June is the month of graduations and weddings. My June had neither. As I predicted in the May Jottings I was about to go to center stage for a performance, a major performance! It was a life saving one. The bulge in my aorta in the abdominal area had grown and was on the verge of blowing up. So I had to have it contained. There was much testing for a few weeks to see if we could do that without the invasive procedure of cutting me open and going in and fixing it. Those procedures proved to not be applicable due to the location of the bulge in the aorta. It was near the renal arteries and the non-invasive solution would possibly block those arteries so it was eliminated as a solution. We went as my surgeon and an old friend ex-surgeon, Tom West, called it, “the old fashion way” They open you up and the surgeon goes in and fixes the aorta bulge and then sews you up again. I now have, thanks to a by pass in 1994, an incision scar from my neck to my scrotum. The incision was such a sight that one of the nurses noted that I would not be wearing a ‘bikini bathing suit’ any more. I advised her that I think I could live with that loss!
It was a life saving event out of which the Lord lead me and is healing me so that I may continue a few more years to thank Him for his many blessings. My overwhelming memory of the hospital is of the loving care given, starting with June, and then all those with whom I came in contact. The loving care of June made the healing process work despite my impatience and misplaced anger. As I write I am now nearly six weeks from that day, May 17th, and get feeling stronger and better with each passing day. Despite the minor miracle that I am alive, my human nature keeps giving me complaints that in comparison to results gained is nonsense. It reminded me, as I have told many, of the story of the journalist gathered in front of the Ford Theater after Lincoln’s assassination. One of them asks Mrs. Lincoln, “ Now beside that Mrs. Lincoln what did you think of the show?”
It is an interesting aside that we later were referred to an article about the non-invasive techniques for handling my problem. It seems that is not working out in 100% of the cases for various reasons. So we have another and stronger reason for having had the invasive method being used.
The night before the operation, May 16th, we celebrated my 76th birthday. We had daughters Mary and Sue and son Dan here. We went out to dinner atop the Holiday Inn in St. Pete’s Beach. It is a revolving restaurant and gives you a great view of the Gulf, the beaches, and the Bay. It completes one turn in a little over an hour, so your view changes as you eat your meal. It was Dan’s first visit to Florida. He as well as my daughters had come to be with me as I entered the surgery. That night Mary Lou, my stepdaughter also arrived to be with us. Dan then had the surprise of being sent back to Florida on business so he was here on the 30th day of May and able to drive me home. I think his two quick visits have engendered a desire to pay a visit with his family sometime soon!
I have been told that anesthesia sometime effects the memory. I can testify in my case whether from that or some other cause my memory of pain after the operation is minimal. What I will remember for the rest of my life is the caring response of June and family and friends. June doesn’t drive. It required friends daily to bring and take her home from the hospital. It was one more area where the friends, who were and are more like angels, just stepped in and handle the problem. I was overwhelmed with prayers and get well wishes. I counted over 50 cards received as well as numerous personal phone calls and visits to encourage my healing. These memories I will never lose and will be grateful all the days of my life for such friends.
Along with prayers and cards I also received some gifts. I received books from Frank Wick and Jim Doto, both of historical nature. Frank sent me Dave McCullough’s recent production, “1776” and Jim the story of the last days of World War II that led to VE Day. Both made my passing time a lot easier and I enjoyed the information gathered from it. I am a fan of McCullough’s. I have read all of his best sellers and even some not considered such. 1776 has been a NYTimes best seller for three weeks. This book is different from any other of his. It is history of the Continental Army culled from writings compiled by soldiers, officers, wives, British and American. The notes from dairies, letters, or memos tell in themselves what is happening, The comments of the author are minimal and his bringing the matter up to a particular date is all he does. The book is really a written report by the hundreds of members of society in America in 1776 who were partaking of and in the revolution. In the acknowledgments you can see that all of these comments were found in hundreds of libraries all over the world. The compilation and organizing is what the historian did and it results in a very imminent history. I was surprised to learn of the many doubts that arose in Washington’s mind and of the great help he got from so many of his assisting officers. It covers the war from Boston to Princeton. It covers defeats and a few miracle wins as the year-ends. It is by no means a usual David McCullough book but it is certainly a history of the year 1776 as seen by the straggling and struggling members of the Continental Army and their British adversaries.
While recuperating in the hospital after the operation I received the sad news that my brother, Father Jim, had died. He had been in a nursing home for over two years suffering from osteoporosis. He could not sit or stand for any length of time due to the pain from the loss of bone structure and substance in his back. He was receiving pain pills continually. Over the last two years I would call him once a week. It became clear that he was slowly losing his memory and ability to comprehend. He was 84 years of age in March of this year. He was ordained an Oblate priest in 1948 and went to serve as a missionary in the Philippine Islands. I can’t recall how long he served there but in 1970 I had gone with my sister Marge to the funeral of my brother Bishop Frank in the Sulu Islands. The Sulu Islands extends from the end of the Philippines to the coast of Borneo. Frank had spent most of his ministry in the Philippines but ended forming and heading a new diocese or vicariate in the Sulu Islands. After his funeral I returned to United States via Europe. Both Jim and Pat were chaplains with the armed forces in Germany at that time. We had a great visit and left for home late in December of that year. By coincidence I had made a trip to Munich in November of that year with my sister Winifred. I thought it a good idea to return to US via Munich so I could give Pat and Jim a report on the funeral. Jim was always athletic. While in Germany visiting he took me south to a Military R&R resort near an Alp. We went skiing. Well, he went skiing I had difficulty staying upright. Some time later Jim came through Philadelphia on his way to California. He went out to Oakland and served there until his death. His death leaves me as the lone survivor of the seven McSorley brothers. There are still three of the seven girls surviving, Sisters Mary and Rosemary, and Marge.
There is no question that he was living in pain and death relieved him He was always remote and we hardly could be said to have been close. But I do have fond memories of his love for golf and tennis. I was impressed a few years back when he came East for Sister Mary’s 50th anniversary as a nun. I realized that I had never before seen him performing as a spiritual leader. He gave a talk as part of the ceremony and I was very impressed with his delivery and his message. He sent a message earlier this year in effect that that he wished to be with the Lord. He commented to Sister Mary or Rosemary when one of them said they would be out to see him in June, “I hope I’m not here!” and he wasn’t. It is always sad to lose a family member but with his life of service to the Lord I’m sure he is with Him now –out of pain and at peace.
We are spending the month of June in getting whole again. One of the toughest aspects is the loss of appetite and taste. For various proposed reasons this is a normal result of such surgery. When it will return is also subject to frankly a ‘guess’. It results in eating only because you know you must. I have lost weight and don’t wish to lose more. So despite the lack of taste and appetite I work through what ever my loving cook and caretakers places in front of me. One device is to have several small meals a day and we are doing that. But once again considering what has been accomplished with the surgery it is really petty to be complaining about loss of appetite. So with the help of my great caretaker and the Lord I’ll persevere and look forward to the day when once again food will appeal.
Please continue to keep me in your prayers and I thank you all for your doing so. Until next time Pax tecum!