My friend Terri is still in the hospital. Has been since New Years. They take her off teh ventilator and within days, she's back on it. ***IF*** she ever makes it out of the hospital, she won't be able to go home, she'll have to go to some type of care facility.

My friend Andy has multiple tumors in his colon and surrounding lymph nodes. Samples taken during a colonoscopy show cancer. They're operating to remove all of that in a couple of weeks but if it's already in his lymph nodes, it's not good. I'm good friends with both him & his dad and I'm worried about them both.

T just called and Meg's grandfather has been hospitalized for a few days with fluid around his heart (a recurring problem) and within the past 24 hours lost the ability to speak or swallow. Brain scans show that he had a stroke. He's 90-something & been living independantly up until now. Docs told the family today that he will have to go to some type of a full care facility for rehab from the stroke and will never be able to live alone again. T is very upset, Meg is almost hysterical, and her parents are trying to figure out what to do. He lives up near Niles Michigan and they live near Indianapolis & his only other child lives in Florida and hasn't seen him in years (T's never even met the guy). This is heartbreaking because Jerry is a great guy & loves his grandkids dearly. John & I sat and talked with him for hours the weekend of T & Meg's wedding...

And I got word 2 days ago that my old friend Tim passed away over the weekend. He'd been fighting multiple health issues for some time & had finally been approved for the only thing that could have saved him: a heart transplant. But it was too late, there was just too much damage. I'll be travelling to Pineville KY this coming weekend for his funeral. Tim was, as a mutual friend put it, "larger than life" and a true inspiration to so many of us. We'd been friends since 8th grade and talked often on Facebook. 3 of us had been planning a road trip down to see him but couldn't ever get a mutual date worked out. Now it's too late.... I don't know if you can see this but this was his last sermon, just 2 weeks ago:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16hUJ5KJRu/

He had such an amazing voice.... He actually recorded a few records when he was young & was asked to perform with Bob Hope and other famous performers before he turned to the ministry.