The December meeting of the Eumathian Club was held at the Baker Home in Burleson where Dorothy Nash, program chairman, presented a book review of Gideon’s Gift of the Red Glove Series, written by Karen Kingsbury. Prior to the program, members chose a gift of red gloves from a basket.

The story is the tale of Earl, a homeless (and hope-less) person and how his life is intertwined with Gideon, an 8-year-old leukemia patient.

By the story’s end, she has taught him the lessons of the red gloves and convinced him that “Christmas miracles happen if you believe.”

After the presentation, club members provided packages of diapers, children’s socks and underwear for Harvest House, which were arranged under a tree of red gloves that illustrated Gideon’s Gift.

Board members then served a home-cooked Christmas turkey dinner with all the trimmings to club members and guest, Elaine Light.
Original story

The past several months have been sluggish for most Americans. Considering that the global economy is shot, the most anyone can do is sit back and wait for the dust to settle.

Throw in a lackluster summer fishing season and one of the most bitter winters on record, and you have the current situation in Alaska — arguably the state with the bleakest outlook at the moment. Small villages, like Emmonak, are suffering the greatest hardships this winter. It’s not uncommon to hear stories of families putting their children to bed hungry, or not being able to heat their homes.

Fortunately, goodwill is prevailing. Thanks to wide range of caring individuals, from Hollywood executives to bloggers, donations are making their way north.

To donate to relief funds, visit this link.
Original story
 

It’s said that people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests stand a 3% chance of survival. That being said, Paul Berry has never been one to buy into statistics. A pack-a-day-smoker (recently clean) for a larger part of his life, an alcoholic-turned-around after being diagnosed with liver disease, and a couch potato turned marathon walker, the man is living proof, that even at the golden of sixty-two, it is never too late to turn one’s life around.

On December 27th, Mr. Berry was taking part in the Carlsbad Half Marathon when several other runners noticed him collapse. Fortunately, several of them were able to give him CPR during that critical time period before an ambulance’s arrival.

What they probably didn’t know was that they had pretty much saved Paul Berry’s life — again. Not from alcohol, cigarettes, or a sedintary lifestyle, but from ventricular fibrillation, one of the most lethal forms a heart attack can assume.

“He, by all rights, shouldn’t still be here, and he is,” his cardiologist told reporters.
Original story
 

Even though I could never visualize myself with a career in the field (I’m much more comfortable in the literary world, thank-you-very-much), I love fascinating medical stories. If the Discovery Health channel or PBS are on, I am in absolute nerd mode, living vicariously through those who get to experience these phenomena up-close. One of these stories involves Sam, a baby born with a foot (that’s right, you read that correctly) in his brain.

Sam Esquibel went under operation to have the structure removed a few days after his birth, when the doctors gave his parents the dreaded news that he stood a 50/50 chance of not making it through the operations. His mother, Tiffany Esquibel was even urged to get him baptized.

Now three months later, Sam is doing perfectly well, the only remnant of the surgery a small scar along his head. It cannot be put into words how happy his parents are to finally have him home.

“He is a miracle. I just love him so much,” Mrs. Esquibel told reporters.”

Recently, I’ve been reading a lot of comic books — more specifically, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 and The Umbrella Academy. I know, I know. Call it a little bit hokey and juvenile, but you’ve gotta admit, there’s something fascinating about the way these characters come into being. Whether it’s Peter Parker getting bitten by a spider or Buffy Summers being born as “the chosen one”, it’s just another way of art vividly imitating life.

The late Jayne Solomon and Husband, Mahmoud Solomon

A fascinating story is coming out of Britain today about a baby born 14 weeks premature. Allbeit astounding in itself, that isn’t why this story is captivating so many worldwide. Aya Jane Solomon was born 48 hours after he mother, former champion figure skater, Jayne Solomon, died of a brain hemorrage. It’s no wonder the tiny baby is being hailed a miracle.

“She’s four days old and she’s already famous, I was just telling her that!” her father, Mahmoud said.

Now, doesn’t that remind you of the perfect beginning of any superhero’s life? 
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/14/earlyshow/health/main4720796.shtml