Hi, cancer sucks

No I don't have it. It's my grandfather. Not the one here, but the one in Nashville. He went into the hospital sometime last week, complaining of feeling weak. His insides were eaten up by cancer. His stomach held the bulk of it. No one expected him to survive the 6 hour surgery required to remove his stomach and thoracic lymph nodes but he did. My grandfather is the single kindest man I've ever met and no one can think of anyone who doesn't like him. My grandmother (who wound up in the hospital as well) said back in the 50's there were a few people who saw him as a professional rival and didn't like him too well then --he was a nuclear health physicist in Atomic City, Idaho-- but no one has disliked him for 50 years. Not a bad track record, eh?

My grandfather is just like sherriff Andy Taylor; funny, humble and fair. He's better looking than Andy Griffith and is a hero to boot (won the Carnegie Medal of Heroism).

My grandmother was so upset about my grandfather, she landed herself in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer.

Interestingly enough, the hospital was built over the house where he and my grandmother met 53 years ago.

So I'm okay. I missed my special confirmation, which I've worked so hard for all year, but that's fine. The bishop will understand.

I'm exhausted mentally, physically and financially (it's a 14-16 hour drive from Austin to Nashville, with gas at $3 a gallon). I just arrived in town this morning and I'm going back on Thursday. I may be updating regularly, but then again, I may not.

So please, pray for comfort and health for my grandfather and those who love him.


Rhiannon