Well the doctors came about 6:00 p.m. and informed us that the surgery was over, and that everything went as planned, and turned out good. We got to see him at the 9:00 visit, and looked much better than everyone expected him to. Sorry so short, but were all tired and going to try and get a little sleep. Thanks for everyones support and prayers, they have truly made a difference, for that THANKS, and praise the Lord for all he has done.

2007-01-29T10:39:00.000-05:00

Just received news from Charleston that they found a good match for Pelham and that he is presently in surgery at MUSC. He went into surgery around 10:30 am this morning (January 29th) and according to information I have just received, they are saying that this should take about 6 hours. Our prayers and thoughts are with him and his family.

2007-01-23T22:54:00.000-05:00

Well here is another week. God is so good to us all. Even though I have had some rough days in the past I know that God is in control.

You know I sit around and watch a lot of TV. It is not hard to find people in a whole lots worst shape than I. I have that great advantage knowing that God is in control of my life and all that happens in my life.

I have to go to my local doctor on Thursday, should not be any drastic change. My local Doctor and my Lovely Wife have gotten my fluid under control.
The last test Charlestown showed that my potassium was very low so my local Doctor increased my medication.

Today was a rough day for some reason I could not wake up, but as you know they will say it’s my liver, so I only wine to you on my web-site.

I like many of you have just finished watching the State of the Union. The thing about this process I don’t understand is why the President can say his speech in 49 minutes and it take the media another hour plus, to tell us what he said. God Bless America.

I hope each of you have a great night and a great day tomorrow. Please keep praying for my family and myself and that God’s will and timing be done.

God Bless You,

Pel

2007-01-15T20:37:00.000-05:00

WOW another week,

We got the report from Charleston and my MELD score is 20 now, so I must have blood work conducted each month.

Ever stop and think about how lucky we are. We have a loving God who sent sent his son to die for you and I. We live in a country that we are free to worship as we please. We have people who study and spend their life in research to find cures or releif to the many troubles we all have. I can stop and thank God for my health, because all I have to do is look around and find someone else in much more pain and a much grimmer look on the out come.

You know when we make trips to Charleston they are not wasted, due to the fact that all of family there with me is Christians. In other words there are a lot of witnessing going on, and not just at the hospital. Always remember you must always let others see Jesus in you even without speaking a word.

Thanks for the visits, calls and prayers. Please don't stop.

God Bless You,

Pel

2007-01-10T01:13:00.000-05:00

Hello Everyone,

Claire, Abigail & I made the trip to MUSC on Sunday evening, we left later that we planed due to Claire's father being sick, but he is much better now. We arrived in Charleston about 2000hrs and we had to get some rest because my appointment was at 0815hrs. I know this isn't that early but we have found out that we need to be at Rutledge Tower around 0700hrs, so they will have time to draw the blood work.

We saw the doctor and he was satisfied with my condition and stated that I was still on the top of the list. He stated that the problem was getting a donor liver that was large enough for me. He said they had some livers come in but was just too small for me. He stated that a small liver would not work at all for me, so he said just hang in there and one would come available soon.

My coordinator stated that if prayer had anything to do with me getting a liver I would get one soon. She said everybody at MUSC was praying, that made me feel great coming from a place of people where they deal with liver transplants everyday. I told her that prayer was making a difference because God had gotten us to this point and in his timing all would be great.

Have a great evening and know God is watching over us all, also know we are praying for you.

God Bless You,
Pel

2007-01-07T00:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, I hope all is well in 2007 for each of you, and I know God has been good to you because he is always good to all of us, even when we don't deserve it. My family and I along with you thought by the time 2007 arrived I would be recovering from the transplant, but we all know that it has just not been the right time and only God knows the right time. Claire, Abigail & I will be traveling to Charleston tomorrow for a follow up visit and blood work on Monday, we should be returning home on Monday. I have had several good days this week, the doctors have been able to lower my fluid retention and that has made me feel better. I still have 30 to 40 pounds of fluid, but they don't want to remove it to fast for fear of dehydration. Justin and a couple of his friends spent several days of their winter break painting our house in Anderson, twice. What wonderful guys who would spend their free time working for us and then not charging us a dime for their work. Yeah I am bragging on my son and the choice of great friends he has, Guys thank you so much. Of course there is my wonderful Daddy, whom I should be doing things for him and spent the day on my roof in Anderson conducting repairs, we are so blessed. My sister Meleeda has also put some elbow grease in some of the cleaning. My cousins spent there Saturday digging in a stopped up toilet and yet did not give up until the clog was fixed. Then there is Claire's friends from the hospital, who has spent countless hours cleaning up at the house in Anderson. We also have the best retaliator in the word, Jennifer and her wonderful husband Paul who has never given up on us, worked with us until the renters were moved out then hauled off trash X 5 loads, yet won't accept any payment. Paul has also repaired the HVAC just to help out. Then of course there is Abigail who has spent time there with me, and on Thursday I was changing the door knobs. When we finished one she said I am going to take the other one off, I thought sure, but about five minutes later she had removed all of the hardware and was waiting on me to put the new one in. OK so I am bragging but Claire & I want everyone to know how much it means to us for the help we have received.

We Love You,
God Bless You,
Pel, Claire, Abigail & Justin

2006-12-27T12:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Past Merry Christmas,

Just thought I would get on here and say a few words. As most of you who know me, and know that I have note been posting things you probably guessed that I did feel good and that is right.

Today is not much change, Abigail wanted me to fix the computer for her so here I am.

Well we have had one other call that we did not tell everyone about, Charleston called on Saturday night around 2200hrs. They advised me that they may have a possible match but it was real early in the process, and they stated they would call back later. On the morning of December 24, Claire had to go to work so she called Charleston to see what she should do. Charleston advised that the liver was not going to work for me, so off to work Claire went.

We had a wonderful Christmas just sharing with the family, I think Abigail got more than she should have, but Santa sure was good to her and the rest of the family.

I was also honored to be asked and felt like going to Anderson County Fire HQ to read the Christmas Story, that sure was a blessing to me.

Well I must go now and get ready to go to see the doctor, hopefully he will increase some of my meds to get this fluid off of me, I have about 30lbs of fluid that get tough some times. But I am able to manage al of this because of my family & friends like you, always checking, praying, calling and visiting.

God Bless,
We Love You All,
The Medlocks

Happy New Year

2006-12-22T08:40:00.000-05:00

Update - Looks like they made it to near Newberry when the hospital called and told them that the liver was again damaged so they turned around about 4:00 AM to come back home.

2006-12-22T02:52:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Folks,
We just got the call from Charlweston that they may have a liver for me, so we are on our way. We Love Ya'll & Merry Christmas. We will keep up updated as we can.

Love & Merry Christmas From The Medlock

2006-12-17T19:32:00.000-05:00

Bad news - just received a call from Justin in Charleston and they have found out that the donor liver they were waiting on was not acceptable. Pelham and the family will be returning to town later tonight.

2006-12-17T03:50:00.000-05:00

Good Morning Everyone, God has answered our prayers and we are on our way to Charleston for the transplant. Keep Praying. God Bless You All. We Love You. The Medlocks

Merry Christmas

2006-12-08T21:51:00.000-05:00

Update, December 8, 2006

The Doc's let Pelham come home this evening from the hospital , so we are nestled in our home in Possum Kingdom amoung our beautiful Christmas tree and family. There is no place like home and it is feels so good to have him back at home with us. We are still awaiting that magic call from Charleston, so keep those prayers coming and we hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season.

God Bless
Claire