stronger than i know.

today my Grandad made the choice to undergo open heart surgery at the age of 89. he is truly an incredible person who has lived his life to the very fullest. a proud U.S. Marine from WWII, who married the love of his life in 1946, Lillian McGugan. (My fashion icon.) they are now coming up on 65 years of marriage on June 1, 2011. a true testiment of unconditional love.

Grandad has always been there. he retired the year i was born and couldn't bare the thought of moving to their retirement home they had built at Lake Wallenpaupack which was too far from their first grandchild - me! and so our "vacation" home was born. they continued to live in Easton, PA in the house they built when they were married and began vacationing at the lake every weekend in the summers. where i learned to waterski at the age of 10 and build sand castles on the fake beach, play in the stream that ran along the beach into the lake, catch sun fish off the docks, and ride the waves from the boats while floating in an inner tube. they continue to take us to social dinner dances at the Lake Wallenpaupack Yacht Club on Saturday nights where we have themed dinners and line dancing overlooking the lake with some of the most spectacular sunsets i've ever seen.

Grandad is the best Mr. Fix-It i've ever known of. running his own rod and reel repair for fishing out of his basement, Angler's Service & Supply, he has always kept himself busy with hobbies. people came from hours away and shipped items across the country for him to fix on their fishing tackle supplies. i knew how to bait a hook before i was 10. i would spend hours watching him tie flies in his home office. i would practice casting my fishing pole in their backyard. Grandad could fix anything... my mother once told me i was going to break one of my toys the way i was using it. i simply stated "that's ok. Grandad can fix ANYTHING!".

Grandad was a memory maker. always assisting Nanny in taking photos of every family gathering. attending all my dance recitals and showing up to see me dressed in my fancy best for prom....even making the trek to Eastern University to see me as a college cheerleader for men's basketball. attending my graduations from high school and college. and always being on the other end of the phone telling me to DRIVE SAFE! in all my adventures. countless memories would not be documented on film without Grandad and Nanny's camera.

over 15 years ago, Grandad was diagnosed with cancer in his esophagus. without hesitation, he ordered the doctors to "get it out!". do not wait, just get the surgery over with and remove it altogether. no talk of treatments to shrink anything. he underwent a surgery that was not common or performed on a regular basis. they went in and removed all the cancer which required the removal of a portion of his esophagus, as well as a part of his stomach. he now has a smaller stomach and had to re-learn how to eat smaller portions. he emerged with flying colors and 15 years later continues to have no traces of cancer in his body. he beat cancer. God had a longer plan for his life. and we are so grateful every single day for those miracles.

and so at the age of 89, he has once again faced this next hurdle with the bravery of a Marine. still being able to go out ballroom dancing with Nanny every few months, he began getting some shortness of breath and needed to sit out some dances while Nanny would need to find a much younger dancing partner to keep up with her! (at the age of 87) after some tests, we've learned his heart needs some work, it's tired and wearing out. but still beating strong none-the-less. with valves only working 20% to their capacity and blockages of 80%, he was at serious risk to suffer heart failure at any moment. it was HIS choice to opt for open heart surgery which will hopefully repair part of the problems, but not all of them. a new aortic valve and 1 or 2 blockages cleared up should have him feeling much better than he does now. so this day has come, March 1, 2011 when i begin to pray with all i have. that God would protect my Grandad through today's serious surgery. that God's plan would be to renew him to the best of his ability to give us some more time with him here on Earth. that God would guide the doctors and nurses today who are caring for him to make the correct decisions at critical times and bless their hands working on him.

and now i wait. and i pray without ceasing. for successful news from my Dad later today. may the angels of our Lord surround the operating room. i love you, Grandad. you're still a brave YOUNG man! oxox.