I was not able to write my article last week because I was in the hospital with chest pains on Monday afternoon and home on Tuesday evening. My doctor admitted me because of my symptoms and family history. My father died of a heart attack at age 51 (I was 16 years old) and sister Betty at age 53, and my mother and brother had pacemakers. The treadmill test and other reports indicated I did not have a heart attack but strained muscles. The prior week, I dug, pulled and transferred plants and shrubs from one side of my porch to the other side. There was one large shrub I wasn't able to move. My pain started two days after this, so I did not associate this with my problem. My daughter brought her computer to the hospital and worked to be with me. That was comforting and helpful. She followed me home (oh yes, I drove to the hospital) and put that shrub in place and reminded me that I was 81 and should not do heavy yard work.
This weekend, I will put flow-ers on graves of six relatives in Dresden and in Millersburg, my two babies graves that died shortly after birth.
I have accepted to be the President of the Jefferson High School Alumni that meets yearly. This years alumni is Saturday June 25th. The speaker is Retired U.S. Marines Major General David Bice. He served in Vietnam, Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is a 1963 graduate of Jefferson High School. Retired General Bice is one of the 76 Veterans in Words From The Heart by my classmate Patricia Tyson Redmond with Sally Thompson Prouty. Also in the book is our classmate Retired U.S. Army Sergeant E-5 George Miller and Patricia's husband, Deceased U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Robert Albert Redmond.
The past two mornings, I have woken up with a song singing "All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so, good. With every breath that I am able, Oh I will sing of the Goodness of God!"