Uncle Fred and Jay's Aunt Doris

Please keep my SO's aunt in your prayers with her leukemia coming out of remission. She's 94 and will not be going through any major chemo - she is on some kind of pill, but no radiation or intravenous meds. She knows exactly what is happening and has an amazing attitude about everything - in fact, until the anemia developed to clue us in to the leukemia relapse, she would go out and play 9 holes of golf every morning and take cruises (on tramp steamers!) once a year or so. A very vital woman.

The other is my great-uncle, on a respirator at the age of 85 after being a wonderful asset to my life. He's my soon-to-be 90 year old grandfather's only remaining sibling, one of 2 younger brothers that he was father to from the age of 5 after their father died during the flu epidemic of 1918. They've been extremely close, and we are hesitating to tell Grandpa, but feel we should - it is his brother, after all. He may not even be able to express his feelings - Grandpa's got Parkinsons and has become rigid, which sometimes prevents patients from showing emotion. But it's not stopping my grandfather's smile and sense of humor. Throughout everything, he can still smile and joke when he sees friends and family, even if he can't express any other emotion. And every once in a while he'll give a hug. Uncle Fred was pretty active - walking every day, and he could still fit into his military uniform from the Korean War - until fairly recently. It's hard to think of him being gone. But we know he's ready and know that we will see him again.

I also want to express my prayers for those in other parts of the world that are experiencing turmoil, especially the innocents in Iraq during this whole mess we are finding ourselves in. Special prayers for the children.