Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Cheryl!

Mark, my wife had a heart valve replaced a couple years ago, so I can relate to what you're going through. I hope your wife's recovery is speedy and trouble-free.

Hi Mark

Give our best to your wife.

I hope Almiranta can hear this too...we're all thinking about ya and we miss you!!!

Thank you so much, navydad. Today is the first day I have visited the blog and I really appreciate the sentiment. Many of you have become a family to me, and your prayers and good wishes have been important to me.

Mark, I am so glad your wife is recovering. There is nothing quite like seeing a spouse in harm's way, and my heart went out to you when I read that you were asking for prayers. I did pray for her, and I will continue to pray for her.

To the person who commented that prayers hadn't seemed to help "that woman" let me assure all of you that yes, your prayers have helped, a great deal.

It is too facile to say that just because we don't get what we asked for, our prayers were not answered. Yes, I prayed that my husband would recover, and no, he did not. But I learned that he had a serious condition which not only made it harder for him to fight off what killed him (sepsis) but which would very likely have taken him fairly soon anyway.

This way, he was not alone, he was not in pain, his passing was swift and merciful, and he was surrounded by people who loved him and who helped and guided him and comforted him in his passing. How can anyone believe that this was not an answer to our prayers?

Those without faith tend to have what I think of an arrogant attitude toward prayer--that by praying we demand what WE want, and that if our demands are not granted, there is either no God or He is ignoring or rejecting us. But the believers on this blog, even though the details of our specific beliefs may vary widely, understand that when we pray, we ask for what we hope will happen, but we also ask for the ability to accept and understand the hand of God in whatever does happen.

And in addition to that, prayer creates a community of people united, at least for that moment, for that reason---and that is a very powerful thing.

Right now I am praying for the strength to get through this very difficult time. Later I may pray to feel like getting feisty again, and if there are prayers offered to counter that, I will understand. But I do want to offer my thanks that Cheryl is recovering, and for the kindness and friendship of the family I have never met.

Almiranta

We all hope that life gets back on track for you and that we'll all once again reap the benefits of your postings an wit.

Except the kooks...of course! They hate a good argument and most have been raised to believe all confrontation is bad, therefore creating easy targets for those of us that use rational logic and research to defend our arguments.

Can't wait to have you back!!!

NavyDad