FOR LANA AND TONY

[Fenris]

As I type this, Lana's son Tony is undergoing major surgery on his damaged esophagus. The surgery is a bit more complicated than anticipated, and Lana is feeling understandably apprehensive.
Please keep them both in your thoughts as they fight their way through this.

[Tim Wescott]

I`m hoping for the best Paul,as we all are of course.

I`d really like to hear that this courageous kid is finally doing alright for a change.

To go through what Tony and Lana have gone through, after all this time, takes a lot of faith, and a lot of courage as well.

My prayers and thoughts are with them as always.

Thanks for posting this Paul,I`m going to make it a sticky.

[youngblood]

I just called Lana, but wasn't able to talk to her.
Tony and Lana are in my thoughts!
I hope that kid pulls through!!! He is certainly the most courageous person I've ever heard of!

[xenabeachgirl]

Best wishes to both of them for strength and health during such a difficult time.

[GerryT]

They are truly blessed to have such a solid mother/son relationship based on faith and love.

They are my adopted sister and nephew and love them both. They are always in my prayers and will keep the candles lit for them. Hope they get through another
difficult and stressful time.

[Fenris]

Tony is out of surgery after seven hours, and is in no small amount of pain. He is going to be in ICU for a couple of days, and is expected to stay in the hospital for about two weeks.
Lana is crashing there as well--please be advised that she will be unable to answer any PMs or e-mails for a while, as she is going to be away from her computer until Tony has recovered. She wants to thank everyone who has wished them well.
Keep your positive energy coming, and let's see Tony back to health!

[PassionateBB]

Hang in there, Lana. The worst has passed hopefully.

You both are in everyone's thoughts.

[J65]

Prayers going out for a full recovery.

[nimrod]

hav faith... Lana.... i'll b praying for u both daily.....

[sockrocker]

prayers and grace for lana and tony

[Fenris]

Lana and Tony are both doing a lot better lately. Tony's still in some pain but fighting like the warrior that he is.
The main thing now is for those stitches to hold.
They have moved Tony out of ICU ahead of schedule and he has a "luxury" suite with a view of the Golden Gate bridge, complete with a cot for Mom.
So far, so good...

[Milly]

Lana is among one of the nicest people I have ever encountered on netland and I cant imagine what she is going thru yet she still manages to be so positive thru her writing.

I really hope for all the best for her and her son

makes the bs I am going thru make me think that I have nothing to complain about.

[Tim Wescott]

Thanks for the update Paul......that`s the kind of news I was hoping to hear!!

[GerryT]

They are both in my thoughts and prayers. their faith and inner strength will see them through.

[1705total]

My wife and I were talking the other day about why God "allows" such things to happen.

My thoughts are thus

God only gives the toughest challenges to those people he knows can handle them. I cannot think of tougher people then Lana and Tony. Kind and giving and understanding.

My heart and prayers go out to them and I wish them all the best and Tony a speedy recovery.

Strong people as these two are will come through these challenges and only be stronger for it.

It is indeed my pleasure and to my benefit to know Lana and occassionally correspond with her.

I am a better a person for it.

God bless, and I will light a candle in church for you tomorrow.

[Fenris]

I have to respectfully disagree, 1400.

I believe that weak people often face challenges much like Lana and Tony's--and they are crushed by them.

But not the Battagellos--they are extraordinary people who are strong enough to bear the weight of tremendous hardship and climb up out of the depths of adversity.

And that is why we are all so lucky to know them, and have the opportunity to offer them our support when it is so desperately needed.

[GerryT]

How can we differentiate who is weak and who is strong? Sometimes looks and actions are deceiving.

Had a friend who seemed totally passive and weak.
But during the adversities of his parents' illnesses and
deaths, he rose up and handled the situation with great dignity and was a beacon of strength for his family.

Sometimes there is an inner strength that we don't realize we have until we need it. Adversity can make us stronger.

For Lana and Tony, sure they have their moments of fear and doubt, but the strength and faith they share always overcomes that. Continuing to pray for them.

[Fenris]

I'm not arguing with that, Gerry--I have met many people whose true strength wasn't evident until it was tested.

I just don't like the idea of a deity looking down and saying "Oh, he's strong enough to deal with this, so I'm gonna drop a terrible hardship on his ass". To me that means that weakness is rewarded, while strength is punished.

I choose to believe that bad things happen because they happen, and that there is no particular reason why they happen to one person but not another.

I'm not trying to change anyone else's personal perspective on this matter, I just don't want to believe that people like myself, Lana and Peggy are deliberately targeted because we're strong enough to bear the pain of our personal catastrophes.

I respect the opinion of anyone who thinks otherwise, but having been through hell I just can't look at things any other way.

[GerryT]

I'm not arguing either, Paul. Things happen to anyone for a reason, whether we can bear them or not.

Know what a horrendous loss you suffered and I feel for you. I lost my wife and at the time 16 year old son. So believe me, I understand what you are saying.

As with any of my friends with children, I only pray Lana never has to experience such a loss. There is nothing more painful on this earth. Only want the best for Lana and Tony.

[Fenris]

Gerry, as I've said, I respect your right to believe what you wish about what has happened to you.

But frankly, if one more person tells me with high-and-mighty certainty that what happened to Marianna and me was done ON PURPOSE and FOR A GOOD REASON, then I'm going to vomit.

I stated what I believe without saying that you were wrong. Don't turn around and tell me that my beliefs are inaccurate. They work for me.

If you are honest with yourself, you have to admit that neither one of us really knows whether we are truly correct or not. We each believe what works for us.

So please stop telling me that your way is the only way. I phrased my previous post the way that I did to avoid this kind of debate, so please acknowledge my right to my beliefs, as I have repeatedly acknowledged yours.

And let's leave it at that.