Your love has made a difference

Much love and the joy of life abound at the Martuscello home!

It has been quite a while since I have contributed to these pages. I see great value in having you hear directly from Vicki for news of the family. I am so pleased that this method of communication has proven to be so useful for her and helpful to you.

Anyone to whom I am important in their life knows by this time how much Joe and his family mean to me. So many times during the past months, the very first question to me is "How's Joe doing?" and without fail, the second question is always "How's his family?". Without a doubt, Joe's battle has been difficult for his family. I wouldn't begin to minimize that at all. They have suffered with feelings of helplessness as the most important person in their life has fought relentlessly to overcome this terrible disease. To let you know how they are doing, I thought that I would share some thoughts with you.

Last evening Maureen and I spent some time with Joe, Vicki and the kids just watching "House" reruns and chatting, the same type of pleasant activity we have been sharing for most of the past thirty years (starting long before we had children) . It made me think about how Joe's illness has affected all of them.

I want you to know what a wonderful sense of love runs through that house. If it were not for the pile of medical supplies in one corner of the kitchen and Joe's scarred belly on display for all to enjoy, (his fever had just started after the IL-2 injection.) one would never know the severity of what they have been enduring for the past eight months. Tommy was hopping around between the living room and his computer. Gina was curled up on the love seat nursing a bit of a cold, but still had enough spunk in reserve to tease both her father and her brother. Vicki and Maureen chatted away about the latest Vera Bradley purse styles. Life is good. Life is a bit tougher right now, but life.....is good.

There is no "woe is me" attitude to be found anywhere on Shannon Crescent. Sure, we all wish that Joe didn't have to feel so lousy so much of the time, but the time for lamenting has long past. This family is an inspiration to those who face adversity in their life and a wonderful testament to the power of love and the courage that can be drawn from a strong family. That family, by the way, extends beyond the four of them, to all of you who have supported them with your wishes, prayers, assistance around their home, fund raising, food and pure love. Many of you reading this are not related by blood or even marriage, but that makes you no less family than anyone else for all that you have meant to this family for your care and concern.

Words alone do not do justice to the feelings of gratitude that Vicki, Joe, Gina and Tommy feel. Where you see it is on their faces, in their smiles, in the gentle way they sleep, in the way they laugh and giggle, in the way they choose to meet each new day with an attitude that most of us would find difficult to muster under similar circumstances. Be very proud, not just of them, but of yourself, for unabashedly showing someone that you love, that in fact you do love them. Each meal, each ride to the doctor, each phone call, every effort made toward this family has bolstered their confidence, reassuring them that they will succeed. Your love and support has enabled them to maintain some semblance of a normal life amidst a nightmare of circumstances.

We have all learned, in one way or another, that life is far too short. I hope that the success of the Martuscello family, the glory that is the love that they share, reinforces in all of us the importance of giving of ourselves to those who need whatever it is we can offer.