Thank You!!

[Guest guest]

We just wanted to say " Thank You " from all of the Lamb family for al the

prayers and best wishes you offered at the passing of my father. Last week

was a very stressful week for all of us and your prayers and wishes helped

us through.

A number of positive things came out of this for me personally and for all

of us as a family.

Personally, I was impressed and very thankful for the response from Dr.

Keshishian and his staff. I had been scheduled for a Wednesday follow-up

appointment for my latest hernia repair. A call to Dee was all it took to

rearrange that schedule. We showed up at 2:30 last Monday without any real

appointment and were out the door and on our way to Las Vegas to meet up

with Steve and catch our flight back to WI by 3 pm. Everyone at the office

was extremeky helpful and sympathetic and we can't say enough about the way

we were sped through the process, even though Dr. K. did have a few

comments about some pain I was experiencing when I rolled to the right.

His response was, " Well, then don't do that. " He expalined that the pain

was associated with the healing process and the mesh he used during the

surgery. If I did something to cause pain, I should remember what I did

and don;t do that in the future. That did get a laugh from everyone.

We made it to Las Vegas with about an hour to spare before flight check-in,

but that was the last quiet moment we would have. The flight was packed

and we were in the last (non-reclining) row for the flight to Dallas. Even

though I now fit in the seats without a seat belt extender, I was very

uncomfortable. I couldn't find a position that didn't cause pain in the

tail-bone area.

We had less than 45 minutes to make the connecting flight to Milwaukee in

Dallas. Normally that wouldn't be a problem except that we came in on the

last gate on one concourse and had to go to the other end of the last

concourse to catch that plane. Even using the secure tram system at the

airport, we made it with about five minutes to spare. That flight was also

packed full, a smaller " regional jet " aircraft. At least the seat was more

comfortable than the one I had been in.

It was snowing when we got to Milwaukee, and cold, highs in the low teens.

One of the nephews met us at the airport with his mother's full-sized SUV

and gave us a ride the rest of the way to Sheboygan. We let mom know we

were in town, then took a six-hour " nap " after being up for nearly 30 hours

straight.

We had to run back down to Milwaukee so I could buy a new suit, I had

shrunk out of the one I had. Got to the store at 8:30 pm, picked out the

suit along with a sport coat, tie, and a couple turtleneck sweaters. Out

the door just after 9 pm with a promise that the suit would be altered and

ready by 2:30 the next afternoon. When we got back home, we found out we

had to be at the funeral home by 3 pm, not 5 pm as we had been told

earlier. We called back down to the store the next morning, got the same

sales person we had worked with the night before, and explained the

problem. Her response, " No problem, the suit will be ready for you by

12:30. " All I can say is if any of you guys need a new suit, with

alterations, in a hurry, talk to the folks at Mens Wearhouse. They

advertise quick service and, in a pinch, they beat the times they

advertise.

Wednesday was the vigil for dad. The funeral director decided that there

were so many of us in the family that we should wear name tags so people

knew who was who. (Over 50 in the immediate family counting spouses,

grandchildren, and great grandchildren.) Lucky thing for me he had those

tags available, at least half the people attending hadn't seen me in three

or more years and, even with the name tag, had trouble reconciling what

they were seeing with what they remembered I looked like. One aunt even

thought I was my son until I took a few minutes to explain the effects of

the GR-DS. Even then she had problems comprehending the major change in my

appearance.

Thursday was the funeral mass. The six of us brothers were the

pall-bearers, with me and one other under a weight restriction, so no

lifting, just touch the casket as we walked. There was one young man who

has been like another brother, a member of the family, since the early

1960's. We held a quick family meeting and decided we would ask him to be

another pall bearer just in case. We knew we would be walking over fresh

snow and ice at the cemetary and didn't want to have just four of us taking

all the weight. One slip and someone would be hurt, not to mention the

embarassment of potentially dropping the casket. He was overwhelmed by the

chance to be included as a member of the family in that way and accepted.

During the mass, the priest made a couple comments that really got us to

thinking, they would have been so much within dad's way of doing things.

The priest said he thought dad chose the time to pass. He thought dad

would not want the family to see him suffering through the holiday season

and this was his way of getting us past that. At the same time the priest

thought dad wanted to bring the family together dring the holidays for the

first time in over 20 years and by passing when he did, he accomplished

exactly that. There were only six of the family that didn't make it to the

funeral, a brother-in-law, two grandchildren, and three great

grandchildren. All were stopped by the big snow storm that went through

Indiana last week.

After the funeral mass, we drove to the cemetary where dad received

military honors as a WW2 vet. At least the majority of us were in a

shelter, the folks from the American Legion were outside firing off the

21-gun salute and playing taps in 5 below zero cold with a moderate wind.

It was COLD!!

After that, a luncheon at the church, then a mad dash for the airport and

our return flight to Las Vegas. We either got out Thursday night or had to

wait until the 28th to get seats. At least the flights weren't quite as

full and we were a little more comfortable on the return.

We spent Christmas with Steve and Eadie in Las Vegas as we had originally

planned, then drove home Monday afternoon. Of course, we were doing so

much so quickly last week, I can hardly remember what we did when other

that the few high points that really stuck to the memory.

So, we're back home, I'm released to go back to work next Monday, and we're

trying to get things back to normal around here.

One other high point from this morning.. Even after the nice ham dinner

Eadie fixed for Christmas and hitting one of the buffets at a casino for

supper one night, I was down to 210 this morning, lowest point ever and

within 25 to 30 pounds of where Dr. K and I think I will end up. That 200

point is looking mighty realistic as a goal right now.

Thamks again,

Jerry, , Steve, Eadie, , and the rest of the Lamb Family

[Guest guest]

>

> One other high point from this morning.. Even after the nice ham

dinner

> Eadie fixed for Christmas and hitting one of the buffets at a

casino for

> supper one night, I was down to 210 this morning, lowest point

ever and

> within 25 to 30 pounds of where Dr. K and I think I will end up.

That 200

> point is looking mighty realistic as a goal right now.

>

> Thamks again,

>

> Jerry, , Steve, Eadie, , and the rest of the Lamb Family

~~~~~~~~```````

Jerry and family,

So glad you made it home ok...You have had a heck of a Dec.

Isn't it too cool to eat up a storm and still lose weight??

Glad you get to go back to work...

God bless,

Pat

[Guest guest]

Hi Jerry,

Your post reminded me of my feelings during my dad's memorial. I

still miss him so much but now when I think of him, I smile instead

of cry. It sounds like your dad was the kind of person to inspire

the same in you. You and your family are in my prayers!

Hugs!

Tracey

> We just wanted to say " Thank You " from all of the Lamb family for

al the

> prayers and best wishes you offered at the passing of my father. >

> Thamks again,

>

> Jerry, , Steve, Eadie, , and the rest of the Lamb Family