Was it the weather, the post-holiday renewal or procrastination undone? Whatever the cause, several UUers recently took time out – willingly or otherwise – for infections, surgery or physical uplift. Cases reported seem now to be coming along nicely.
Billye Cutchen suffered a urinary tract infection a month ago – a problem often detected when the patient experiences a state of confusion – which happened in this case. When Lisa Hudson, Billye’s dear friend and household helper, came by a day after her previous visit, she found, reports Billye, “I was still seated in the same reclining chair and wearing the same clothes I was wearing the day before.” Lisa called 911 and Billye was admitted to the hospital for four days, treated with antibiotics and sent home. Her daughter Cindy came from Kerrville, Texas, and stayed a couple of weeks to be with her, then was followed by daughter Beth, who lives in El Paso, arriving for another couple of weeks. You may have noticed, as Billye affirms: “I’m recovering nicely.”
And now – more recently – there’s more news from Billye Cutchen: She will be moving in March to a condominium at The Verandas, a retirement community located on Pine Forest Road. Her daughter Beth will be helping with the move.
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For Brent Terry, the need was surgery, and the outcome – yes, actually – was “a part of my large intestine. It doesn’t affect me,” he says stalwartly. “It makes me feel better and I’ll probably gain a little bit of weight. Apparently, there was like a growth or something on it, like an oversized polyp… The good part: no cancer.” He was home in two days, eating what he pleased, and soon back in church, as he accurately predicted.
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Laura Keith King also had surgery – the cataract variety on one eye, with the second scheduled for similar vision improvement in June. “The surgery went well and I only have some teensy complications, nothing to worry about. I look forward to this process being in the past, but I’m still grateful that it’s possible.”
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Michael Trudeau has been promoted from aircraft mechanic to aircraft inspector at ST Engineering at Pensacola International Airport. ST, which began operations in Pensacola in 2018, is a 50-year-old Singapore-based global technology, defense and engineering group with worldwide locations and approximately 22,000 employees. At latest count in January, ST employment locally was reported to be 163, the total for the first phase of its Pensacola aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Recent grants totaling $210 million have been approved for ST’s Pensacola expansion, expected to bring as many as 1,325 additional jobs to the airport.
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It’s commonly understood that charity is a good thing for both the gifter and the receiver. And for UUs, that’s a given. Lately, at the midyear Congregational meeting, we heard reports of donation amounts from some of last year’s Fifth Sundays – well worth repeating – and lately, we’ve also become aware of how our semi-annual Yard Sales benefit not only the buyer and the donor, but also charities that receive leftovers.
Take a look at what our membership generosity has accomplished recently in both categories.
Fifth Sundays in 2019: March 31, Earth Ethics, $168; June 30, Animal Allies Florida, $274; September 29, JUST Pensacola, $430; and December 29, Florida Cares, $335.
Our first Fifth Sunday of 2020 is coming soon: March 29, to benefit the Humanist Society of Northwest Florida’s reading project, LFLs. These are “little free libraries” placed in neighborhoods by individuals and groups. They are designed to foster reading across all age groups. Users are encouraged to take or leave a book.
Unsold Yard Sales items are donated to non-profit organizations. Leftovers are given to Teen Challenge; books go first to Open Books and then to a local library (usually Milton Public Library); health equipment is given to Council on Aging; and leftover linen and pet supplies go to Pensacola Humane Society.
And in February, we donated 214 pounds of food to Manna! Keep up the good work!
– Charlotte Crane