Thanks to all and an update on my wife

paysonites wrote:

Good afternoon everybody,

Sorry it took so long to get on here. We had an appointment down in Phoenix with a infectious disease doctor. Everything went well and Shawna's been given a clean bill of health as far as the heart goes. Her Cardiologist still wants Shawna to wait near two months for her heart to strengthen before heading into surgery.

Shawna and I have been doing a lot of thinking since Friday. What we've come up with is we are some of the luckiest Pearl Jam fans in the world. It's one thing to have the music to hold onto. It seems their is always a PJ song for any moment or circumstance that comes our way through this life. This band has been there for us in more ways than we could of ever imagined or comprehended.

You see, this band has created the most incredible fan base on the face of this planet. Nobody seems to understand or grasp how phenomenal this really is. Our world has been completely broke apart by all of these surgeries and hard times. Surgery after surgery after surgery. It seems to grab at the soul within and leave its melancholic mark. The first few years through my three back surgeries I still somewhat felt like superman. Get it done, heal and move forward. Whatever hit I took it was okay because my family was okay and we had made it through. A little worn but still things were going to be okay.

When life took a turn for the worse and it came after my wife. Everything immediately changed. Nothing was easy anymore. Three major surgeries and three major infections. Our lives were torn apart. Lack of this and lack of that. Yes, she almost died twice but her will to live outweighed anything that was in store for her. I felt like I was dieing over and over again. With each great circumstance came another great pain she had to go through. It was the hardest thing we will hopefully ever have to do again. It got so bad that our world had changed. Immersed in this new life of survival. Any friends we had had long deserted us so we thought.

Here out of the brinks of total wreckage came this Calvary of relentless loving people singing there own tune.
Not having a care in the world except for of us. Shawna and I.....We were the top priority...We were what was important. The tears that have fallen through this year are of gratitude and astonishment. There was no way we could of made it through alone. The depths of depression and anguish were within a mear footstep but you wouldn't let that happen. You wouldn't let us fall that way. No matter what was going on in your life. You stopped and took the time to show us the light and that the sun would rise another day. Well our friends it did. We have made it through the worst of it all. Thanks to a loving, caring, selfless group of people we call Jamily.

There are no words that could even start to express how much we appreciate everything that you have done for us. To be honest about things. When Shawna was at her worst and I was sleeping only 3 hours a night I had plenty of nights that I won't even talk about. All I know is the people...Whether you are from Greece, France or the good ol' U S of A. We had all walks of life fighting for us to make it through. The PM's of just lyrics from a Pearl Jam song or a simple just checking in...meant the world to us.The support from nurses that didn't even really know us was incredibly uplifting. The questions asked and the long thought out answers that only could come from Jamily is breath taking.

Our road is not over but in a sense we feel that it as just begun. New found strength to help in making it through. Believing in our dreams again..GOALS..PJ concerts on the horizon. This is all because of the will to live, the will to love and a group of individuals that united for some fellow fans who believed in the music and believed in life. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and our souls. You are the true inspiration. You are the reason this band continues on. Without you things would have been a lot different. With you our world is a better place.

Thank you for everything that you have done for us. We love you and look forward to the day when we will join you at another Pearl Jam concert. May life bring you all of the joys that you have brought to our lives.

Your Friends and greatest fans..
John and Shawna Pauley

P.S. A special thank you to a most incredible person. None of this would have been possible without the love and devotion of this wonderful lady. Stillhere Thank you so much for all that you have done for our family. You are a true inspiration of how humanity is supposed to be. We love you....

paysonites wrote:

Hey everybody,

It's been a long time since I've posted on here. First off I wanted to personally thank all that helped my wife and I with the extras so we could be a part of the PJ20 experience in Wisconsin. That trip was very special to both of us. There is nothing like the music of Pearl Jam to lift the spirits. I still have dreams of that incredible weekend. I know that it meant the world to my wife. We had to use a Wheel chair to get around and boy do we have some stories. Those hills were killer. I'll make time for those at some point. Yes, those were some amazing experiences.

I am asking once again for a big big favor. One month after the trip Shawna's health went down hill. Due to a bad back surgery she has continued to have serious health issues. Her back got a major infection. Next her gall bladder which contracted the infection had to be removed. In November she had her infected hardware taken out of her back and was put on a pick line. Since then she still may have a back infection but now she's been fighting for her life. You see she has a three inch infection in her fourth heart chamber. She's been on ivy antibiotics for the past four weeks with no luck. The doctor wants her to be on them for another two weeks. If it doesn't go away then she will be looking at open heart surgery.

Our life has been turned upside down. With no family in town and hardly any support life has been really difficult. I've had to let most of our business go so I can take care of her. So with the emotional, financial and physical struggles we've been having a very difficult time.

So my biggest favor to ask is that people can please keep my 28 year old wife in there thoughts and/or prayers. This has been the most difficult time of our lives and with two major surgeries on the horizon I know the road will be having its challenges.

Thank you for all the past support and I know that whenever we have needed it which has been for around two years now that I can come here. Thank you...Thank you.....Thank you.....

John and Shawna......