Newsletter for December 27, 2012
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving
"At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." ~ Albert Schweitzer
Thanksgiving blessing from November 22.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Open for Relationship & Dinner
The Gathering has gone national. Last Saturday's San-Angelo Standard Times article The Gathering: Open Doors, Open Hearts was picked up b the national UCC office and has been included in the denomination's weekly email - KYeP. Pretty cool, huh? It's not been archived, yet, and I've not figured out how to link to it on ucc.org, but if you're interested in signing up for KYeP (Keeping You e-Posted), here's that link. The article was also referenced in this week's South Central Conference (conference of which we are a part) e-newsletter.
We've gotten a lot of
positive response from local folks as well as UCC people near and far.
Many thanks to Sylvia for telling her reporter daughter Becca
about The Gathering, and many thanks to Becca and Kimberly (the
photographer) for a great article and pictures.
This
coming Sunday, July 8, begins our July Gathering Dinners. We'll gather
at 5:30 at Nancy York's house to share dinner and
conversation. If you've not signed up but want to participate, come
on! There's always room at the table and in The Gathering. If you'd
like to contact Nancy about the menu, feel free to email her: nly1@verizon.net.
Karen
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sending Sympathy, Love and Support
Gatherers,
Someday soon I hope to get back
to sending interesting, colorful, festive, informative, and inspiring
weekly e-newsletters (I'm hoping the e-newsletters used to be all those
things). At the beginning of this transplant journey, Isobelle
graciously offered to help with the e-newsletters, but I thought
managing them was no big deal. Hah! In the past 2 months, I've
definitely run up against the hubris of thinking I can do everything.
Perhaps I also keep hoping for some routine and predictability in this
chaotic time, and managing the e-newsletters symbolizes that. What's
the quote - hope springs eternal? Well, I may be hoping, but routine
and predictability have not yet returned, so maybe one day soon I'll get
out an interesting, colorful, etc, e-newsletter but not
today.
Thank you for your prayers and
thoughts during the past couple of weeks. Neil's father, Thomas G.
Snipes, Sr, died early Saturday morning, June 2. The graveside service
was Sunday afternoon, in a beautiful country cemetery outside Mt.
Vernon, TX. For most of the gathered family and friends, this was their
first opportunity to see Neil post-transplant (after all, it's only
been 8 weeks), and the first opportunity in many months to see him at
all because of his travel restrictions while on the transplant list. So
as is often the case, but perhaps more obvious this Sunday, gathering
for a death was also an opportunity to celebrate life.
We
were in San Antonio by early Tuesday morning for post-transplant clinic
and finally returned to San Angelo Wednesday night. While it's been a
full and tiring several days, we're very glad Neil and I were able to be
present with
his siblings and other family members for his father's burial. We
appreciate your continued care as we begin transitioning to life without
Tom.
As to Sunday's Gathering, Dick
Marine is planning the service. He says it's going to be very unusual,
surprising, and different, so don't miss it. I've lost track of days,
but I believe this is the second Sunday of the month; if so, there's no
potluck this Sunday. At this time, I don't know the designated offering
recipient.
You are a wonderful community -
holding each other in love and care, providing a witness of compassion
and justice to the San Angelo area, seeking to be a vibrant inclusive
progressive faith community in a conservative traditional community.
None of these is particularly easy; all together they are quite
challenging. Kudos to you for keeping after all of it.
Grace
and peace,
Karen
The Gathering sends our heartfelt sympathy to Karen, Neil and all who loved Neil's father. We hold you close in our hearts and keep you in our prayers.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Neil 10 Days Post-Transplant
It feels like a miracle happened within The Gathering. Saturday night, April 21:
"Hello to all--how nice to be able to do this today myself. I was discharged from the hospital Thursday afternoon. Karen and I drove to Kerrville where her parents are so nice to offer us respite. I feel gratitude and appreciation for my good fortune--it is quite humbling. We likely will stay in Kerrville for awhile as it is only 60 miles to the hospital front door. There is a post-trans clinic every Tuesday morning at 730 am. Thanks, many thanks to all that have called and written with encouragement and support." - Neil
Karen - I'm impressed with Neil's determination to be as healthy as possible. His efforts before transplant have greatly contributed to his remarkable recovery so far. His determination to follow protocol and get well since the surgery is incredible. In his meditation practice before transplant, he was attempting to develop an attitude of surrender to the change and compassion for the task. It seems this practice has helped his body release his old lungs and receive the new lungs.
Certainly there have been and will continue to be "hiccups" (his word) in the journey, and, as he reminds me, we're only 10 days post-transplant. The transplant team stressed that the first several months post-transplant can be volatile for lung transplant patients, and we know he is far from "well." But it does seem his new lungs like their new body, and his body likes his new lungs. My father said, "This seems to be a match made in heaven." That said, we are also humbled by and grateful for the commitment of his original lungs to his well being - for as sick as they were, they worked so hard on his behalf.
We've already had so many learnings in all areas - physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, communal - and we continue to be appreciative of the many ways you are caring for us and holding us in Divine Healing and Light. Thank you.
Namaste,
Karen
Neil's Transplant Surgery and Recovery
Thursday, April 12: Thank you all for your prayers, messages of support and encouragement, and good wishes. Neil and I have experienced a profound sense of love and care and Divine presence through the many ways you have offered these to us. Thank you.
The story in a nutshell:
Neil had a double lung transplant Wednesday, April 11 at the University Hospital, San Antonio, TX. The transplant went very well, though of course, there were some surprises. One was that his right lung had gotten so large (due to disease process, scar tissue, etc) that it somehow adhered to his right rib cage. This meant the surgeon had to scrape his right lung from his rib cage to remove it. Because of this, he had some additional bleeding, lots of additional pain, and probably some things I don't know about, but the task was accomplished. Apparently the left lung was much easier to extract.
He went to the transplant ICU Thursday morning about 1:00 am. By 6:00 am he was awake and responding appropriately to commands. By 10 he was motioning that he really wanted the ventilator withdrawn. Standard procedure is that a double lung transplant patient stay on the ventilator at least 24 hours. Neil was doing so well that they removed it by 2 pm this afternoon. By 4, he was sitting up in a chair, which he did for about 2 hours.
Naturally he hurts, is confused and forgetful, and goes to sleep easily. But when I left tonight about 9, he was not even on oxygen, and his oxygen saturation level was at 93%. Unbelievable!
I don't know how many surgeons, anesthesiologists, respiratory therapists, cardiologists, pulmonologists, residents, fellows, interns, students of every kind, and incredible transplant nurses we've met, and they are all amazed at how well he is doing (and at his determination). If all goes well tonight, he will probably be moved out of ICU Friday and into a regular transplant hospital room.
When the surgeon visited with me Wednesday night, he said, "His lungs were a mess! They needed to be replaced." We are so grateful for the gift of life Neil's received and know it's because of the death of someone else. We hold the family of the donor in our prayers as they grieve and give thanks that in their pain and trauma, they shared life with us.
We appreciate your continued thoughts, prayers, good wishes, hugs, and all the other ways you are holding us close.
With love and appreciation,
Karen
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Irish Blessings
Newsletter for March 15.
So let's dance as if no one's watching, sing as if no one's listening, and live everyday as if it were our last. --Old Irish Blessing
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