(Picture: After Church with Eden)GRACIE
I mentioned in a previous blog that Gracie Gledhill passed away almost a week after her 11 month old body rejected her heart transplant. Even before she passed I was invited by her kind grandfather to consider playing at Gracie’s funeral. I told him, “I would much rather see Gracie in her mother’s arms at one of my shows, after I also recover from a transplant, than to see her at her funeral.” But, it wasn’t meant to be and I am extremely humbled and honored to have participated in one of the most touching funerals I’ve ever attended. My wife and I will never forget it. Michelle's blog for her daughter has strengthened my love for life and of God.
MY ROUTINE
200 days seem like a long time. But, it has flown by. I am feeling good. I’ve got a routine down. When I’m not seeing the doctor or going to church I usually get up between 8 and 9 in the morning to the sound of my daughter wanting to watch “a show.” I take my first dose of meds and drink a lot of water. I read the news online and at 10 I give myself a shot along with taking more meds. We make breakfast. I answer some e-mail. And on a good day a friend takes me to lunch. I come home and take more meds. I lay down and listen to a talk or sermon, read a little bit, get online, and try to play with my Eden. Around 5 I help my wife make dinner, try to answer some phone calls, answer some email, listen to music while Eden dances around the house. I take my final meds. I give myself another shot, read a little bit more, blog, listen to music or a talk, and go to bed.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteI am Gracie's Great Aunt, Michele's Aunt. I have enjoyed listening to your beautiful music. I live in VA and was not able to attend Gracie's funeral. However, my daughter goes to BYU Idaho and was able to make it to the funeral. When she called me after the funeral the first thing she said was, "Mom, guess who was there"? She said Paul Cardall! She also loves your music she has been hearing on Gracie's blog and was so impressed you where at the funeral. She said your music was wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your music, that was so sweet of you to play for Gracie's funeral. We will pray for you as you wait for your heart transplant.
Connie Gleason
Paul,
ReplyDeleteI have loved your posts on Gracie as well as your there blog and your own blog, it really puts things into perspective. YOU are such a great example to me with the patience and strength you continue to endure. You have a wonderful family, thanks so much for sharing your life experiences with all of us. Danica and Bryhn ALWAYS want to listen to coming to Eden. I have had many friends who are not members rellish in your work, your a true leader and such an inspiration to us all. Thanks for your strength, our prayers continue to be with you and your family and other families who may be going through this same thing.
Not only has your music indelibly touched Gracie's family... but through Gracie's family, so many have come to know your music, your story, your example. It's been remarkable to watch unfold. Such divine purpose in all of these connections.
ReplyDeleteI'm just a follower and a fan. Found you through Gracie, but realized that I have loved your music through knowing another friend of mine, Richard Paul Evans. I didn't know your story until now. Your family is beautiful, your music so inspiring. I too lost my little Mia at 15 months of age from a genetic muscular disorder. Your primary CD just melts my heart as I listen. My family and I will pray for you. You are such an amazing person, I wish I could have heard you play for Gracie. Thank you for your music, I comforts me in my hours of need. Love from a mother who knows loss.
ReplyDeleteNicole Holland
You always amaze me! I wish I could come to the concert... we would be there in a second. Too bad we have to live 12 hours away. I will spread the word on my blog!
ReplyDeletePraying for your heart!!
I would give anything to hear you play in person. I have your music playing on my laptop all day long. I have mentioned before that your music is like hearing music from the Heavens...I guess that would classify you as one of Heavens earthly angels. Paul your gift of music is changing lives daily including my own. I feel the spirit so strongly when I hear you play.
ReplyDeleteThis sweet little angel girl Gracie has allowed others to have a piece of heaven. Although I was unable to attend the funeral of Gracie, I have felt her spirit. And surely the heavens have gotten better because of her sweet spirit. I know I have become a better person because two of gods children have enriched my life in an unexplainable way.
Our prayers remain with you...and you'd better be sure that you are around for a while so that you can be the pianist at my farwell when I am called home.
Lots of love-
Hugs-
Hey Paul, I knew your beautiful wife and your brother in highschool. I heard about the Living for Eden benefit concert for you and started to search online for info and stumbled on this beautiful blog. Your little family is gorgeous and Lynette is more beautiful then she was in highschool, if that's possible. You and your family are in my prayers at this time and I will be at the benefit concert along with as many people as I can get to go to it. Please send Lynette my love. Stephanie (Zenger) Bagley
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful that you were able to play for Gracie's funeral. I'm sure that meant so much to them.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is so beautiful. What a blessing for you to have her.
I wish I lived in Utah (well, not really, but just for that night :) ) so I could go to the benefit concert!
I found your music on little Gracies Blog...and fell in LOVE with it! Your music brings a sense of peace and I think it is SO touching that u played for Gracie's funeral! I bought your CD today...and I just read the story on KSL about u getting a heart!
ReplyDeleteMany thoughts and prayers are being said just for you!
God Bless you and your family!
Thankyou for being an "angel" on earth...to so so many!
Thank you Paul Cardall for your testimony and faith! Your blog has touched my heart and strengthened my love and belief in God. I have worked in Cardiology for 8 years...including a year at PCMC and your story and that of Gracie have brought tender moments caring for patients to my mind. I will be praying for you and your family!! THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeletePaul, you are truly amazing. i am sitting here reading your blog and just bawling. My son Hayden(now 8) has tricuspid atresia, had the BT shunt at a month old, Glenn at 7 months and just had the fontan in Nov. 2008. his life is like a carbon copy of yours. His cardiologist is also Ronald Day, surgeon on the fontan was Kaza and other 2 surgeries was Hawkins. They are truly angels. Hope all turns out well for you, you are in our prayers as you wait for your new heart. We were told hopefully Hayden is good for 20 years, believe me we have our fingers cross. Good luck and beat wishes!!! Thank you for your faith. Love Lori Jones
ReplyDeleteHi Paul and family,
ReplyDeleteWe came across your blog last night and our hearts have been softened again. 3.5 years ago our precious daughter Emma Joy went through her first of the three heart surgeries at PCMC at two days old. She passed away 75 days later. We all lived in the PICU, what a blessing and what a curse. Every moment of every day we wait to be with her again.
Your story is so familiar to us and we are cheering and praying for you and all the other children at PCMC. We are grateful to know that our Heavenly Father holds each one of us in his hands. May He bless you and your family with all of his most precious blessings. Thank you for sharing with us heaven's music. Peace and God bless.
Love, Kent, Tina, Emma, and Bronco Maxfield
kt.maxfield@yahoo.com
Paul,
ReplyDeleteFeeling up for some ice cream? Unfortunately we can't head back to our ol' stompin grounds but I'm sure we could find another ice cream shop to terrorize.
We are so happy that you will be getting your transplant! We wish you the best of luck! I'd love see you again soon - just let me know! (doug.swensen@gmail.com)
We are praying for you and we'll be at the concert in April. I imagine you'll be swarmed with people so I won't try to say hi then but shoot me an email.
The world still needs you to interject some Van Halen and/or Rush into some random song!!
Good luck and God bless you and your family.
Doug Swensen and family
Paul,
ReplyDelete(I found your blog through Gracie's blog last night!) I love listening to your music. It is so tender and brings the spirit into my home!
My 10 year old niece is waiting to have a kidney transplant...hopefully in 2 months! It is hard to play the waiting game, but we know Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us! We hope that you will be able to have your transplant soon.
We are planning on attending the concert in April. Your music is so truely amazing! Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us! You are in our prayers!
I don't know how you keep your perspective. I am having a very bitter day, and I read your quote from Elder Uchtdorf and wonder with opposition in all things if each time a hope is unfulfilled, if it creates a lack of confidence and leads to leads hope. I've held onto hope and had to let it go more than I want to have had to. Yet, we gave our newborn daughter the middle name of Hope. I admit it is partly because I know too well that I don't have the final say as to whether or not she will be snatched by death the way her two siblings were, and if death prevails I can say "we lost all hope". So I sit here thinking about how bitter I feel, how difficult it is for me to have hope, to believe. And I see your struggle and think what is it that keeps you going? I look at some people who take lemons and make "lemonade", and I get lemons and wonder why God gave someone else the candy store. I feel like I can relate to the Prodigal Son's brother.
ReplyDeleteI honestly hadn't heard about your music until I "met" Gracie. I fell in love with David Nevue's music while our little Bridget was dying. He has a song called "Eden Again", and your little girl's name of course brings that to mind, especially with the style of your music being so similar to his.
My husband and I have been following Peter Breinholt even back when it was Peter along with "the Big parade". We also have been big fans of Shupe for just about as long. I'm glad these guys are looking out for you, and I hope we can go to the benefit concert.
When your music started playing on Gracie's blog, my daughter came in and so admiringly said "this is beautiful!" I will have to order her her own CD now. We don't go to church right now. We're working on getting there, but there is a lot to work on. I like to have the church music at home at least, to give the kids something.
Sorry this is so long. Thanks for sharing your story.
It amazes me that so much love and inspiration can come from something called a "blog". We have listened to your beautiful music through our following of Gracie's blog. My daughter Andrea began her blog last year when she was told her son (she waited 8 years to conceive) would be born with HLHS. Owen was born January 28, 2008. Her blog is beautiful and we have had the blessing of following the journeys of his "heart" brothers and sisters.Thank you for sharing your talents, and your story. The strength we all pull from one another is such a pure love. We pray for your heart to come soon so Eden's daddy can feel better and your beautiful wife will have the desires of her heart. With love from Owen Simmons' Gamma V
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