Odyssey

Disclaimer: I wrote this back in May, 2012. I marked it Private, but have now marked it Public for both Crazy Chester readers…

I decided to blog about the trips. On the first one, we left home at 9:25 AM after fueling up on cheap(er) Maryland gas. I called the arrival time at 6:30 PM. Mrs. Chester was not feeling real great so I just let her sit and rest for a while.
We headed west on I-70 all the way across Maryland. Mrs. C revived quite a bit and called 6:45, thereby boxing in my time. This is a time-honored strategy in the road game of “Guess what time we will arrive”.

I took us out I-68 to Cumberland, then tried to take US 40 up to 70. Got us goofed up in the back hills of PA and we bushwhacked our way up to Washington, PA where we finally picked up 70 West. We passed General Braddock’s grave and bought gas at Keyser’s Ridge.

We got into Columbus around 7, so I lost the game. Checked into the hotel and ordered delivery from an Italian restaurant.

Today, May 4 we visited OSU Medical Center and met a lot of folks. Info was very good but there was a lot to process. Time to come clean on the whole Mrs. Chester ordeal: Mrs. Chester has cancer, if you haven’t already figured that out. We got her into a clinical trial at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. This is Phase 3 of a new study drug, that we hope will work really well for Mrs. Chester.

On this trip, we stayed two nights in Columbus, then drove back to PA. Looks like future trips will have to be once a week, if we are accepted into the study.

Back on the blog….at least for a while

“Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been? It’s alright we know where you’ve been.
You’ve been in the pipeline, filling in time,
provided with toys and Scouting for Boys.
You bought a guitar to punish your ma,
And you didn’t like school, and you know you’re nobody’s fool,
So welcome to the machine.”

Mrs. Chester has been really sick, and anyone who knows me personally knows what that means. Oh I’ve been filling in time – I know every single crack and line on the road from here to West Chester. I could drive that road backwards, in my sleep without a mirror, and still arrive in one piece.

It’s no one’s fault. Nobody WANTS to get a serious illness. It just happens, sometimes. Not genetic. Not lifestyle. Not living over a toxic waste site. It just happens. So you deal with it.

Welcome to the machine.

No More Tin Grin

Finally got the braces off. Boy, do my teeth appreciate that! I still have to wear a retainer at night, and I have a permanent one put in my lower teeth, but it’s way better than those brackets and wires.

After nearly 50 years of crooked teeth, I finally have straight ones. I don’t mind smiling for pictures now. And a big shout out goes to my orthodontist, Smedley Orthodontics of West Chester, Downingtown and Coatesville. This ortho practice was the one of the most efficient, friendliest and easiest places to work with I have ever experienced. They were great from the first visit, always checking to make sure things were going well, giving me updates on the progress. Dr. Larry and Dr. Chris were really outstanding, and their staff of technicians were also really gentle (well, as gentle as they could be) and fun to work with.

I thank the Lord for the people I have found

While Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Sons of bankers, sons of lawyers
Turn around and say good morning to the night
For unless they see the sky, but they can’t and that is why
They know not if it’s dark outside or light

I thank the Lord for the people I have found
I thank the Lord for the people I have found
- “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” – Elton John

I thank the Lord for the people I have found. Mrs. Chester is going through the roughest patch of her life right now, and the people I have found have been like family to us. Helping in every way possible.

So Thank YOU to the people I have found.

 

Where in the heck have I been?

M.I.A. Gone-zo. Half of of time I’m gone but I don’t know where.

Well, I do know where. I’ve been right here, thinking about the blog, and the blogosphere. Sometimes reading the news, catching up on world and local events. But mostly, I’ve been home, taking care of Mrs. Chester.

She really got nailed with some gnarly health issues, from last December until, well, now. I won’t go into details, but she’s better now, on the mend and on the long slow road back from health oblivion.

Let me take a minute to publicly thank all the folks who really stepped up and helped me. I could not, and did not, do this thing alone. First, our Home Church members were outstanding – they prayed with us and for us, brought us meals, picked up the little Ninja from school and drove her to the karate gym, visited Mrs. Chester in the hospital, and generally were very supportive. So thank you guys, for all you did.

Speaking of the little Ninja, she really helped out too. Mostly around the house, doing the dishes and laundry so I could keep the bills up to date and visit Mrs. Chester as often as possible until she came home.

My son was very helpful once we got Mrs. Chester home, since he works nights and I work days. We took turns taking care, doing round-the-clock rotations for the first couple of weeks. I found that sleep is overrated.

Finally, our church at large was also a big help. Some members came to the hospital, others kept up the prayer vigil to see her through the darkest hours we have ever known. I don’t know if this over, but I do know what darkness and light look like. I’ll stick with the light, thank you Jesus.

Praise God she is feeling better.

Peace – Chester

My Tai is very Chi

So I started taking a Tai Chi class. Mainly because it’s:
A. Free
B. At my work site
C: At 7:00 AM one day a week.

Don’t miss any work, learn a new skill, get some fitness while I am at it. Perfect. Just like the Krav Maga classes I took previously, it really helps me to learn something while I am doing some kind of exercise.

Here’s the deal: Tai Chi is pretty interesting. The instructor, Vistoria, explains everything very well. The class pace is nice and slow, yet builds on the previous material. I am trying to practice at home between classes.

And here’s the other deal: It DOES relax and energize you. I recommend this to all couch potatoes like myself who need to get some exercise, but can’t see themselves on a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

Oh yeah – I actually started working out at the company gym too, mainly because I need to, and also because the company has incentivized me to do so. 3 days a week, for about 45 minutes total – 20 minutes of StairMaster and VH1, and 25 minutes on the Nautilus equipment. Plus an extra 30 minutes on Tai Chi day.

Question: Have you ever tried any Martial Arts? How about Marital Arts? They’re very similar – lots of sparring.

Peace – Chester

Tin Grin – part 2

Update, almost a year to the day: My teeth are nearly completely straight! The uppers are completely straight, and the lowers have the last tooth sliding into place, turned the right direction and lining up nicely. I’ll probably need to wear a retainer but so what? I actually don’t mind smiling anymore – except after meals, of course.

Peace and brackets – Chester

Wreckin’ Silly – Ation (Reconciliation)

Or – here come some Health Care, ready or not!

So, the President has ordered all your Congress Critters to perform some Reconciliation magic on the Health Care Reform bills in the House and Senate. This is because reforming Health Care, about 17% of the ENTIRE US Economy, is more important than anything else!

Do you believe that? Some polls show that people support certain items included in the Health Care bills, and the Democrats sprinkled some Republican “ideas” or “nuggets” into the bills to make them bi-partisan, but come on – really? How are we going to pay for this?

It’s now or never, the Prez sez. I say, back to drawing board, Congress Critters. I know you can do better. But first, please break down the problem we are trying to solve into digestable chunks. Rising premiums – yeah, got that. 31 millions Americans without ANY health insurance – OK, I got that too. But after that, it starts getting a little murky. What about malpractice lawsuit caps? Texas has ‘em, seems to work pretty well.

So how about it folks? Is it really now or never? And can we really afford to make it now or never?

“Your healing Word, I receive”

The below description is from the Healing Rooms of Chester County. These folks provide an amazing Christ-centered spiritual healing experience. One location is currently hosted by Avondale Presbyterian Church in Avondale, PA:

” The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person”

Vision:  The vision for the Healing Rooms of Southern Chester County is to offer the healing power of Jesus Christ through prayer to all who are sick.  We do this in the context of a clear presentation of the Christian Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit.

What is the “Hearling Rooms of Southern Chester County” ?  The Healing Rooms of Southern Chester County is a multi-church ministry of prayer to heal the sick and impact our communities with the love and power of Jesus Christ.

We are not a counseling ministry, church, pastoral ministry or a medical unit of any kind.  We are a ministry of prayer based on biblical truths concerning healing that comes through the saving power of God in Jesus Christ.  We are a Christian ministry that is biblically orthodox in our basic beliefs.

So if you are in need of some spiritual healing along with your physical healing that may be taking place, drop by on a Saturday morning. Please consider supporting this ministry financially if you feel led to do so.

Assaulting The Gates of Hell

“You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down” – Tom Petty

²⁸Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  - Matthew 10:28 (New International Version)

Mrs. Chester has been going through some tough times over the last few months. She is a Bible teacher and small group leader in our church, and regularly leads Bible studies. She has been called to this mission ever since she became a Christian over 20 years ago.

Now she is engaged in a great struggle, where the One mentioned above in Matthew has attacked her with ferocity. She fought back hard, but was wounded in the fight. Now she is recovering, but will need time to heal. For those of you who are Christian, please pray for her that she is healed completely so she can return to the fight. She will not give up, and she will not back down. Those who know her know this is true.

Peace to all of you – Chester