Category Archives: family

Dec 22

JIMM 099 – Running the Gamut

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SUMMARY

+ Running the gamut of emotions in this episode. Well, a little sadness at the beginning, and mostly joy after that.
+ Uncle Walt, Christmas Play, Keisha when she was 3 years old, and, it’s Christmastime
+ Press play. Dan and Keisha - Christmas 1998

LISTENING OPTIONS

MUSIC

Music from the Podsafe Music Network (PMN) and other places.

Title (with link to iTunes or other place to purchase, if available)Artist (with link to the artists’ website, if available)Album (with link to Amazon.com or CDBaby.com, if available)
Number One FanNumber One FanChristmas Is Here – Single (USA)
Almost FlewJeff CaylorOkay
Bring a Torch, Jeanette IsabellaMotherlodevia PMN
MonkeyTwo Loons for TeaNine Lucid Dreams
The Wassail SongJim Goodrichvia PMN

The Journey Inside My Mind theme is “Up and Go” by Rory

Other Links

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Dec 01

Busy Weekend for Us

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We have a busy weekend here at JIMM HQ, aka, the Johnson family. Today Keisha and I are heading to church for a 6-hour dress rehearsal for the Christmas play, which is a week from tomorrow. After that, there’s a cast party.

Mom is on her way into town. My cousin Laura is picking her up from the airport, and she’ll be staying with them tonight. Jennie works tonight, so on her way home tomorrow morning, she’ll pick up Mom from Aunt Pat’s.

Mom will come with us to church, where I’m setting up some A/V stuff, play rehearsal, and sax rehearsal. I’m on tap to play a solo during communion.

After that, we’re heading over to Julie’s house to hang out for some food and family time; also getting memorial stuff together for the funeral on Monday.

The Pod 5 will be recording live Sunday night, and I may or may not show up, for obvious reasons. Jennie works Sunday night, too.


(Picture of Loraine Mitchell, her son Walt Mitchell, and her grandson Ken Mitchell, circa 1970)

The viewing is on Monday from 10-Noon. After that the funeral procession will make its way up, stopping by Walt’s house for one last visit at home. He so much wanted to go home so Ken and Julie felt he would appreciate this. Immediately following the graveside, we’ll head back to Julie’s house.

Early Tuesday morning, I’ll take Mom back to the airport.

Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers. I know we all really appreciate it.

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Nov 28

Uncle Walt taken off life support

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Mom just called and left us a tearful message on our answering machine:

Hey kids, Kenny just called, and they had to pull the life support today. It’s in the process of being over. Pray that he has a peaceful passing. When I know anything else, I’ll give you a call.

It’s always been in God’s hands.

Last night the doctors were talking about doing a tracheotomy on him, and Ken and Julie discussed it with each other. They were concerned about it leading to another thing, and then another thing after that. They were concerned that his overall quality of life would be nil.

I guess we’ll find out what happens as it happens.

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Nov 22

Update on Uncle Walt – not good

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Just got this from my Mom. Janet was Uncle Walt’s wife, who passed away about 4 years ago.

Ken just called with terrible news.
Walt is in full septic shock. his white blood count is extremely high and he has a high fever. They are giving him megadoses of every possible antibiotic they can. They also have him on full blown diaysis.They are willing to risk his kidneys to save his life.

We are being told to prepare for the worst.

I still believe in miracles and he will have one if that is God’s will.

If not I pray for a peaceful passing to the other side where I know Janet, Mom and Dad will be waiting for him.

I still believe anything’s possible, and God definitely has a plan. Please pray also for my cousins Ken and Julie, and their families. They’ve been going through this with their Dad.

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Nov 22

Uncle Walt Update – We Could Use A Miracle

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Yesterday I updated Journey Inside My Mind with some urgent news about my Uncle Walt Mitchell, who has been having complications related to his recent heart transplant. I mentioned I’d update again once I’ve heard anything else.

Here’s an update my Mom emailed last night at 9 PM Eastern to friends and family:

Ken just called and said they opened Walt up, and his chest cavity was filled with blood. They presently have his chest cavity packed and have basically left his chest wall open and covered with a dressing.

They know they have to go back in but are hoping they can hold off until sometime Friday to give his body some chance to recover. Today he has received 20 litres of blood.

He has spiked a 102 F fever now too.

He did come to at one point and was able to shake his head and mouthed “I love you” to the kids.

They are keeping him heavily sedated, of course.

The docs told the kids with all the technology, all the medications, and all the skill, it has pretty much come down to a crap shoot.

Ken said it’s pretty much coming down to a miracle, and I told him my God is in the miracle-making business.

Keep praying. Prayer has brought him this far, and it can bring him through this.

I love all of you and want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. Maybe we will get better news tommorow.

I continue to be amazed at how much something like this brings people together. Our family is so encouraged and inspired to know that you are praying. Please keep it up.

I’ll be sure to post back when I get any news.

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Nov 21

Uncle Walt Update – Heart Transplant with Complications

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Mom sent an email last night with the following update on my Uncle Walt:

Ken just called. The new heart is in, but Walt is bleeding profusely. And he is filled with infection. They just now are taking him back in to surgery again to try to stop the bleeding and figure out what to do about the infection. The doctors are not optimistic but as we have learned The Great Physician can do anything.

Please keep praying.

I was just chatting with her, and she added:

The doctors have taken him back to the OR to try to stop the bleeding. This was in the past hour. If ever Walt needed prayer this is it. I haven’t slept all night. People all over are praying.

Ken said he’d call tonight (around 7 PM Eastern) with an update unless something worse has happened. So let’s hope I don’t hear from him until after 7.

Thank you all so much for having remembered my Uncle Walt in prayer; please keep praying. I’ll be sure to post an update here when I get news.

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Nov 08

Update on My Uncle Walt – Please keep praying

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My Uncle Walt Mitchell has been in a Cleveland Hospital for complications related to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. His Mom died from this when she was about his age. His brother and son also have this condition. More background info can be found at Update on My Uncle Walt – Prayer request. He was recently placed on a mechanical heart.

I got this update from my Mom, his sister, a couple days ago:

Ken just called. Walt had to have another surgery today. Apparently he had a lot of fluid building up in his chest again.

When they opened him up they discovered he has some kind of fungus growing. This is supposed to be the worst side effect of the artificial heart. They aren’t sure they are going to be able treat the fungus effectively. One doc has hopes and others don’t.

As long as he has the fungus, he won’t be put back on the list for a donor heart. If he can’t get rid of the fungus, he will be doomed to live out what is left of his life attached to the artificial heart, and eventually the other organs will be compromised by the fungus.

Ken is going to ask him tomorrow in a discreet way if that is the case what would his Dad want.

From the sibling viewpoint after we went through what we did with Mom, I told him we would not want him to suffer or just waste away or be in pain.

Ken put what life has been like for Walt the last few months in perspective. He said, “For the last 3 1/2 months my Dad hasn’t peed in a toilet, taken a shower, washed his own hair, ate a meal at a table, smelled fresh air, or felt the sunshine. When he went into the hospital it was summer; now it’s fall.”

Anyone who sent him a card – Ken wanted those to know they meant a lot to Walt and did cheer him up.

I told Ken when he is out of ICU and back in a regular room, to let me know his new room #, and we can continue to send cards.

Please keep up the prayers. If Walt ever needed them he needs them now.

I don’t want to think that God brought him this far, and he won’t leave the hospital with a new heart; yet I know it’s all in His hands.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

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Oct 03

VIDEO: 20/20 Story on Domestic Violence

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October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I saw this video from YouTube and had to share it with you. It comes from 20/20, and I am very grateful that ABC has let it be up there.

It’s over 20 minutes long, and it contains graphic content. Domestic violence is real. It’s disturbing, and it’s outraging.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJfIZZqOnMM]

If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, there is help.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7933)

Please head over to the Journey Inside My Mind Podcast throughout October, because I’m posting content from the recent One Voice Domestic Violence Community Awareness Walk. Or, if you have iTunes, add the show with a single click. That way you’ll get new content as it gets released.

Help stop domestic violence!

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