What Paddy Shot At

Today is the centenary of the birth of Frances Anastasia Crory O’Connell Stoddard, my Mom. It was my intention to have a nice supper out with my two sisters and toast our mother and share stories about her.
My eye situation made that impossible; so I concelebrated the 5:30pm and offered it for her and for Blanche Borowski Crony and Arthur John Crory, her parents. When my sisters, my brother-in-law (Rick Thompson), and assorted relatives are in Myrtle Beach around the 11th Of November, we’ll celebrate our Mom.
My eye situation is a kind of “wait and see” solution. I now am on anti-biotics and steroids and maybe in the next week or so, the “double vision” might disappear. Because I am wearing an eye patch, it is difficult for me to read and/or type; so I think I’ll skip writing till things change. I will try to just hang out in my suite, take naps, and listen to TV. Keep me in your prayers that I can use this “quieting” time to pray and be at peace.

I am sorry to report that there is no change in my “double vision”. With each doctor I see, I learn more about what could cause this but nothing to make it stop. I am very limited in what I can do.

I’m wearing a patch over one eye. I still have that “stuffed head” and that makes it hard to sleep. I have had to cancel participating in a retreat this week and although I did say Mass yesterday, I’ve been removed from the schedule till next week. I am so bored and yet reading or going on the computer is hard on my eye.

I just wanted you all to know that I am not in any danger of a stroke or anything like that; I just have to be quiet and wait for my blood vessel to “loosen up” and let my left eye return to the center, so it can join my right eye and have only one sight. I think that’s what we’re waiting for.

Please keep me in your prayers that God’s grace will make me a better patient.

I’ll try to keep you updated.

I am just sending this out to let you know that I am suffering with double vision. It started on Friday and I have been to the emergency room and tested for a stroke or tumor and all of that (6 hours worth) and I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday. I have been staying in my room and trying to sleep through it. Just don’t worry if you can’t reach me by phone. I will update you after I see the doctor.

Also please keep in your prayers, Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, a dear friend, who died on Friday, His funeral will be in NYC on Tuesday. Please keep his brother, Manuel and his many friends in your prayers as well.

Keep me in your prayers as I am not a very good patient.

I know!!!! Where have I been? The truth is I don’t know. I get up in the morning, do a few things and have supper, watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, lay down and suddenly it is the next morning. Have they taken some hours out of the 24 I use to have? Let me bring you up to date.

Fasten your seatbelts, this could be a “bumpy ride”.

When last I wrote, I was travelling up the Bay on the cruise ship, The Grandeur of the Seas having spent a delightful trip out of Baltimore on Oct 2nd. We went to Portland, Maine, where a woman who taught with Maggie years ago met us at the ship and took us for a wonderful tour of the city – capped off with lunch at “Betsy” and a delicious (and inexpensive lobster roll.
Then we went to Bar Harbor, Maine. Marie, Maggie and I took a great tour to see Cadillac Mountain. It was already cool up here and the leaves are changing and sometimes it looks like the hills are ablaze. Just beautiful.
Our next stops were St. John’s New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia. I just remember that the seacoasts were rough and rocky and the towns were pretty modern.
I mentioned in my last message, who was on the cruise and I think everyone had a great time. We all went off on trips and tours but were together for supper. Except that Claire wasn’t always up to coming but she tells me she still had a good time being with us. Supper was always fun and we caught up on everyone’s activities.

We got back to Baltimore on Friday, October 10th. 8 of us had met at Blessed Sacrament on the 2nd and took a bus to the port. It met us again on the 10th and took us back. It was very convenient. We got back to the rectory around 10:30am.

Now there were some problems. The night before, vandals had gone through the parish parking lot and broke into two cars – Fr. Bill Feeney’s and mine. They broke the window in the back seat of Bill’s and didn’t take anything. They broke the back window of my car and took a tabernacle, which I was going to send to Pittsburgh with Bill. It was annoying and could have put a pall over the trip but it didn’t.
After a while, Fr. Bill headed off to home with plastic over his window. Sheila and Keith headed back to Pittsburgh. Claire was picked up by a friend. I drove Peggy home with my plastic blowing in the wind. MaryAnn came and picked up Marie and Maggie. On my return, I took a nap. I called the Pittsburgh gang later that evening and all returned home in one piece. Bill was at the casino!! I went to bed!!

On Saturday, the 11th. I had the 8am Mass and then a funeral Mass at 9:30 for my cousins. It was a very nice Mass and relatives (Ann Brown O’Connell, Rick and Peg Jensen, Kate Jensen and Peg’s brother, Frank) and about 10 of the neighbors came. We had a chance to talk afterwards about Ethel and her daughter, Peggy. Then some of us went to Mt. Olivet cemetery, where many of the O’Connell clan are buried and we laid them to rest with Bill, Ethel’s husband and the father of Peg and Bill parents. Then in typical O’Connell tradition we went out to lunch. Then I came home and went to bed.

On Sunday, the 12th, I had the 7:30am Mass and the 5:30pm Mass. I think I spent most the day relaxing in my suite, watching TV and napping.

Monday, the 13th was Columbus Day and the office was closed. I had the chance to visit with a friend and “catch up” about her health issues and then I had the 5:30pm Mass. As I wasn’t able to drive my car, a parishioner took me over to Safeway so I could buy some white bread (we have 18 grain stuff!!!) and I wanted a real peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then to bed.

On Tuesday, I had the 11am Mass and met with my people for Tuesdays with Fr. Maury. Our topic was the Synod of the Family. Lots of people called or saw me to say it was the “best we ever had”. Well, it was interesting. Based on TV and newspaper accounts there was much to talk about – and to get cleared up. These are “exciting times” to be Catholic.
While the session was going on, they came and repaired my window. They did it in the driveway and cleaned up all the glass. It looks great! And I can drive again!!

On Wednesday, I slept in till noon and then met someone for counseling and had exposition and the 5:30pm Mass. It was the feast of St. Teresa of Avila and I talked all about this young girl who with her “tangerine skirt and bare feet shook a world of Carmels” Sr. Therese, my English teacher wrote that!!

Thursday was my “DAY OFF” and I drove up to visit Loretta and Andy Favret up near Frederick, Md. I had a great time and I “caught up” on their 11 children and the grand-children and Rosie, the first great grandchild. I went to lunch and met many of their friends in the senior community they live in. It was fun and I went home. Worked on genealogy, had supper and relaxed.

On Friday, I had the 11am Mass, exposition, and the 5:30pm Mass. There was a welcome dinner for “new parishioner” afterwards. I met some very nice people.

On Saturday, the 18th, I had the 8AM Mass and at 2pm, I baptized twins. Please keep Adalia Marie and Madden Jolee and their family in your prayers.
At 4pm, I drove over to St. John the Evangelist parish for a celebration of 75 years of TEAMS OF OUR LADY. I saw so many old friends and sat with a delightful couple and their three children, Joshua, Maria and Sophia. Please keep them, their family, and all those in TEAMS in your prayers. Although I had a great time, I came home around 8pm.

On Sunday, the 19th, I had the 9 and 10:30 AM Masses in the church. The deacons preached, which was nice for me as I sat through most of everything. Afterwards, we had a walks around the block to support Catholic Charities. I didn’t walk but I met them for refreshments afterward. I relaxed in my suite all afternoon.

Today is the 20th of October, I have the 11am Mass and then will join four of my cousins, Betty Brown Price, Eileen Brown Borowoski, Helen O’Brien Nolan, and MaryAnn Hayden DePaul for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. Should be lots of laughs.

As I re-read this, I am reminded that interspersed with these actions are lots of phone calls, emails, and “little projects”. For example, I received word that Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, a dear friend was quite ill and in hospice. I spent much time getting and passing on information about that. Please keep him in your prayers. He does seem to be doing better.
I also learned that Jean Langlois, the husband of Pat Sinclair, a classmate from St. Bernard’s died in Oklahoma. Please keep them in your prayers.
Ida Moorman, a great friend and former parishioner from Our Lady, Queen of Peace also died this week. Please keep her family in your prayers.
I also got all the baptisms for November and December settled, so I think I can relax a bit.

It is our last night on board and I have to go and pack and put my luggage outside of my room but I just wanted to say that we all had a great time. I am looking forward to getting home on Friday and sleeping in my own bed. Real messages will start up again over the weekend.

I am in Halifax, Nova Scotia and just wanted to say hi. The trip has been lovely. There are 10 0f us: Maggie and Marie, Sheila and Keith Morris, Peggy Dee, Fr. Bill Feeney, Anna Marie Kienery, Claire Sheehan, and Sr. Kass Collins.
The weather was bad at first. Rainy and foggy and the sea was rough. But since we got to Portand, Maine, we’ve had good skies and easy seas.
Will be home on Friday, the 10th.