Just Counting a Few of Our Blessings

Thank you Sister for all the room decorations as you sang," Hugs and Kisses" and all the other gifts that made this journey more comfortable!

Thanks Mom for all the trips to Target, Walmart, Dr's and to go see Bruce.

Thankyou Marilyn for all the flowers throughout many visits.

Thankyou Faith Hospice, Trillium Woods for caring throughout all the details.

Thankyou Deb from Lincoln Square for bring some joy to Bruce.

Thankyou, Thankyou Mark for fighting all the battles for Bruce and I. All the phone calls, meetings and decisions that you made for us so we could heal without concerns. You are a Saint!

Thankyou Ed, Mary, Kate, Heather, and Carrie. All the HOURS you have given us, with no complaints: Advice, pizza dinners, talks on the patios, shopping trips from needs to craft and more craft. Thankyou all so much.

Thankyou Faith for our new friendship. You have been great help and very thoughtful with all your kindness.

Thankyou Carol and Wally, AZ and MI friends, you bring us great joy.

Thankyou Virginia for all the Lullaby's.

Thankyou Paster Mike, and Mel for your visits and song.

True friendship with the joy of cars together,Thankyou Jim for the joy you bring Bruce.

Jim's cars.

Thankyou so much for the pedicures Val.

Thankyou Jim and Norene for all the visits.

Thanks Mom and Wendy for all the outings.

Thankyou Jack and Carolyn for the friendship and prayer blanket. We love you too.

Thankyou Jan for your love support and furniture as I set up house throughout this stay. WOW and also for the 1st cousin support/ Thankyou too Barb, Dan, John and Judy for all you retrieved for us from AZ.

Thankyou Craig and Steve and others for your Spiritual Support.

Happy Hour Again?

Look what happens when I take a nap....Happy Hour.

Natural Beauty, again.

Come on Honey, I believe in YOU! Fight the fight!

Two hearts that beat as one.

We Believe!

Bruce is Leaving Us

It has been an incredible journey since December 6, 2008, but now we see that Bruce is ready for the end. About 3 weeks ago, Bruce moved to a Hospice facility where he could enjoy sharing a room with Shelly, be free from some of the restrictions of a conventional hospital and enjoy some of the things you have seen on the pictures below. This time has given Bruce and Shelly a chance to be a couple again. To have visits that were not scheduled, and share time 24 hours a day. It has given them both a tremendous amount of peace.
They came to hospice willing to accept whatever path the Lord put before them. During these 3 weeks Bruce has shown some areas of incredible improvement. He has been eating and drinking food (within limits). One day he even had a little Dixie cup of beer! He showed an increase in urine output even though he has been off dialysis. So much so his doctors did a blood test to see if there was improvement in his kidneys. There was not. And now the bad days have started outnumbering the good ones. We see that he is preparing to pass.
A couple days ago his temperature was all the way down to 94. It's higher now, but still low. His heart rate is 118. His potassium level is rising. The blessing of all of this is that kidney failure is one of the most pleasant ways to pass on. As certain levels begin to rise he will begin sleeping more and more. (This has begun.) And then when the Lord is ready, his electrical system will just stop and he will be in Heaven. There will be no pain and no struggle.
Bruce and Shelly have talked a lot about what to do over the last month. They also talked about situations like this long before the accident happened. They are both at peace with how this is ending. Please be sure they both hope for and are willing to accept a miracle. But they will allow death to come, if that is God's will.
As things develop, we will let you know here. Thank you for your continued prayers.
So now we pray:

• Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. Go forth, faithful Christian!
  May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the angels and saints.
  May you return to your Creator who formed you from the dust of the earth. May you see your Redeemer face to face. Amen.

God's Blessings on Our Difficult Journey

Thanks to Val and Mark and staff at Faith Hospice, we got Bruce outside to enjoy some fresh air. Just as we settled in we noticed that across the street sat a race car that brought great joy to Bruce. With his love of cars, racing and the sport, God blessed us with this moment of joy. Thank you my dear Heavenly Father for taking care of every thing down to all the details that expresses your love for us.
This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Bruce saw all the detail as his eyes opened wide with joy.

There is a family two doors down from us. Their dog Lynbee excaped and was no where to be found. We didn't know she was missing. We thought she was a theropy dog that came for a visit. Now that Bruce loved up on her, we made friends with Phylis the owner and see Lynbee dailey. Thank you Lord for new friends and the joy your design brings.

Nothing like a good shave. Let's see : down on the sides, up to the chin, but how do you do a chin? Is it left to right? North to South? Can I put my fingers in his mouth to push out the wrinkles? Personally I think it is time to concider a go-tee. Can I use nair hair removal? If I have to smell like after shave, I think Nair makes sence.

P.S.,I forgot to tell you

Honey goes through so much and is still kind, patient and funny. He asked me to read from the Bible each visit, often requesting the book and verse. He shares that his favorite verse is John 14: 6-7. "Jesus answered, " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Mom loves singing to Bruce on her visits. He and her get laughing often.

Bruce tasted some things yesterday. Tomatoe soup, white milk, coffee, water, and even some chocolate milk. Odd choices but who cares. He purred with each new taste. It has been about 6 months since he had any food or beverage by mouth.

Please keep the prayers coming and I would love to here from you too.

Love

Shelly and Bruce

Our First Date in 2009, Therefore we needed many Chaperones

Because I don't know what I'm doing on the computor the pictures came up in reverse. Here we are in the lobby. Brother Ed, Mom, and sister Wendy were with us. Bruce always enjoyed my playing yet somehow the others noticed the time and wanted to go. So was Bruce trapped or in enjoymentof my playing? We may never know.

Bruce shared the best part of his day was hearing me play again. Here is a quarter Honey!

Hey Ed, what was the best part of your day?

Pushing Bruce up hill?

Getting your heels run over by my poor driving?

Or running to the back to see how Mom is holding up?

Or was it having to stop every 2 seconds so we could pose for Wendy?

Any how Bro, thanks a million you never complain and you we couldn't do this journey without our family support.

We're just enjoying nature together.

Boy that bird looks alot like the other one?

Two hearts beat as one!

I Love our Dates!

Marilyn, Bruce's sister, enjoys Sunday with us.

There's Always a Blessing

Bruce calls me to his bed side at 3:45 am this morning. He reaches for my hand and I make it to him in 10 mins. That's progress. As we hold hands and feel our hearts beat as one, he says he wants to renew our vows.
I said, "OK, how and when?"
He says,"now"

Holding hands I said, "Bruce, you are the love of my life. You are my strength and comfort. You have protected me and given me great love. I'll love you the same as today and always. You have filled my heart with love and have given me a lifetime of memories. I love you my Honey, past, present and future. Our love endures forever. Will you Marry me?"
He said ,"yes."

He says to me, "I've known no greater love. I'm nothing, I'm sick and all broken up yet I call your name and you still are here. Through thick and thin our love holds true. No one really knows love until it survives sorrow. Our Sorrow truly announces our love for one another. I love you. You are my all in all and I look forward to our love in our tomorrows. Will you marry me my Shelly Rose?"
I said,"Yes"

Father and Son, Andrew share a moment.

It's a cuddle day. We truly are our happiest when we're together.

Two hearts beat as one.

We prepare Bruce to go to a car show in July.

My brother Ed helps as we enjoy the cars.

Carolyn and friends make Bruce a prayer blanket. We met Carolyn and Jack in AZ but they live in MI. They drove 180 miles to be with us. We love you guys.

The activity director, Deb, is from Lincoln Sq. where I live. She brought up a baby rabbit for Bruce and me to enjoy. Thanks Deb. Bruce really enjoyed that.

Ed, my brother, helped me get Bruce's war metals to him. Something Bruce always wanted to get. Now he has them. Thank you Ed.

Well we postponed my surgery. Bruce has had a difficult time lately. He went in the hospital 4 times in July for feeding tube change and 1 more time for yet another port. I decided to wait and be with Honey. He said his good bye to me and I'm trying to find the strength to release him. Please pray for us.

Love

Shelly & Bruce

Here We Go Again

Hi to All,
I, Shelly, went to the Dr. Tuesday and my femor bone above the knee is not healing and it has been 8 months on the 6th. So the plan is Monday, I'm having surgery at St. Mary's. The Dr. is going to graft living bone from my hip and place it in and around this 4" section above the knee. I'll be in about 3 days. Please pray. At the same time we are moving Bruce for second oppions and different care. He has gone through so much, yet hangs on to his humor. I'll keep you all posted but this is all I have for now. We are concerned and are weighing through all oppitions. But without saying we aren't driving this trip. We rest and renew in God's grace and love.
We love you all,
Shelly and my Honey

Summertime Fun!

After something like this, sometimes just getting to do your favorite things for the first time again can make all the difference. For Shelly, when she is in Michigan, nothing is more normal in the summertime than swimming at the family cottage. On June 26 she was able to do that for the first time.

That meant going down several stairs, walking downhill on uneven ground and then taking the walker into the waves - but she did it all!! In fact the day trip went so well that she went to the cottage over the 4th of July and spent 2 nights playing with her nieces and nephews, enjoying the bonfire and watching fireworks!!!

She developed a few tricks - like adjusting the legs of the walker for uphill or downhill - or going down stairs backwards - but everything went fine. By the end of the second day she was pretty tired, but she earned every wink of sleep as a reward. It was also great to prove to herself she can do fine in a normal bed and can adjust when the house is not wheelchair friendly. Everyone there was very proud - but not surprised.

Life's not back to normal, of course, but going a couple of days without seeing a white coat sure can be refreshing. Send up some "Thank You" prayers for this milestone too.

It's All Good

It is so exciting to see my Honey heal do to the power of prayer and by the grace of God. More and more we have conversations that ol' married couples have. It feels so good. I have my best friend back. Thank you Dear Lord. Thank you prayer warriors. I'm hopeful that we are seeing glimpses of lite at the end of this dark tunnel.
Bruce is showing good signs of healing from his last surgery. He still needs blood transfusions often because his count holds at 8 or so and should be at 15.
But, his mind continues to heal. With his progress, and a little function of his kidneys again, his dialysis will be cut back a little. We rest in Gods grace. I wish you could see what I'm witnessing, even the Dr's. are getting second wind. Thank you friends and family for all your support and prayers. Please keep them coming.
Love Ya all,
Bruce and Shelly