Day +50 - 38th Anniversary Special Edition

Feb 1977

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How Deb & Vern Met and Married

Deb was teaching in Valdosta, GA while enrolled in grad school back in late 
summer 1974. 

She shared an apartment with another teacher and lived next door to two
more teacher friends in an apartment complex a block away from Dr and
Mrs Bennet Owens. Dr and Mrs Owens had hosted Christian youth meetings 
in their homes for many decades. While in undergrad school at VSC, Deb 
had participated at the Owens home and was a part of the 'Owen's gang'.

Vern was an AIr Force Pilot and was based at the nearby Moody AFB. 
He lived in Valdosta in a house shared with other AF Pilots. Room
mate Doug and Vern had begun a regular prayer time for themselves
 to grow into good husbands and for their future wives to grow spiritually
so that when marriage time came, both would be suitable for one another.

Vern borrowed an LP music album from Deb's roommate before Deb moved in. 
Then he wentoff for weeks of AF training. When he returned from the training,
he returned the album to Barb's apartment. When he knocked on the door, 
Deb answered the door and said 'Hi! You're Vern!' Vern said 'who are you?' 
They had never met before and although both were active at
the Owen's, they had never been there the same time.

At the instant Vern's eyes fell on Deb, a powerful burning hit him in the chest 
and an inner voicesaid 'this is your wife.' Deb did not have the same feeling. 
After returning the album, Deb invited Vern in for some dill weed dip and veggies. 
Although he did not like the dip, Vern liked the company. 

Vern's roommate Doug had come down with the mumps, so Barb and Deb 
sent some food home for Doug. So, for several days Vern was invited over
for supper and food sent home to Doug.When Vern first went back 
home to Doug Vern exclaimed, 'I met her!' Doug said 'Who? Who did
you meet? Vern said 'my wife! I met my wife!' Doug asked 'who is she?'
 'Debbie McIntyre' Vern told Doug. 'Debbie McIntyre?'  Doug exclaimed? 
He knew her although Vern did not.

The relationship grew finding Vern going over for dill weed dip and short 
walks and talks to the nearby park. Barb kept telling Deb that Vern was 
sweet on her. Deb kept insisting Vern was only interested in the food.

Deb's folks lived several hours away and Deb suggested they come down 
because there was someone they should meet. So, they came down from
Albany that weekend. That same weekend Vern invited Deb to go out to an 
AF recreation lake called Grassy Pond where they canoed among
alligators and talked. This was the first real date. Vern asked Deb to marry 
him. Deb's response-'when?'

Perplexed, Vern was concerned about how to answer that question 
so he said 'soon.' So, a November date was agreed on and the happy 
couple was engaged!

So, on Nov 23, 38 years later, 'Here we are' as Deb is fond of saying!

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38 years ago Deb and I were married in Albany, Ga at her family church. We lived in Valdosta, Ga where she taught school and worked on her Masters in pure math at Valdosta State. Then we moved to Colorado Springs where Vern taught at the USAF Academy. Then off to Montgomery, Al, Austin, Tx, Various spots in Florida, then Spring,Tx and finally to Peachtree City, Ga.

Here are some random shots of us. I am limited by what is on my computer here in Arkansas.

We will be enjoying another quiet day in the hospital. Although Deb's numbers stumbled some, she is actually doing very well. She has a big appetite. She had to have a 3:30 am snack after eating a great Thanksgiving meal provide by our kind friends. When she awoke this am, she asked me to make her a cheese Pita and a coke...the breakfast of champions!

Trey is enroute from Brussels and we hope to have him with us tonight. We are so blessed and Deb and I enjoyed many memories as we picked out these pix last night. One tends to forget many happy moments until a visual memory prods it.

Stay tuned for more as the day unfolds!

Blessings!

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Platelets -(Normal range 150-500) a whitish colored component of blood. Low platelets=higher Woozy factor!
CRP -(Normal range = 0.0-10) An indicator of relative health. Lower is better. When the number creeps up, Deb could be getting sick.
Day  White Count  Platelets  CRP

0         0.04               29              12.8
1         0.07               15              77.0
2         0.03               42            140.3
3         0.07               27            144.1
4         0.23               52            206.0
5         1.21               33            168.2
6         2.32               26            214.0
7         2.29               11            209.3
8         2.84               25            230.2
9         2.32               12            234.1
10       2.66               24            220.1
11       2.50               15            196.0
12       2.54               28            186.0
13       1.98               18            181.0
14       1.22               28            199.9
15       0.95               20            138.6
Stem Cells on Day 15
16       0.83               32            129.4
17       0.86               22            121.4
18       0.70               12            110.3
19       0.55                9             159.2
20       0.75              14             162.9
Admitted to hospital Day 20
21       0.36              26             127.9
22       0.53              13              86.2
23       0.34              28              59.6
24       0.29              14              95.8
25       0.38              28            114.5
26       0.40              17            129.1
27       0.37              29              87.0
28       0.41              24              72.6
29       0.35              12              73.3
30       0.59              30              95.4
31       0.37              17              84.5
32       0.19              35              80.5
33       0.25              25              94.3
34       0.05              24            117.0
Stem Cells on Day 34
35       0.17              20            109.5
36       0.16              10            102.9
37       0.18              28            111.5
38       0.11              10            140.5
39       0.10              21            117.0
40      0.13               11             111.2
41      0.19               25             100.4
42      0.10               14               97.1
43      0.13               24             108.5
44      0.12               18             119.4
45      0.07               31             103.6
46      0.06               19               81.7
47      0.04               23               85.8
48      0.01               12               84.3
49      0.38               25               73.8
50      0.11               17               40.9