Well, sniff, also being a brother in Faith, I have my own testimonial. Back around 15 years ago my grandmother, Louise Oliver, at age 93 wound up in a long term care facility because she seemed to be no longer able to walk. I visited her every night after work and about two weeks into her stay there, I said, "Wanta go dancing?" She laughed and so I said, "No, really, grandma."
Next night, same.
On the 3rd night I said to her, "Heck, grandma, if you won't go dancing will you at least go for a short walk with me?" to which she replied, "Okay..."
Well, sniff, I helped her outta the bed and she held her weight as she tried to stand. After a few minutes she was standing by herself, asmitted while still holding on the hospital bed. I think she was amazed since most folks in that facility die there. I told her how I just knew that she had it in her. Over ther next few days I got her up every night and slowly but surely got her walking. The nurses were amazed to see that 93 year old woman who only wieghed about 80 pounds walking down the hall with me at night...
Then one night she said to me "Let's blow this pop stand." The following day my mom picked her up, drove her back to my grandmothers apartment, where her 3 cats and nasty little dog were happy to see her home. She lived another 5 years in that apartment with her cats. The nasty dog died, no sniff here, before going into a nursing home where she was a real charactewr right up to her death at a ripe age of 101.
Now I know that my grandmother was not a woman of Faith, might of fact she was a rather ornery woman, but she knew I had faith in her being able to walk again and so I think that the Big Guy just put some extra umph into me to pass along. And though she never thanked Him fir those years, I sure 'nuff did...
So know, Jerry, that Dean is squarely in my thoughts and my prayers and when he gets to feeling like doing a little reading print off this tread fir him, will ya?