THE HEAVILIN HERALD
JUNE 2006


Hello Everyone,

Well, I guess 2006 should be called the year of the medical dilemmas. Glen will have his first PSA test at the end of June and then we will have some idea if those little seeds are working. He says he would grade his recovery at 95%. We think that is pretty good.

Soon after we left Redlands on May 1, I developed a serious cold. I nursed it along for a while and then I started having a toothache that made me forget my miserable cold. My daughter-in-law Debbie arranged for me to see a dentist in Overland Park the Monday after Mother’s Day. The dentist felt I needed to have a root canal, but at least he gave me an antibiotic and pain pills, soooo off to another dentist on Tuesday. That dentist thought the tooth should be pulled, soooo off to another dentist on Wednesday. Thankfully that dentist agreed that the tooth should be pulled, and 30 minutes later I was walking out of his office, minus a tooth. Finally, I thought I was in good health, but oh no....the cold came back with a vengeance.

We had a wonderful time with Matt, Deb, and the kids. Kate has finished her first year of college with straight A’s. She is responding beautifully to the Botox injections to treat the Dystonia she has been dealing with for several years. We will see Matt’s family at Keswick for one day when they return from Washington D.C. where Kate, with many other students, will receive a Congressional commendation for her outstanding work in high school. I promise next month I will have pictures of Kate standing straight and tall.

In between the doctor visits, we got to meet our friends Jack and Carol Peterman in Springfield, IL. We visited the Lincoln Museum again and enjoyed touring Springfield, the Lincoln home, the Lincoln tomb, and New Salem where Lincoln had spent several years.

In Kankakee, IL I finally decided I needed to visit the ER. Observing my symptoms, the doctor was quite certain I was having a heart attack, but I told him that was not on my agenda! After an EKG, chest x-ray, a heart monitor, and many blood tests that all came out normal, the doctor decided I had bronchitis. He gave me another antibiotic and cough medicine and sent me on my way.

The next day we arrived at the Heavilin reunion in Edwardsburg, MI, with me coughing constantly, my blood pressure out of whack, and losing my voice. I do not recommend attending a reunion when you can’t talk. I finished all of my meds and saw almost no improvement. We also got to visit with my cousin Sharon and her family at the RV park where we stayed. We left Edwardsburg and drove to the Flint area and then to Indianapolis. We have had wonderful visits with both families, including my Uncle Bill and my Aunt Mickey. We were sitting in a small, privately owned, restaurant in Indianapolis waiting to meet Glen’s brother and his wife. I felt like I was in a time warp when our dear friends Joyce and Ethan Jackson walked in to that restaurant. We haven’t seen them in years. It is so nice to be reconnected with dear friends. Our Ethan was named for Ethan Jackson.

The next day we met my brother, his wife and their son for lunch. My brother was able to get me in to see a doctor on Friday afternoon. She was the most thorough doctor I have had in the past few weeks. After giving me a breathing treatment, she declared I do not have bronchitis, but she believes I have viral asthma. So now I am on a steroid for four days and am using an inhaler with Albuterol every four hours. I actually believe I feel better and my blood pressure is stabilizing. Praise the Lord!

We are grateful for friends and family who have helped us get the medical help we have needed. We have also rejoiced that there are places in this nation where one can actually get in to see a doctor at almost a moment’s notice.

We are hopeful that we can continue on with our planned itinerary which includes visiting friends in Bloomington and Newburgh, IN, Gastonia, NC and in Virginia, but we will have to see what my doctor says when I call her on Monday morning. In the meantime, I am taking it easy and doing lots of reading for my college classes.

We are looking forward to arriving at Keswick on June 20. We appreciate hearing from each of you and it is comforting to know others are praying for our health, safety, and service.

In Him,

Marilyn Heavilin
 

Aunt Mickey with Marilyn

 

Matt's family with Marilyn

 

 

George and Barbara Heavilin, Glen's parents

 

Glen with Jack Peterman

 

Carol Peterman and Marilyn at Lincoln home in Springfield, IL.

 

Marilyn's Uncle Bill with his wife Elaine

 

Marilyn's cousin Sharon and some of her grandchildren.