UPDATE ON DUANE RICHEY, brother of Jamie Gatlin

Hello everybody,

Well this is a switch.  I’m doing my own update for a change, and it’s great to feel good enough to be doing this.  It’s amazing what a difference a few days can make.  Actually it’s not amazing.  We know that it is God’s healing powers at work as a result of all the prayers that all of you have sent up to him on our behalf, and once again we want to tell each of you how much we continue to appreciate these prayers and your thoughts, cards, calls, and concerns.

I really started feeling better about Wednesday morning, and each day has got a little better than the previous one.  I still don’t have much in the way of taste buds and not tasting food very well, but it is improving a little bit.  It’s improved enough that I think I’m finally eating enough to quit losing weight.  I’ve stayed the same or possibly even gained a pound for about three days now.  I’ve bottomed out at 176 pounds.  It’s been a long time since I’ve weighed that.  I’m really anxious for my taste buds to return so I can start enjoying food again.  There are a few things that I’m really wanting to taste again.

The weather is the big issue down here right now.  Hurricane Gustav is on everyone’s mind and it’s the only thing you hear about right now.  If it stays on it’s current projected path, we should not be impacted to any great extent here in Hattiesburg.  We will more than likely get a little wind and rain, but probably not much more than that.  However, at work it is currently taking up most of our time, as we have many facilities and personnel in the storm’s path and there are a lot of preparations being made to prepare for the storm making landfall.  As of this evening we have all gulf coast operations shut down and there are mass evacuations underway all across south Louisiana.  Please keep all of these people in your prayers, as many of them will likely sustain lots of damage and loss.

Once again, thanks so much for all of your thoughts and prayers over the past several months.  The love and concern that we have received from friends and family has made this journey so much easier to bear.  We feel that the worst is now behind us and each day will continue to get a little better than the one before.  God has been so good to us.  Plus, I have had a wonderful Caregiver throughout this whole ordeal that has made it so much easier for me.  Dixie has been through an awful lot over the last few months and probably been ready to throw me away a few times, but she has been wonderful. 

Duane