Hi Sam--

Happy Valentine's Day to you!  Valentine's Day is all about love, so what a great day to celebrate what seems to have gotten all of you through this ordeal:  the incredible love of family (...faith, hope and love...the greatest of these is love).

I live in Oklahoma but spent much of last year home in Michigan, because my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  He spent many months at Covenant in Saginaw and then a nursing home rebuilding his muscles and learning to walk again due to being knocked off his feet for so long.  He was in and out of the Intensive Care Unit at the same time you were there.  In fact, the last time he was in ICU he was in your old room (you had gone to St. Joe's by then).  I like to think that there was still a little of your "mojo" or good vibes left in the room (Dad has worked his way up to walking with a cane now.)  It was a terrible time, but we got through it, ad it brought us all closer.  We saw your family at the hospital, but never spoke to them.  Didn't want to intrude on them at that terrible time, but since reading about your family on the website, I wish we would have let them know we were praying for you.  Your family is the coolest--goofy and fun-loving.  I realized from the pictures on the website that your Grandpa Howell goes to my parent's church in Vassar.  The priest would give him communion to take to your grandma.

I remember asking my parents who he was because he seemed like such a nice, kind man.  He's your grandpa!  What a small world.  I always wanted to thank him for something special he did but because he would leave mass early, never got to talk to him.  Two years ago I was at Rite-Aid in Frankenmuth with my young nephew.  Your grandpa walked in wearing shorts, thus the brace on his leg was visible.  My nephew stared at the brace, and your grandpa right away explained what it was, and told him to always look both ways when he crossed the street.  My nephew had just gotten lectured for running across the street without looking.  It didn't come to me until later that it was your grandpa because he wasn't wearing a suit!  He handled that situation just perfectly.  Pass my thanks onto him.

Sam--keep on doing what you're doing.  You work so hard at it.  Can't wait until you get back to school.  I think you are destined to do great things! 

Will keep track of your great process on the website and continue to pray for you all.

((((Hugs)))) to you all the way from Oklahoma!

Patty Howard Schreiner