Blood Drive Interview

On March 27, 2011 our church is having a blood drive.  Today, the newspaper interviewed Sean and Joseph to get the word out.  The reporter wanted to interview folks who use blood products.  Because we are so thankful for those who donate blood, platelets and plasma, we are always willing to help get the word out about any sort of blood drives!  Melanie, from parish care at Holy Cross, set up the interview and is putting the drive together with other volunteers.  They are asking that people make appointments to donate blood and are hoping to get 38 pints donated on March 27, 2011.  If you want more informatrion about the blood drive or you would like to make an appointment, email parish care: parishcareholycross@triadbiz.rr.com

Ryan (the reporter) asked the boys several questions.  The one that most stands out to me is when he asked how having Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome affected their lives.  Joseph quickly replied, "It doesn't really affect my life, I mean, other than we go to the hospital a lot.'"

WOW.  My kids continually amaze me.  Between the two of them, they have been under anesthesia over 50 times... not including all of the procedures, MRIs and treatments that they have had without anesthesia.  Joseph has had neurosurgery and other surgeries and then developed infections afterward that landed him back in the hospital. He also performs certain medical procedures several times a day (every 4 hours) and takes about 40 pills a day, plus other meds..... and he can says it doesn;t affect his life!?   Absoulutely amazing.

The article will be in tomorrow's paper along with an article about Matthew.  Matthew was interviewed last week for an article.   Here are some pictures from the interview today along with a picture of IgG from my fridge, just in case you'd like to know what IgG, a blood product, looks like.

Our Valentine

Remember the stray cat that came by?  Yesterday, that cat officially became our cat.  Joseph renamed her Valentine in honor of St. Valentine's Day. 

The vet believes she is between 1-2 years old.  She is very sweet.  Friday we bring her in to be spayed. Joseph is paying us back for the vet visit, too.  Poor girl had a bad case of ear mites, the tech said it was impressive.  I wasn't impressed.  It made me itch seeing those things and I had to shower twice. 

Here is Joseph's sweet Valentine:

Shan Passed Away

Shanette Elder, owner of Liuzza's, dies of Cancer.

Shan Passed away this weekend while her brother, Michael, is still in a coma after a drunk driver hit him just over a week ago.  Please pray for Aunt T, their mother.  Shan battled lung cancer for many, many years and had been living with one lung for a very long time.  The Thursday before Michael was hit by the drunk driver, Shan was told there was nothing more they could do for her and Hospice was called in. 

Over the last week, we have been looking through our scrapbook from 2006.   Katrina destroyed Liuzza's and Shan and Michael rebuilt it.  We were able to visit them just about 1 year after Katrina -- on the second day of their grand reopening in 2006.  Here are a few pictures from that visit.  Please pray for Michael and his entire family-- especially his mom.  I cannot even begin to imagine her pain and grief right now. 

iConfess App

I was reading an article in The Daily about the iConfess App for the iPhone.  It is very interesting.  Some of the comments were a bit crazy, but that is to be expected, right?  Not everyone understands the value of examining one's conscience. To read a web version of the article in The Daily (an app for the iPad - a tablet-based original news publication), use this link: http://bit.ly/i08PwL

We've had books on examination of conscience and pamphlets, why not bring it to the iPhone and iTouch? You still have to go to confession with a priest, but this certainly helps with examination of conscience!

We downloaded The Daily App for the iPad and have a free two week trial.  So far, we like it!  I'm reading a story continued from yesterday on a US Army Soldier who is the most wounded soldier ever to go back into combat.