MAY 27, 2023 – Two Year Update

THANK YOU

Thank you, Father in Heaven, for healing me. I appreciate every day the things I get to do, and I enjoy them more than ever! Thank you, Jesus, for creating me the way I am and restoring me to health. Thank you, Spirit of God, for coming alongside the past two years as I have continued to get better.

Thank you, my sweet wife, Mary, who kept all of you updated during my illness and during my rehab. Every day gets better and better!

Thank you again to all those who prayed for me to recover from Covid-19. I have discovered more and more about what was happening (unknown to me) behind the scenes of my recovery. I have learned about the hundreds of people who united in prayer to ask God to heal me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am humbled by your concern for me.

TWO YEARS

It’s been two years since the drive home from Upland Rehabilitation Hospital. I will remember always the people who lined Sapphire Street with posters and balloons. Next week, I will visit Upland Rehab to thank, once again, my nurses and therapists. (And there may be doughnuts involved.)

GROWING STRONGER EVERY DAY

This past year, I have grown stronger and stronger each day. I do not bruise as easily. I do not tire as easily. My golf game has not really improved, but I am using a driver instead of a three wood on the tees… and hitting it straight half the time! My stamina is increasing to the point where I can play 18 holes most times. Normal activities have returned – mowing the lawn, washing my truck, baseball games and student plays.

WALK THIS WAY

My daily walks continue – a distance of 3.5 miles.

GUITARS and SINGING

My voice is getting stronger, too, and I added two notes to my vocal range. On January 9, I released a digital CD called “Miracle” with some songs that reflect my experience as I suffered under and recovered from Covid-19. I have another project in the pipeline called “Potter Lane” – a collection of songs that I wrote, but never recorded. This project will include three songs I wrote in my twenties when I lived in Sacramento. All of my stuff is on the major streaming services.

I am playing and singing with The Silverados again, but this will be my last year doing so. The schedule and the heat of outdoor concerts in the summer take a toll on me. It’s been a good, long, 30-year run, but all good things eventually come to an end. More about this as the summer progresses.

I continue to lead music at Celebrate Recovery and Hillside Community Church, Rancho Cucamonga Bible studies. A small team of five musicians (bass, drums, electric guitar, harmonica, vocals) help me do this, and this has become one the musical surprises of the past year.

WEIGHT

I gained five pounds over the year… mostly from spaghetti. I’m up to 185 lbs. from 156 two years ago.

FEET and LUNGS

My health continues to improve. My feet are less numb than a year ago, and I can breathe comfortably up to an altitude of 4,500 feet, but at that height I need to focus on my breathing techniques. My sense of taste continues to veer toward the spicy – this was not true pre-Covid. I have noticed that it takes me about three weeks to recover from a cold. I am involved in a Long-Covid study with John Hopkins which involves a thirty minute survey every four months.

KIDNEYS and EYES

My kidneys were affected by Covid, and I have lost a little function over the year. I have to drink lots of water and watch my protein intake. Due to the high protein intake necessary to heal my pressure sore, I developed a cataract in my left eye at an alarming rate. I barely passed the vision portion of my driver license renewal in January. It progressed rapidly over the last few months, but cataract surgery in July will restore my vision.

Thank you again for your prayers. I highly treasure them all.