[mannythedog]

POP UPDATE 17 MARCH, 2008
Hello,

I know that I am a day early with the Pop Update, but he was feeling really bad this morning. One of the few duties he has kept around the house is tending to the wood burning heater and doing the dishes after the meals. While he was doing the dishes this morning, he got really dizzy and lite headed. Mom had stated he looked pale when he got up; however, he continued his routine. Mom made him sit down and called the hospital.

The hospital performed his blood test one day early, and his Hemoglobin was at 7.5 and his Platelets were 13. He is scheduled for 2 units of blood and one unit of platelets tomorrow {3/18/08}. This should give him a boost for a while, but I fear that the need blood transfusions will be more frequent, sooner than later.

Now The Good News:

The blood drive for Pop is on for May 1st, 2008 at the local Ingles in Murphy, NC. from 2 pm to 7 pm. I had tried to get his church to sponsor it, and mom attempted to get the pastor to give dad a communion around last Christmas, well, the church, and the woman they appointed to head the project dropped the ball on the whole shooting match. I had all the leg work done, all I needed was a sponsor with a parking lot. Well, God did answer prayers. My wife Angie was talking with her friend Angie,{I know, I know, it can be confusing}, about the difficulties over the last 2 1/2 months getting things put together, and in less than a day, the other Angie, got the blood drive put together, and sponsored by the Murphy High School Bull Dogs Quarterback Club; furthermore, her husband Kenny is a pastor at the Maltby Baptist Church. He felt it would be a honor to go to my fathers house and give him communion with his family on Easter Sunday after church. So, with just a mention of issues, every thing got handled in less than a day by people that care. That act of kindness gave my father such a boost.

This evening I stopped by after work to talk with him, we average 5 nights a week, he looked rough, kind of like he just run a marathon, but his spirits were up. He said he told the nurses at the hospital that he needed to hang in for Angies graduation in May, my wife went back to school, and what had transpired with the blood drive, and the nurses stated they were going to hang up posters to notify everyone. He was very humbled by all the people that really didn’t know him to step up to the plate to support him.

My father has been, and is a very proud man, one that did all the planning and organizing for people in just his condition. I told him to relax and let someone else do the driving for a change. "Pay It Foreword." I get it.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my beautiful wife Angie for her devotion and caring for my father; Kenny and Angie White for being there and being such good friends; B.J. Thompson, President of the Murphy Bull Dog Quarterback Club for being who she is; Kimberly Wheeler of Blood Assurance of Chattanooga, TN for being so patient; Ingles of Murphy NC. for the parking lot; My employers for being so understanding and All of those that are willing to bleed for my father and everyone else who needs your help.

It’s not until your a part of something like this that you realize there is just not enough blood donors. I have had such an education. I am sorry that it had to be under these circumstances, but the need is there.

GIVE PLENTY, GIVE OFTEN.

Scott

Proud to be
Son Of Bob