FROM: Marlowe
Sept 20 @ 10:02 AM

Dear Larry, In your update yesterday, you wrote the following reflection:

“Our real test of faith is always just around the corner. We don’t know when it is coming, but we can be sure that we WILL be tested. We must pray that we are up to the challenge. We may feel that we aren’t strong enough to bear the burden, but He will prove us wrong every time! ”

I just have to share with you a quote which appeared in the daily meditation e-mail I received this morning, which will hopefully give you a laugh: “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” – Mother Teresa

I rejoice at how the Lord continues to give you the grace and strength to be “up to the challenge.” It is clear in following your updates that you have steadily grown in faith and power to witness through this ordeal.
With my prayers for you both in Christ’s name, Marlowe

REPLY FROM: Larry Vaughn
Sept 24 @ 9:56 PM

Thank you, so much, Marlowe, for your comments. I really value them, and always look forward to hearing from you. By the way, while I was chatting briefly with Lance on the phone tonight, while he and Kristin were out at the Austin City Limits, at the end of our conversation he said he loved me, and I heard Kristin, in the background, ask him to tell me that she loved me too. I considered that to be a pretty high honor. You have a very special girl there! You folks are just TOO sweet! Thank you for all your support! God’s continued blessings,

FROM: Larry Vaughn
Sept 20 @ 12:44 PM

Dr. Mah stated this morning that he has a family conference call for us on his calendar for 4 EDT Wednesday. This is an update meeting, and at this point there isn’t anything particularly alarming to report, we just said during the last call that we would like to get an update every two weeks. Sorry for the short notice, I just forgot about it. Kathy will have other Hannibalites join via her phone. My brother David will not be able to attend this time, due to preparations he is making in Atlanta for a fundraiser for us this weekend during the Earth Festival. We will use the phone numbers we called last time, unless we hear otherwise from you.

REPLY FROM: Link
Sept 20 @ 3:02 PM

Dad – Since I was there during the last meeting, my number was not on the list. Please use my cell phone number for this call.

FROM: Ruth
Sept 20 @ 3:25 PM

Larry, Just read your email about the conference tomorrow and am glad we are going to have a conference call. I don’t think it is my place to ask Dr. Mah questions over the phone about Lea. Larry I would like to know if you can email me all these things that Lea has wrong with her. Our emails don’t give us the whole picture. The up dates on the phone every day have not been very helpful either and sometimes they don’t leave any.

Larry I think about Lea all of the time. I worry so much about her, and so does my mother. Every time I listen to the phone updates and read your email she always ask what I found out. I know Lea has many thing wrong with her and hope it is not to much trouble and upset you to let me know what all is wrong. I read my medical books every time you tell us something different. I have been through many surgery but nothing like Lea has been through.

I know this has been very hard on you and all of the families. When you said that her liver was swollen I immediately went to my medical book to see if I could understand what could be wrong with her liver. One place it tells you the diagnoses and it says that this can cause fluid in the abdomen cavity and I always wonder if this could be the problem. I really would like to know all the doctor’s have to say about her condition.

Lea doesn’t deserve all of this but I to like you think God has a plan for all of us. I have to sit and watch my mother every day and see how much she has gone downhill. She can hardly walk any more. I really think we will be very lucky if she makes it through the holidays, hope I am wrong.

I printed out the picture of Lea that you sent the other day and have it in my family room along with one that I had taken at Jim’s retirement party. I made one for all of her brothers and Kathy. This is the way we all hope she will be again. Larry I know you told us she has a living will but you were not ready to give her up. I don’t know when any of us would be ready to give up a loved one. But I know I don’t ever want to go through what Lea and you have been going through.

I hope I haven’t upset you by this email but really would like to know all about Lea’s condition. If you don’t want to tell me I will understand. I want to let you know I really do worry about the both of you all the time. I know if it comes the time the doctor’s say we can’t do any more for Lea you will be strong enough to get through this. We all well be their for you.

Larry I have told God to take me and let Lea live but we can’t choose the time God comes for us. My dad was only 60 when we lost him. Lea is such a wonderful person and I have never heard her say anything bad against anyone. She has worked all of your marriage and she deserves to be able to retire and enjoy life for a change. I haven’t work much since Jim and I have been married and have had a lot of time to do things and hope Lea will have a very long time to do the little things that she hasn’t had time to do because of working so many hours at her job.

I do say a prayer for Lea as well as for you to come through this together. I know if Lea can’t have a good quality of life then you could make the right decision. You would never want her not being able to talk, walk and know her life as it was before this happened. I keep saying prayers for (my son) Richard and hope some day God can answer this and give back the use of his has, at least so he can eat with both hands and take care of himself. He can’t even get into the bath tub or out by himself. But I tell him there is always someone worse off than you. He says he knows this but it is hard to be a man and not be able to work again for his family to have nice things, but the girls are really good about this. They bought most of their school clothes at the Good Will store.

I will stop going on but look forward to hearing from you. If you do email me about Lea’s condition and don’t want it passed on I will do as you ask. LOVE YA BOTH WILL ALL MY HEART. your sister-in-law.

FROM: Nancy
Sept 20 @ 6:09 PM

Dear Larry and Lea, What an inspiring and tearful journey this is! Our daughter works in Human Resources for Irwin Mortgage. Her concerns over Lea’s condition prompted her to forward your updates to me. Lea’s suffering reminds me of Job’s. You relate such an intimate story of human love and devotion blessed by God’s sustaining grace. Psalm 121 shows how God watches over every aspect of our lives. Your ability to include all of us in your triumphs and your down times is remarkable. As a nurse, Lea’s medical condition is as frightening as it is fascinating. May God’s love and miraculous healing bless Lea, you, your family and friends, and her caretakers. Our prayers, thoughts, and concerns are with you. In His Love.

FROM: Lance
Sept 20 @ 6:32 PM

Dad, Please add the attached emails to the update distribution list.

FROM: Donna
Sept 20 @ 9:29 PM

Larry, Could you please add us to your address list of people to send Lea’s updates to. The “girls” at Irwin are forwarding them, but at times I know they get busy and don’t have time. And when I don’t hear ANY news I get worried. Thank you very much and God bless.

REPLY FROM: Larry Vaughn
Sept 21 @ 12:21 PM

Of course, Donna. Thank you for the nice, nice notes you have sent! God bless.

FROM: Lance
Sept 20 @ 9:45 PM

Dad, More emails to add to the update list. Thanks. luvu missu. Dottie to arrive today! neato!