Looking deep inside

Well, I have some more news from the Hematologist. She called last week and we talked about the size of my spleen (it is still getting bigger) and she also said she heard from the folks in Seattle. They have narrowed the search down to a group of people and gotten the DNA matching done. I’d assume that this is why they needed samples from Mom and Dad… Although this by no means indicates that they have a match, they are a LOT closer and progress is being made. This has caused a bit of a stir in the house as the reality of the transplant taking place has drawn even closer now. I have told you all before what a big deal this is and the risks involved… it’s certainly not the ideal situation but the best option as the only other option is to do nothing and wait for the end… Sucks but what’s a fella to do? I am getting weekly transfusions to try to get the count back up to a better level. I am still of the mind that it’s directly related to my overexertion hiking up mountains, but what do I know? -rolls eyes- I guess time will tell…

In other news, my friend Todd (he was the best man in my wedding) is flying back to Phoenix from Dubai, and Sarah and I are going to drive down to visit with him for a couple days. We have not seen him since our tour in the Air Force. It’s been too long friend, WAY too long! Also while we’re down in that neck of the woods we are going to meet with our new FaceBook friend Maddie. This will be the first real life meeting with her but I know it will go well, she’s good people.

And now on to the meat of this update, a look deep inside. I have been getting a lot of emails lately extolling the shortcomings of our current President and quite frankly, it makes me sad. Why you ask? Because people are saying so many bad things about a person they know nothing about. Do any of us know him? Have any of us ever been President, or even a Congressman for that matter? And just how does passing along an email with such negativity really accomplish anything? Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m just as fed up and disgusted with the way things are going as the next dude, but this is no way to fix our problems… We have to band together and put silly differences and labels aside. We have to try to affect REAL CHANGE! The fact of the matter is, he IS the President and like it or not he WILL be for a few more years. The problems we as a nation face are complicated and numerous and with all the people that are in office, whether Congressmen, or Representatives, the President or what have you, there is no easy solution. If you think there is, by all means please share it with the rest of us. We could sure use it about now… And for the record, passing along silly emails is NOT what I’m talking about. What I mean to say is that maybe we should all take a look deep inside and see what changes we can make in ourselves and work outward from there. I for one know I can be a better person, and not talking bad about someone I don’t even know is a good start. Next I think I’ll write a few letters and let my elected officials know how I feel. I have never done this before but it’s time for a change and it has to start somewhere, right? I know some of us get VERY emotional about some of these things but we have to find some common ground and be willing to compromise. We’re not all bad, some of us are just different and that makes us AMERICAN!

There was a time not so long ago when this country faced another economic crisis and we all set aside our differences and worked for the greater good. I know that was a different generation but surely we cannot have lost all that they learned in just 70 years, can we? When does it stop being about money and start being about helping one another? I have seen my fair share of “brotherly love” in the past couple of years, both giving and receiving, and it’s a very powerful thing. There is no greater gift to share than to give of oneself, whether it’s some food, an old tent you no longer have a use for, helping someone pay their bills, or just lending an ear to a friend or family member in need…

Look deep inside and see what you can do, I know I will.