Harborview Angels Seattle 2012

I cannot put into words how grateful I am to the people that treated me and took care of me at Harborview Hospital.  My friends and family over and over again told me how great they were.  I love you all and thank God for your healing hands.  I get teary just thinking about you and typing this.  OK maybe more than just teary.  It makes me cry.  I hope all who were involved in my care get to see this blog post at some point.  You were all such great support for my family and friends too.  Rumor has it one of you has been playing Hanging with Friends with my sister quite a bit.  This is Bonnie below and me.

 Mike loved her curly hair! I love her smile.  All you angels have perfect smiles.

 This is Dr. Hallam.  He performed the tricky surgery on my brain.  He said he was lucky.  HA !  Skilled is a better word I think.  I enjoyed meeting him.  He is a very kind man and his compassion flows out of him.

 More angels.  Sim and Kellie with Mike and me.  I heard a story just today about Sim dressing in clothes with a bunch of sparkles on them.  He was upbeat and positive and Kristin decided right there he was someone I would love. She was right.

 Katie, Brenda, Jackie and Bonnie.  Brenda talked a lot with my sister she said.  Played any good games of Hanging with Friends lately Brenda?  I would like to get in on that.

 Such special people.  You can see the joy coming from inside of them.  One thing that really touched me is that they were so happy to have me come visit.  I guess they dont' get to see how their patients recover often.  They are so joyful even though daily they deal with very sick patients.  They all work in the ICU.  They see death probably way to often.  But they treated my family and friends with joy and respect.  To do a job like this they have to be angels!  They are all a gift from God to me and my friends and my family.  Thank you thank you.  It isn't enough to say thank you.  I will never forget you.  I posted some pictures below of the things I have been able to do since I have been home thanks to your healing hands and the healing hands of God. Keep reading.

 Mike and I saw this as we walked out of the hospital.  When I woke up it was as if my life had been given back to me.  Very appropriate. There is a bird above the saying and if you know my favorite Bible verse you know why that was so cool to me.  Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31 Pretty awesome if you ask me.  It was as if the whole thing was there for me.

 Ok, here is one thing Mike and I like to do on the way home from Seattle.  Stop at this store outside of Ellensburg.  Glad I got to stop again.

 I love seeing that handsome smile.

 Ok, this is why I love to stop here.  Salt water taffy.  Tastes even better these days.

 This is the group I exercise with.  We call each other EAOD.  Elite athletes only different.  They all came to my first walk after my aneurysm.  Great friends.  Some of them might look familiar because they came to Seattle when I was in your hospital.

 Mile one done!

 We have a tradition to stop for coffee after our events.  We don't call anything we do races.  They are events.  This was my first post aneurysm walk and I walked 3 miles.  Slowly.

These are two very precious people.  I was in Coeur d alene and Mike was helping his son Stephen, my stepson, get packed up to go back to New Orleans.  His wife is Michel and she is unbelievably strong, beautiful, and loving.  Stephen played in the NFL for 8 years for the New Orleans Saints.  After he retired he was diagnosed with ALS.  The Team Gleason shirts you see in the pictures is one way he raises money for a foundation he has established to help others with ALS.  They might want to do river rafting and not have the money for it and Stephen's foundation helps them out.  Awesome.

I can walk for the ALS foundation and I do every year.  It is a fundraiser walk and you will see all that walked for Team Gleason below.  "We walk because we can", has new meaning for me this year. 

 First bike ride...10 miles 10 weeks after the aneurysm.

Kyle my stepson and Katie my darling daughter.  I get to love them now.

 Zip lining with my daughter Keri in the Rocky Mountains 3 months after the aneurysm. We rode 4 lines.  The longest was 1900 feet.  I was so scared before we started but what a rush it was.  I have always been a go for it person but this I wasn't sure of.  Glad I did it.

 My oldest daughter and Mark with the kids.  Grandkids.  I cry every time I think about how precious it is to be able to watch them grow up.

 This is in Colorado with my brother and wife.  I was so happy to see them.  I love them so much.

Now and forever I will get to hang out with my goofy sisters.  I am the only normal one in the group.  :-)

 Vacation in Breckenridge.   Priceless.

 Haven't gotten back in the water yet but I am headed for the pool next week.

Yes I ride a motorcycle.  Learned to ride at 54.  Not sure about this though.  Coming so close to not having life I an not sure this is something I want to do again.  Reserving making the decision until spring.  I am glad I am here to make the decision for sure.

 My favorite man Mike Gleason.  I get to go out to dinner with him and love him forever and love all his goofy ways.

 Layne and Lucy with grandma.  So sweet and I treasure every moment with them.

Rivers Gleason my grandson.  Stephen and Michel's son. 

This is my daughter's husband Justin.  Such a great dad.

 Kristin and her girls.  So happy to be with them!

 Finn and Sean Kyle and Kath's boys.  Grandsons. I don't see Kath and Kyle enough.  I love them!

Those who hope in the Lord will soar on wings with eagles!  I feel like I am soaring.  I thank you all for giving me my life back.  My family back and my friends back.  I thank God for healing me and for sending me to you for my care.  You are all so loved and I hope you know how much you are appreciated.  GOD'S ANGELS