October 16, 2009, from Amy
Donny’s still in the hospital; we were moved last Saturday to a step down ICU floor, and the plan is to soon move him to a regular floor. The difference is how many patients the nurses have and your level of care. It’s a good thing for him to be moved to a lower level of care since that indicates he is getting better.
These websites were helpful: Click Here
Since yesterday was our one-year anniversary of Donny being diagnosed with GVH in his lungs, we celebrated that he made it through the 15% chance he had of living “through the year”!!!
amy
October 16, 2009
Donny has truly appreciated all the notes, cards and goodies that have been sent his way. Thank you all for your love, care and prayers! As we were reading Romans this week, we took a break and I read to him some of your email notes, he was so touched. The Lord has been able to minister to so many in the medical field during this process. Just yesterday a couple of the Respiratory Therapists told me that their churches are praying and one wept as he caught my aunt and uncle who flew in from Indiana praying at Donny’s bedside. I have been so joyful at how Donny has handled himself through this ordeal; processing very difficult information with an amazing Grace that only the Lord can give. He has made us all so very proud! Thank you for being part of “us” as we go forward trusting the Lord together. There is new information presented each and every day…. some of it potentially scary……. but our hope is in Jesus and our ultimate truth lies in Him, so as the Word says……… and Donny knows it well. … “We shall not be moved.”
Next week will bring more pictures and more information. It appears the medication for some of the infections is working and the mold in the lung is diminishing. We pray for Donny’s strength so that he can pursue and push through the Physical Therapy demands that are upon him now. The meeting with the medical team yesterday was very insightful, thoughtful, hopeful and yes, they stand amazed at this man who is being pushed forward by God Himself. We appreciate the medical staff and prayer teams as they all go together to accomplish the great goal in front of us in the midst of a very difficult and sometimes complicated request.
Sandi
October 21, 2009
The biopsies to measure the success of the treatments haven’t come back yet, so we wait. In the meantime, Donny is doing VERY well at his Physical Therapy, learning to walk again, gaining the lung capacity and muscle strength to do so AND, he is out of the ICU and in a regular isolation room. Thanks for praying so very hard and hoping for so very long!
For Donny and all who are going through trials right now….. it will be worth it all:
Job 11:18-19 (NLT) “Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and will rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help.” Much Love, Martin and Sandi
October 23, 2009
Donny is having extreme pain in the left side of his chest. This is the worst pain he’s had for two years. They are considering it to be water on the lung, water on the heart, a collapsed lung, or another type of infection that has worked its way in. They are running a myriad of tests today to find out:
1. What’s wrong.
2. How to get rid of it.
3. How to stop the pain.
It is a month since he was admitted. We are all tired, but hopeful.
October 26, 2009
Donny is doing better. They have managed to take the edge off the pain and continue their search for the cause of it. We love you.
October 28, 2009
Donny is resting comfortably. Thank you for continuing to pray.
October 29, 2009
Donny continues to gain strength and stamina.
“You light a lamp for me.
The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.
In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
God’s way is perfect.
All the LORD’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
For who is God except the LORD?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength,
and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
You have given me your shield of victory.
Your right hand supports me;
your help has made me great.
You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.”
Psalm 18:28-36 (NLT)
November 3, 2009, from Amy
“O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” Isaiah 25:1
So… it turns out that Donny has been on half the amount of pain medications we thought he was on. (The concentration was entered wrong.) This is great news because he’s been feeling great on this lower amount.
It’s also great because they finally listened to me. We have one of these machines at home – I do the math ALL the time and I kept telling them something’s not right. There are only so many ways you can divide the total MGs in the syringe by his hourly dose… Either that or I am accidentally a MATH GENIUS! haha The best part of all is that Donny and I talked about two weeks ago and decided on an amount of pain meds – and accidentally, he was on the exact amount we thought would be right. 🙂
On top of that he’s been really motivated about Physical Therapy and is sitting up for hours on the side of the bed each day. Today he will try to go outside with the Physical Therapist and a good high school friend (Ryan Wilson) who has been helping a lot with PT several times a week.
Those are our recent adventures!
Amy
November 4, 2009
On our thirty-first wedding anniversary I am fighting the flu, so this may not get posted right away. Good news! The medical team agrees that the Graft vs. Host disease is dormant. They will begin a new immune system boost treatment. Two more weeks in the hospital and the hope is to get him back to where he was three years ago.
November 19, 2009
Donny has been having a great week. Very successful Physical Therapy sessions and was even muscling through beyond the PT. Then yesterday. He couldn’t breathe very well around 4 pm and struggled until about 2 am. His heart rate was very high and he was in terrible pain. Today his tongue is still swollen with blisters and his left lung is heavy and in distress.
“Lord, there is never a time when you are not The Almighty. Please do Almighty things for Donny today my Friend.”
November 20, 2009
Thank you for praying. Donny’s pain level is down, heart rate is down, and oxygen levels are up. This is all good news. He hasn’t looked this good in weeks. We appreciate your prayers and the faithfulness of God.
November 30, 2009
We had Thanksgiving with Donny in the hospital. His oxygen was very low this last week, so it was tough going, but the Lord pulled him through, as always. He rested comfortably through the weekend and continues to rest today. He has gotten a bit behind on his Physical Therapy because he didn’t have enough breath to move, but we are hoping he is able to get “caught up” soon. This week, the Docs have ordered another CT scan to be sure there is nothing “extra” going on in his lungs. His fingertips have all “exploded”… really, but not really. Well, you see, they all opened up and have sores on the tips and some are quite bad. It is a side effect of so much anti-biotic. It is a careful dance we do with the anti-rejection medications and the ongoing infections, so everything has to be done thoughtfully and slowly, even natural resources…… everything, except prayer! Our Donny is so very lion-hearted, he just never complains and as he told me last week….. he is “just along for the ride!” Anticipating what the Lord will do. I have pictures for you, but can’t figure out how to get them off my phone…….. it’s pretty low on my list! I’ll take my cheap camera in again this week and snap him for you. Docs say maybe in a week he will be coming home; and then it’s finding the right pulmonology therapy facility. As always, we wait.
December 3, 2009
Today Donny comes home from the hospital after almost ten weeks in the excellent care of God and the teams at Fresno Community Hospital. Please hold him close in prayer, as the transfer home in the ambulance is attempting to be a real challenge. He looks great and we all count this as a hill and not a mountain. I had hoped to bring him home in the car and get a burger on the way home. but it is not to be. There are many burgers ahead, I am sure. Great peace to you as you rest in the Lord, who loves you so very much.
December 8, 2009
Donny and his friend Ryan Wilson the day before the hospital discharge. Donny is home and continues to exhibit more strength that I knew possible. We are praying that his breathing stabilize. It’s been a rough few days for us all, but then there is God…
December 21, 2009
Donny’s Physical Therapy last week was wonderful. His heart rate was down and his oxygen levels were up. He is beginning to make progress. We have a meeting with the doctors to review his progress on January 11th, so we would appreciate your continued prayers for him to be able to make that appointment. Getting out of bed and making the drive presents several challenges with the current oxygen equipment that we have, but as we have known and seen… nothing is impossible! We are in the midst of very slow but very great progress, thanks for standing with us!
January 4, 2009
This was the First Christmas that Donny has been home for three years; what a fun time we had! I suppose I did miss decorating the hospital room a bit… bit not THAT MUCH. It was so beautiful to see the children exchange gifts that had so much thought go into them to celebrate one another as we celebrated Christ. Some pics of Grandbaby Abel’s time are in his little photo album online here somewhere! (click here) Donny’s oxygen levels were stable throughout the week and no emergencies. We are just waiting for the rest of the infections to be gone so he can have the energy to get up. Donny and Amy celebrate their 3rd Wedding Anniversary this week, we are blessed to have her! Ephesians 4:16 “The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together in Him. Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong with love.” (New Century Version) What you do DOES MATTER.
January 12, 2009
We had a wonderful Christmas and that fat grandbaby… oh my goodness, well, ya just have to see! Donny hasn’t had the strength to open a Christmas present for a couple years and hasn’t been home for three, so it was a special joy to see him “go at it” with the rest of ’em. He continues to need strength in his body and air in his lungs in order to move, so we appreciate your prayers! He has been bed-ridden for five weeks. BUT, we joy in the promises of God and rejoice to see the small yet everlasting progress.
January 28, 2010
Today is the last day of two different IV antibiotics for Donny. This is a sign of progress… although we don’t readily see it, we trust for it. Isn’t that just a huge “Life Lesson?” We are confident in Who we are waiting for, so waiting all of a sudden isn’t too hard! Coming up on 3 1/2 years and Donny is just as Lion Hearted today as when we started this journey and his Amy is just as devoted. Our God Reigns and we Prevail in Prayer. May the joy and mercy of God be upon you today and cause you to actively live out His majestic and amazing Grace. We are thankful to you and appreciate all you have done for the Glory of God to help us keep walking this journey.
Donny hasn’t gotten out of his hospital bed in the living room since he came home from the hospital a couple months ago… no air, no strength. Cynthia brought little Abel over yesterday, he smiled at Donny with a knowing. A nine-month old, pure knowing… we will attempt to practice that in everything. Thanks for checking in.
February 1, 2010
“Donny has had a terrible headache and Sandi has had a lung and throat infection. After much prayer and massage, Donny’s pain subsided and so Sandi took a nap, with her “double face mask” on to keep germs away from Donny while she took her post on the couch next to his hospital bed in the living room. Donny snapped this picture of his Mama and we thought you would enjoy it. Sandi is much better today and Donny is looking forward to a day of moving forward. A long but good journey, a treacherous but victorious battle; thank you for standing!”
February 4, 2010
DONNY SAT UP TODAY!
February 5, 2010
Donny sat up again today. Yesterday was a minute, today was a minute and a half. He is fragile and in pain but is pushing forward trusting the Lord for clear sailing on the other side of this wave!”
February 18, 2010
Donny’s birthday is in about three weeks. He will be 29 and it is my hope and prayer that by his birthday we will all have some new news… something, anything. He is slowly declining, it would appear, which is not okay. His birthday also marks the 3 1/2 year point since the Leukemia diagnosis. My RC family got me a new camera, but I don’t know how to use it yet, haven’t had time to read the book… arg. So, when I figure that out, I’ll get you some shots of this amazing man of God.
In prayer yesterday it occurred to me that we should contact our family doctor, the one who originally diagnosed Donny and then from there we went on our journey of cancer specialists and bone marrow transplant doctors with all of our adventures to a variety of hospitals and doctors who have tried so desperately to help. So, today our family doctor, who is a Christian man and lives a mile away, came to the house and spent an hour with us. He came up with some exciting news and alarming news. We will know in a couple days if the sores on his fingertips from the “nuclear medicine” they had to give him in the hospital is staph infection, viral or bacterial. He noticed a couple warts forming as well, which he will take off. What the heck?
He says that Donny’s lungs are in great shape. No crackling or terrible sounds, like he was expecting. He said that his skin looks good, no Graft versus Host disease, which we were concerned about. His sinuses look good. He checked him for what is to be considered “normal” ailments for his bedridden condition. Came up with nothing but muscle dysfunction atrophy, which we knew about already. The Doc said that the oxygen that he is on doesn’t seem like enough to Donny (who is often gasping for air) because it is not getting into his lungs. He says that he is almost sure that Donny has a lung ventilation problem. The lungs are not bad, they are just not venting correctly. So, he is going to contact our home health equipment specialists and see about getting different machines in here. We use four machines, piped together to get the results we have now… so I have no idea what they are going to come up with. It was a good meeting. He felt like there is a reasonable way to get Donny the oxygen that he needs so that his muscles can begin to function as well as his lungs. He said Donny looked far better than he had expected and was very encouraging to the both of us. He will be taking heart tests as well, as much as can be done with Donny in his bedridden state, to determine if there is a swelling in the heart, causing the trouble with the lung, which is easy to fix and explains a lot. Please pay for this doctor. His name is Bruce and he lost his sweet 20-year-old daughter to cancer just a month ago and it was very hard for him to be here with all the “home health care” paraphenellia. I told him we would all be praying. Speaking of praying, thanks to so many of you for staying up last night and praying for today, I appreciate you. Amy is still in Texas and will be home early Monday. Thanks for holding my family close enough to call it your own. I appreciate you. My Sparrow is still very “fluffy,” and is the joy of Grandma’s heart. Love to you. Sandi
February 22, 2010
UCSF sent Donny home a year ago this week by ambulance to die. They said there wasn’t much hope and he didn’t have much time. BUT, here we are! Over the weekend, Donny took his oxygen mask off for three minutes. His oxygen levels only went down 2%. After he put the mask back on, he was able to move his legs, which he has not been able to do very easily or comfortably recently. We cannot always see what we believe, so we wait; thanks for waiting with us. I am reminded of Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego from the book of Daniel when they told the King that they would not bow to him, they would only bow to the Lord, even if it meant being thrown into the fire. Into the fire they went and there He was… Jesus, the Fourth man. May you see the “Fourth Man” in your trial today. Keep your eye on Him and He will lead you out. No matter what it looks like, He is STILL God.
“Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.” From Oswald Chambers in Run Today’s Race
March 1, 2010, from Amy
Donny doing OK… we are in a drifting place. Not really sure whats next. Some things are getting worse, some things are getting better. Imagine there are categories A B C D E and F. These categories represent all the facets of Donny’s health (like meds, physical activity, mental strength, etc). If he improves in category A,C,E but gets worse in B and D, his overall health is pretty much the same, but a totally different “the same” as before.
So there are many things operating at once and I’m not sure I’m drawing the right conclusions. Sandi and I were talking last night and kind of brainstorming… trying to categorize these last new/changing symptoms. We decided that we want to start pursuing a new Doctor. Dr. MOFFETT is awesome and has been so great, but my sense is that his brilliant influence has run its course. Plus, he’s an oncologist and is very busy with all of his cancer patients doing what he does best with them.
So, who do we get? A general practitioner, Internal Medicine, Pulmonologist, etc? We are scouting things out and just want more overall care… someone who gets and reads the weekly blood draws for Donny, fresh eyes, etc.
Anyway, that’s what going on… a lot of small things, nothing big.
March 2, 2010
Donny turns 29 on March 13th. As he lays in the living room in his hospital bed, I ponder. I ponder his life, his heart and God’s great purpose for him. Last night he was in such pain, all he could do was use what little oxygen he had and whisper out the name of Jesus over and over again. It is hard to watch, yet, awe inspiring to see one so young, hang on so hard to His Friend and Maker, Savior King.
I journal these notes for you, so that you will know the faithfulness of God in the midst of a storm. Whatever the storm is… God is there and God is faithful. We can’t live for the outcome, but instead, for the journey. This is the quest of our lives, to hold the hand of Jesus as He walks us down the road.
I realize that Donny has not been well enough to write to you on these updates and many of you have not had the privilege of knowing him or speaking to him. And, still you pray. He doesn’t mind if I share and so I will. Not too long ago, Donny was strong enough to send a few texts out on his phone and this is what he sent to me… I thought you would enjoy hearing his precious heart…
”Mama – I want you to know that I constantly acknowledge the sacrifice you and Dad make in my prayers. Consider your ministry to me as to anyone else and look for return, pressed down and shaken together, your cup running over. Thank you for not being afraid to teach me new things, even at 3 am! I know that God has been hard at work in all of us and I am thankful that we have been able to be faithful in this little bit that is placed before us. We have built trust amongst the mistrust of the world and the enemy’s plans and servants. I have loved watching us all maintain vulnerability before the Lord as He helps us to devolop and discern what is proper soil for His work in all of us through this trial of life. I am grateful for the opportunity to see the Lord’s unique perspective in each passing day as the Holy Spirit guides us through. I know that God’s healing power is always greater than any ordeal, whether the pain is emotional or physical, I am genuinely amazed at God’s strength of hand and power of heart in each of us. Thank you Mama for giving me a glimpse of what Jesus looks like.”
I heard back from Dr. Trevino tonight. He was the doctor who came to the house last week to examine Donny. He is our local family Doctor and a beloved man of God. He says that the “explosions” on Donny’s fingers is not Staph Infection and not a Bacterial Infection. It was brought on by all the nuclear medicine and mass amounts of antibiotics he has had to be on. He is off them now, but since his immune system is compromised, it will take awhile for it to build back up. Dr. Trevino says that some of what is going on with his fingers is a viral infection that has created warts (not like any I have seen…) that are preventing healing. He will come to the house today to burn them off. He is looking into a system to eliminate the “dead air spaces” in Donny’s airways as he feels this is preventing him from proper oxygen ventilation in his lungs. Brilliant man!
Also, I have written reports and am busy filling out paperwork to see about get Donny into a hospital program where they will not concentrate on his lungs, or the GvH or the Leukemia or the Bone Marrow Transplant, but rather, on why on earth he cannot breathe. Beyond the lungs… which by the way, sound and look perfectly normal, Amy and I, as the caretakers, have agreed that something has got to shift and we feel the Lord is providing a situation to help, we just have to find it and walk in it. I am faxing off papers this evening for the hospital staff review to see if a specialized Intesivist doctor will make Donny his case. The outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs are great, and I had hopes he would go there after this last hospital discharge, but it is not to be since, they are all “out patient systems” and now that Donny is entirely bedridden, those programs are not an option. So, we wait and we pray. And then there is the money… And then there is God!!!! Rejoice.
March 3, 2010, 11:00pm
The respiratory therapists came earlier today to modify the equipment to better fit Donny’s needs and put him through a couple of tests. We have been constant at his side trying to help him recover. His oxygen should be from 93-99% and heart rate is normally 90-110. His oxygen has been 90-91% and heart rate 140-160 for eight hours. In his condition, a heart rate of 135 can give him a heart attack. Please pray as Donny holds on.
March 4, 2010, 2:00am
Rushed Donny to the hospital by ambulance.
March 4, 2010, 10:00am
We are in ICU. Donny is in critical condition. He is in more pain than he can bear and because his heart rate is so high, he is unable to receive any additional pain medications. The doctors have found that Donny’s left lung is collapsed and that there is a secondary disease and infection in the bottom portion of the left lung which is bronchiatasis. Donny also has a bowel obstruction which is extremely painful. The doctor will be in by 1:00 p.m. this afternoon. They believe that they will have to intubate Donny which will put him on a ventilator machine that will breathe for him. This is an extremely dangerous procedure which they believe will expand his lung and help him get rid of the other problems with the lung. The doctor will be on a mission of discovery. When the doctor comes this afternoon, he will be doing a complete and total review of Donny’s condition. Please pray for the procedure.
March 4, 2010, 4:30pm
Intubation was successful. However, Donny is having a lot of trouble regulating the breathing from the machine, creating a lot of stress on him. The doctor discovered a variety of types and sizes of infections along with large areas of scar tissue and mucus plugs in his lungs, which the doctors are going to try to remove, and which appear to be a major cause of the lung collapse. All of this was brought on because the Graft vs. Host is still alive and is ANGRY. Donny is holding up, but is in an unbelievable amount of pain. I will be staying at the hospital until Sunday, when Amy can relieve me. Her dance company has a big weekend. Cynthia is here and is telling her bone marrow to shape up. I’ll update again in the morning on how the night goes.
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 7:00 pm, Donny became a citizen of Heaven.
The Last Donny Update, March 5, 2010 at 2:00 am
Donny had said all along that his 28th year something special was going to happen to him. He knew this since he was little. When he contracted Leukemia we all thought that meant he would be healed in his 28th year, but we find out the truth is that the Lord was trying to tell us that we only got him for 28 years.
Nine days before he turned 29, God came to collect Donny and was true to His word. Donny had a vision in the Intensive Care Unit of three angels that had left a garden and were coming to him. Almost at the same time a friend of mine had texted me a similar message. I spent the last night with him in the ER and all day today in the ICU with him and he asked me what I thought that meant. If it meant the angels were coming to bring his healing finally, or if they were going to take him home. I said, “Well what do you think?” He said, “Mom, the Lord has told me that I have done my job. So if he takes me… do not pray me back.” He said, “Mom, it will be tempting, but don’t do it.” He smiled at me in his Donny way and said, “Mama, if I go, let me be.”
Shortly thereafter they intubated him and stuck a tube down his throat and found that his lungs were unable to carry the weight of what they were trying to do. The doctors did a beautiful job, but Donny’s day was done and his time was up. He spent an entire day struggling to breathe and it was very, very painful for him… but he is out of his pain now. He has accomplished the purpose by which he came. Anyone who met Donny was always blessed by him. Anyone who read about Donny was always blessed by him, and we will be eternally blessed with our Donny stories and our Donny memories. He was clearly the most discerning and the wisest man I ever had the privilege to meet and I learned much from him. I had a great privilege of being his mother.
I had said before, “Donny, you can’t go. The Lord told me I would get grandchildren out of you.” Donny smiled and said, “I froze my sperm, Mom, remember? …before the total body radiation.” Donny looked at me and he said, “Mama I’m done. I really think I’m done.”
He said, “You have been a good Mama and I love you. Tell sister she is of my soul, and tell Dad he’s been a good Pop, and tell my Amy… she is my favorite thing.” I said, “Now, now Donny,” and held his hand and rubbed his feet and a few hours later my boy was gone.
Martin, Amy, Cynthia, Omar, and I prayed together. We held hands around Donny’s bed and embraced his broken frame. We rejoiced and thanked God that he had the privilege of comng and we had the privilege of knowing him. Each one of us shared our heart, shared our feelings together as we could feel Donny already beginning his next call. We thank the Lord with broken hearts. Each one of us had our alone time with Donny it was a very special time and I’m so grateful that the Lord afforded us this.
We rejoice in these things, knowing that the Lord has accomplished all the things, more, that he set out to do, and Donny said today, “Mom, remember that big tapestry that the angels made three-and-a-half years ago?” I said, “Yeah.” He said, “We always thought it was a tapestry the angels made and a vision for healing and they kept putting it on my lungs, you know.” I said, “Yeah, I always thought it was, but we were wrong. I think the tapestry was of pain.” He said, “Yes Mom, because I know sometimes people don’t understand but, going though pain… if you do it trusting the Lord to see you though… glorifies God. If the Lord was to take me, I just want to be sure, I just want to be sure that He’ll be able to tell me I did everything He told me to do. I don’t expect Him to tell me I did it good, but I do want to know that I tried and I want Him to know that I did my best.” Such a lionhearted bearcub of a boy. He’s been gone but a couple of hours and I miss him… as all of you do.
And so Donny asked me, “What do you think about the tapestry?” I said, “Well, I think you are right, because your lungs never gave you any trouble until they did that. Then you began to have lung trouble. It brought everybody around you closer to God. He said, “That’s what I always wanted. I told the Lord, ‘Whatever it takes to bring people closer to You, Lord.’”
He said, “I never minded my pain because I was being brought closer to the Lord and I had the privilege of bringing people with me.” It was a beautiful conversation we had this last week.
Please keep Cynthia in prayer. Her Irish Twin, her Irish twin brother Donny is gone and it seems her soul is broken right in half. Her tears are so heavy. So hot and heavy. They were only eleven months apart and they were very close.
Amy, his sweet wife, she will continue to stay here with us at the house and it is our joy to have her. She’s not sure what she is supposed to do. She’s… in love with Donny and that’s hard to reconcile. Her very bones are lonely for him. She was a good wife and a great caretaker.
Martin is absolutely beside himself and I’d ask you to pray for him as well.
Me, I’m doing fine. I laid on my boy for about an hour and kissed his face and took great pleasure in knowing if I squoze his hand too hard it didn’t hurt him, and I rubbed his hair and knew it wouldn’t make him short of breath. I know that this is for the glory of God because Donny told me it was.
So please glorify God and say what an amazing wonder that one could serve God through such pain. I told Donny last week, “Do you know the difference between bravery and courage?” He said, “No Mama, teach me.” I said, “Well bravery is what it takes for a person to go through a trial, but courage is what it takes for a person to get to the other side of the trial and praise God doing it.” I remember leaning over and kissing him and saying, “Donny, you have bravery and courage.”
My heart breaks because I miss my boy. My days and nights have been filled taking care of him. I’m not quite sure what I’m supposed to do. I know God will direct my path and He will guide my heart as He has always done. How good it is. How good it is to have a boy who beat me to heaven! Donny was always pushing me to a place of greater faith. Faith to know that the Lord would take care of everything and anything… and sure enough he did tonight, right about seven o’clock.
I thank God for every remembrance of him and of you. You have been faithful friends on the journey that I have gone through, and my whole family has gone through. Martin and I, and Cynthia and Omar, and Amy give you our love and our appreciation. Thank you so much.
We will have a viewing next week and a memorial service as well. It will be posted on the web and in the newspaper. Thank you again for everything.
May God bless you “more than you can hold,” as Donny would say.