Patrick's Personal Message

I wanted to give you an even clearer picture of what an amazing man Patrick is.  He lost his mother to breast cancer when he was 15 years old. 

Facebook post from Patrick on November 1, 2013

Seventeen years ago we lost you and yet for seventeen years you have helped us to find you. I know exactly where you have been over the past week. Thank you for being at Jamie's side. To our Guardian Angel up in Heaven, we love and miss you Mom. P.E.S, 11-1-1996.

I had to include the post below on my blog.  It is the only time that Patrick has ever written about his feelings to someone other than me since my stroke. My stroke is not easy on him but he is so strong.  I don't think I will ever stop being a bit angry at God for hurting him so deeply twice in his lifetime.  It just will never make sense to me no matter how anyone tries to explain it to me or justify it.  It just simply isn't fair.


Facebook post from Patrick on November 15, 2013

These past three weeks have been like no other weeks that I have had in my thirty-two years on this earth. It was almost exactly three weeks ago to this minute that I walked in from the living room to the bedroom after watching the world series game, laid down my head to rest, only to have Jamie roll over and say, "There's something wrong, We need to go to the hospital". With those words it all began.

A rushed drive to the hospital, a dazed look on my face as I saw the helicopter take off, pacing up and down the ER in Iowa City, spending three days in the ICU. It is all a blur.

All I can say to you tonight is what I have been saying to a hundred people a day since, its Thank You. Thank you for your prayers (they have worked and continue to work), thank you for your support, thank you for your messages and cards, thank you for the simple hug so many of you have extended. Its Thank You.

My perspective, my views, my thoughts, my faith....they have been altered...this situation has shown me how incredibly lucky I am to have Jamie still by my side...to be able to kiss our kids good night together, to be able to know we have a second chance at this. So many times in life I got caught up worrying about so much that didn't matter...I've learned it truly doesn't matter!!

If anything, tomorrow as you wake up and if you choose to read this message, close your eyes take a deep breath and realize how incredibly lucky you. Lucky for the spouse you have, lucky for the children you have, lucky for the career you've made, lucky for the faith you have, lucky for the gauntlet you're about to do, lucky to be alive. Don't take any day for granted. Do better today. Be better today. If you've made it this far in my message, thank you...just needed to get this out there.

Don't take anything for granted, for you never know when God may point you in a different direction.

God Bless. Thanks for listening.