good things are coming...

We started to believe that bad things happen in 3's and after that you will have a long run of good luck and fortune.  To the Gaines family we just can't stay out of the hospital. I got released on May 19 from Emory just a few hours after my dad was admitted to Northeast GA Medical. Turns out mr. active and outdoors (Gary) has a left artery that belongs to Sherman Klump. After chest pain and shortness of breath he went to have tests done and was sent straight to the OR to have emergency triple bypass surgery. He has recovered great and will now outlive us all. Has a great heart, as we all know, and will be back on the river or the trail soon. Friday June 3 my grandmother Ganny had successful surgery to remove part of a cancerous tumor in her lungs. The surgery went great and she is at the Northeast GA Med. and needs everyones thoughts and prayers for her recovery. She is the definition of a sweet southern grandmother. Soon enough she will be back to making her homemade biscuits, slipping her grand kids money, hard candy, and double mint gum. Like I said bad things come in 3's but good things are coming....



Ganny w/ Papa Lou at her 79th Bday fiesta




Gary on annual backpack/fishing trip



I did not get much recovery time and was at work the Monday after treatment and had a busy week at work while the boss was at home recovering. So Margaret and I decided that we could use a vacay for the long memorial day weekend and made a trip down to Amelia Islands and stayed at my aunt n uncles in Fernandina Beach, FL. Reading on the beach and bike riding through town for some seafood and coronas was just what we needed.

This weekend we attended the Hall County Relay for Life. Margaret, Graham, and I along with 16,000 others attended Lanier Motor Speedway. We were a part of "The GI Squad" which was Margaret's team from work. I walked the survivor lap and was joined by my wife and brother for the caregiver lap. Over $350,000 was raised for the American Cancer Society. Hopefully not all of that will go to breast cancer and melanoma can get a little slice of it.

Stay tuned for my next update to come from Emory while receiving my last round of treatment. I report to duty on June 13th and remember the rule of 3's, good things are coming...