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{Straight From the Heart} *Eternally Grateful* 3/2/00
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Welcome to "Straight From the Heart!"
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ETERNALLY GRATEFUL
By: Colleen Duval
As a young girl I remember a very special doctor name Dr. William Robert
Vincent. I had been to several doctors as a child, but I have a special
place in my heart for Dr. Vincent. He was a Pediatric Cardiologist at UCLA
Hospital in Los Angeles back in 1971 who saved my life. I was eight years
old at the time with a severe heart problem and I needed heart surgery. My
Mom was a single mother raising three girls and she could not afford to pay
for the surgery herself. Dr. Vincent told my Mom that without the surgery
there was a real good chance I would not live to be thirteen years old.
After contacting several organizations Dr. Vincent was able to get the
surgery funded through United Way, a Crippled Children's Organization.
I recall Dr. Vincent being a handsome man and a very gentle and caring
person. He made sure that I got the medical care that I needed that I
couldn't get otherwise. I remember being in the hospital for an Angiogram
test, and during the procedure I was crying hysterically, so the medical
staff called in Dr. Vincent to calm me down, and he was able to comfort me
when no one else could. Then the time came for me to have heart surgery;
there was only a fifty-percent chance that I would make it through the
surgery because it was a new procedure and experimental. At the time I was
only the second or third person to have this procedure done, they
reconstructed the main artery by using an artery from my leg.
I was absolutely terrified when the nurse showed me the intensive care room
where I would be the next day after the surgery. Once again Dr. Vincent took
the time to reassure me that everything would be all right. I had a lot of
confidence and trust in Dr. Vincent; he was the most caring man I have ever
known. He came to see me after the surgery, which was extremely painful but
very successful, and he was so kind and brought me a stuffed animal. I
remember I was so thrilled and surprised to get this cute stuffed mouse from
Dr. Vincent, I gave him a hug. I guess Dr. Vincent must have known I was
feeling very lonely and scared because that stuffed animal really brightened
my day. That stuffed animal meant a lot to me.
You see, I had no family or friends visit me while I was in the hospital,
except for my Mom, who stayed with me most of the time and she slept in the
hospital waiting room. I remember feeling very disappointed that no one came
to visit me. I do know one thing; I had a wonderful doctor who took the time
to help a scared little girl who felt all alone. This was twenty-eight years
ago, and I have a healthy heart thanks to Dr. Vincent and the good Lord. So
wherever you are Dr. Vincent, I want to thank you for not only saving my
life, but you helped me live a normal productive life, and for showing me
that you truly cared. You are a gifted Doctor that has made a big difference
in my life, and for that I will be eternally grateful.
Colleen Duval
duvals@fmsn.com
Send Colleen an email and let her know what you thought of her writing!
A little bit about Colleen:
I am an Accounting Clerk from Southern California. I work at a private
Liberal Arts College in the Student Accounts office. I am a happily married
mother of two boys; my stepson Ryan is fourteen, and my adopted son Eric is
two. I was born and raised in Southern California. In 1980 I graduated with
honors from Northview High School in West Covina, California. I received my
Accounting and Bookkeeping Certificate from County Schools in Connecticut. I
started writing poetry in high school and I just recently started writing my
own personal stories. I have written several poems and some of my poems have
been published in various books by the International Library of Poetry.
Check out here web sites:
http://www.heartwarmers.com/members/?colleend
http://www.thrill.to/colleenspoems
http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/colleend
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Thought For The Day:
"Fear makes the wolf bigger than he really is."
Verse for the Day:
"...though a mighty army marches against me, my heart shall know no
fear! I am confident that God will save me."
Psalm 27:3
Kid's Thought For The day:
"If you start out afraid of the dark, pretty soon you will be afraid
of the dusk too."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Parents: A peculiar group who first try to get their children to
walk and talk, and then try to get them to sit down and be quiet."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from
something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream,
a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have
to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the
will. But the will must be stronger than the skill."
Muhammad Ali
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Old telephone books make ideal personal address books.
Simply cross out the names and addresses of people you
don't know."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)
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we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
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