March 2012, Nashville, Tennessee, 3:39 p.m., C.S.T.~

Johnathon Sandusky here.  Thought an update was in order. 

Hard to believe that we have been married since October 16, 2011, just nearly four months.  We are definitely in love with each other; that is for certain!

My wife is the prettiest thing this side of the Mississippi River.  I look at her and my heart skips a beat, more so than usual for me (HA!).  I can't help it: Rebekka is so gorgeous!  To me she looks like an angel from Heaven!

I hope she feels the same way about me.  After all, I AM rather good looking with my big, bright blue eyes, headful of white-blonde hair, and killer smile!  :)

School is going well, but like most students on the planet, I'm more than ready for Easter break.  Rebekka and I plan on going to California to see her family.  It's been a while since she's seen them and Rebekka is feeling homesick.  Don't blame her one bit.  I love her family.

Besides us, our caretaker, Cindy, will go with us.  That way, she can keep an eye on things, especially me.  Not so capable of caring for myself as I used to be, so I need a little in the way of extra help.  It's a pain, but I can't help it: it's the nature of this beast called Duchenne's.  And Rebekka can't really lift me out of bed, not with having two prosthetic legs and her pain insensitivity disorder.  

Cindy has been a godsend.  She was suggested by a friend of mine from school and it's been a perfect arrangement.  That way, if something were to happen, Cindy could be with me (or with Rebekka) and she could get a hold of either one of our families.

My MD has been behaving itself (for the most part): at least I haven't wound up in the hospital again, so I (actually, Cindy and Rebekka) must be doing something right.  I consider it to be a huge answer to all my prayers.  Any day I wake up breathing (with help from my trusty old vent) or above ground is another reason to be grateful.

And of course, we still have our service dogs:  Rebekka has hers and I have my beautiful Goldie, "Ginger", who is the best friend ("fur-iend") a guy could ever hope for.  Then there's our Jewish/Christian faith.  I don't know what either one of us would do without God.  Every Friday we go to temple and on Sunday we go to my church (Christ Community Assembly of God).  We are keeping both religious options open.  I want to do all I can to make Rebekka happy and if that means holding on to her Jewish faith, then I'm all for it.

I try to respect her beliefs and she tries to respect mine.  It's a perfect setup.

Tonight there is supposed to be a chance of seeing the aurora borealis, or northern lights.  I hope there's a good display.  There's a big storm (an X-class solar flare) going on in outer space and it could spark a chance of seeing the northern lights at ALL levels (upper, mid, lower latitudes) if the K-index gets strong enough (level 8 or higher; if it hits a 9, then Texas or points south could see 'em).

Guess that means that I will be going on an aurora chase if Cindy doesn't mind lugging all my medical equipment (or me) around! :)  May have to pack my camera and extra batteries!!  :)

My family is doing well.  Actually, everybody but mom is.  Mom is in the hospital recovering from pneumonia; she went in on Sunday and she will probably be sprung sometime tomorrow if she continues to behave herself, according to Dad.  Mom had been sick and started coughing up blood-tinged sputum from her lungs and had difficulty breathing, so the doctor popped her into the hospital when she went to see him.  I hope Mom gets better soon; it's bad enogh when one of us kids is sick: it's tons worse when Mom is 'cause she's the glue that holds the family together!

I may have to pop in and see her later.  Rebekka and Cindy, too.  I bet Mom would like that.  :)  

Today was a short day at school; went in at eight and was through by one.  Had a good day, just getting ready to cram for finals.  UGH!  NOT looking forward to that AT all; studying like that gives me SUCH a headache!

We had some bad weather roll through here last week, but nothing too terribly bad (at least not here in my neck of the woods).  We did lose some power at our dorm and lose some small tree branches (and trees), but the generators kicked in, so we were only without power for about two minutes, max.  It scared me, though:  I got a bit air hungry and Rebekka had to break out the ambu bag and breathe for me 'til the generators kicked in, and then I could breathe without any more issues.  I hate it whenever that happens!!

Well, Rebekka, Cindy, and I are going to head on out to see Mom at Vandy, then we are going to go out to eat.  We are going to eat at Shoney's.  We all love that place; they have such good food at very reasonable prices!  Then we are going to go to the park and set up for our possible aurora chase!  

I will write in here again soon;  until then, this is Johnathon Sandusky saying over and out!  Take care and God bless!`

~Love, your friend, Johnathon.  :)