Home Sweet Home!

I am finally out of the hospital and back where I belong. I have many things to say to everyone so feel free to skim through the blog.

The one major realization that I learned during my 49 days in the hospital is that I am truly a blessed man. This blog is written to send out some thanks (in no particular order) and while you read you will realize (as I did) that I am a blessed man.

I first need to get this off of my chest. I would not be half the man I am today without my wife, and there is no way that I would have made it through this ordeal without her. She has done everything imaginable to make sure that I am not stressed out at the hospital, she has been my biggest advocate on all things, and has been an amazing mother to my children. My daughters have had some adjustments through this period, but it was their mother that made sure that they were taken care of.

I also want to thank my mom and my mother-in-law for stepping in and putting their lives on hold so easily to watch the kids so that Kelley could be with me when she needed to be. There are others that came to watch the kids at a moments notice and for that I thank you.

I want to also mention my neighbors. Because of them (and our church) my freezer is stocked full of food, my lawn looks perfect, and odd things around the house that Kelley could not do were taken care of. Thank you guys.

I'll move on know to the rest of my family and friends. I received (while in the hospital) so many gifts, cards, emails, etc from people that live all over the country. I received get well wishes from Pennsylvania to Arizona. It is amazing how many wonderful people that care and I can't say enough how much those things brightened my hospital stay. Thank you so much. I am truly blessed with wonderful friends and loved ones even if I don't get to see them often.

Next I want to talk about something a little different. My church congregation has taken many forms during my stay. I was truly overwhelmed by the support that my church family gave. From the visits by the pastors with communion to the prayer quilt that I received with the thousands of prayer knots tied in it just for me. Kelley and I are so lucky to have a church that really does believe that its congregation is a family and we are blessed to be a part of that family. Thank you Lord of Life.

Many of you (and I do mean many of you) took time out of your lives to visit me in the hospital. Some of you visited when I was in an "ok" situation and some visited when I was really sick. Those visits meant the world to me because each time it made me realize that God has given me so much and that he now is showing me first hand how many blessings I have in just the number of people that care about my welfare. I will never be able to thank you all for those visits, they meant so much.

Finally I want to give the glory of all this to God. Many people asked me during my stay how I was doing mentally, but I always told them that God is keeping me in good spirits by showing how many blessings I have. I had some real bad days in the hospital and there is no doubt that I was really sick, but at no time did I feel left or forsaken. Thank you to all you that did so much for me and my family. It is because of all of you that I am a blessed man.