I simply couldn’t escape the logic of writing a few lines relevant to the holiday that is upon us, so Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Before I ruminate a bit about my favorite holiday, an update on the “journey” would seem to be in order. The Mayo Clinic’s Medical Oncology Department called to say they don’t need to see me because after reviewing all of the records, the doctors concur with the University of Iowa’s Hospital doctors that the MRI does NOT indicate cancer or a tumor. It is always comforting and worthwhile to have a second opinion so the call was a relief.
We first met with the speech pathologist in Burlington on November 10th and again on November 18th. She was extremely helpful, and I now have a series of tongue exercises (you got that right, Gordy Taylor doing exercises to strengthen his tongue seems pretty funny) that will hopefully ensure that food is directed into my stomach and not my trachea enroute to my lungs. They are easy to accomplish; I can do them while sitting on the coach having breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals of “product.”
When we had our follow-up with the “speech lady” on the 18th, I mentioned that I really can’t feel much improvement and she smiled and said, “You won’t, but that is the way it is with muscles in this part of your body.” I need to continue to stay the course and keep doing what I am doing, hoping there will be some improvement when I take another video swallow test sometime in December. So, I will continue to move my tongue from right to left, swallow vigorously, stick out my tongue between my teeth, keep it in place and attempt to swallow. Try it, great fun. Then I lay on my back and move only my head up and try to look at my toes and hold it there for 60 seconds—another exciting exercise in frustration and hard on the back. I even have vocal exercises but I digress. Regardless of the results of the swallow test, she assured me that PEG will continue to be with me for the foreseeable future.
This all gets to be a little scary as I find myself succumbing to the “Stockholm Syndrome;” whereby you convince yourself that something bad that has happened to you is really a good thing e.g. Patty Hearst. I actually get attached to the damn thing and become reluctant to totally yank it out and return to normal eating and drinking activities. However, if I ever, (and certainly hope I do) get the green light, I will embrace that reality and promptly order a pizza though I’ll probably have to settle for one piece as I adjust to whatever the new protocol might be. We wait some more, do the exercises, and realize that PEG will be with me for a while. I am strengthened in my resolve to win this battle by a couple of words posted on the blog by Dallas Hancock that stick in my mind. She wrote, “Gordy, you can do this—STAY FIERCE” and indeed, Dallas, I shall endeavor to do so.
On to Thanksgiving: I’m not sure why it is my favorite holiday but indeed it is. Easter is a time of reverence, the 4th of July a time of celebration, and Christmas has become a time when everyone seems consumed with gifts rather than giving and honoring the birth the most important person in Christianity. Thus, we come to Thanksgiving when we gather with family and maybe a few close friends to give thanks for the lives we are allowed to live in this great country. In this time of so many differences, Americans share Thanksgiving. To me, bringing family together makes me happy and gives meaning to my life. Diane feels the same way. Last year we were not allowed to do so because we were getting over our bouts with Covid 19. We ended up getting carry-out at Chubby’s, a local restaurant. The meal was excellent but to us, no way to celebrate this important day.
I read a cute quote about Herb Kelleher, the founder of Southwest Airlines, written by his employees that was their shout-out thank you to their leader.
Thanks Herb
for remembering every one of our names
for supporting the Ronald McDonald House
for helping load baggage on Thanksgiving
for listening
for singing at our holiday party
for singing only once a year
for letting us wear shorts and sneakers to work
for over talking Sam Donaldson
for riding your Harley Davidson in Southwest Headquarters
for being a friend, not just a boss
He must have been a true leader who connected with his people using not only his head but also his heart. I won’t take time to recite the many blessings Diane and I received this year other than to say, except for that nasty bout of pneumonia and reinsertion of PEG, we have been pretty damn lucky. I have had the good fortune to live the life I’m living and to have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people. Health issues aside, the 4th quarter has been very good to Diane and me.
Living life tends to give a person perspective. I’ve had a large dose of that in recent months. It reminds me of a comment I make in my motivational presentations asking “Is your glass half-empty or half-full?” My current health situation is best explained in the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charley Mackesy given to me by alumni colleague Jaynee Groseth and husband Rolf, a K-12 classmate of mine. It has to do with a conversation between a boy and a mole “is your glass half empty or half full?” asked the mole. “I think I’m grateful to have a glass,” said the boy. That sums up my life in November 2021. I’m pretty darn grateful.
I keep coming back to the only real constant in my life that makes sense to me, motivates me, energizes me. That constant is PEOPLE who are from all walks of life with different life experiences. They are of widely divergent political and religious views, and they have all been there for me over these many decades. I think that by and large there is a constant with all of them best expressed by Ella Wheeler Wilcox in this poem:
Two kinds of people on the earth today,
the people who lift and the people who lean
look only for lifters in your inner circle
Well said Ella. Diane and I are looking forward to Thanksgiving this year, more than ever as we share it with sons Gordon III and Ryan and their families. Daughter Jennifer and her crew will be there in spirit; we will miss them. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Gordy and the Fourth Quarter 
Great work GorDO happy holidays. Call when you to Marco
When you get to Marco
Love the book, the boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Sandy Mortier gave it to me, loved it so much, I bought two to send to family.❤️ So happy you are on a positive role, continued prayers and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Gordy and Diane- Happy Thanksgiving! So glad to hear you are feeling good. Keep exercising those muscles. As a Rehabilitation RN, I’ve seen many miracles…and you are one of them!
Love the book, the Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. Sandy Mortier gave it to me, loved it so much, I bought two to send to family.❤️ So happy you are on a positive roll, continued prayers and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Happy Thanksgiving Gordy & Diane! Enjoy your family present and afar. It truly is an amazing holiday to be thankful for what we have.
Thankful for the ability to believe in a better future (despite what pundits say) and grateful for an amazing ray of friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving to Mr. Gordy & Lady Di!
Happy Thanksgiving Gordy, Diane and family! Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday too!
Gordy I have always admired your ability to speak both conversationally and publicly. A gift I am certain you will renew. However, your writing prowess is superb. Thus a challenge in one area of communication has allowed your admirers to benefit from the written word as well. Much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. With continued love and respect. Bob. Sent from my iPad
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You are a Herb Kelleher in this life and a lifter to many. Happy Thanksgiving!🦃
Happy Thanksgiving to all the family, near and far. So much to be thankful for.
Oh, Gordy and Diane! We are so proud of you both for your resiliency and tenacity! Love your family and hug them! You are so special–both of you!
Forever grateful😇
God bless and continue the fight! Our hearts and prayers are with you, as Bill Brockhouse said” knock ‘‘em out and fight to the end”, he is why I was a bouncer at the King’s Castle for only 3 nights!!
I also want to Thanks Herb and SWA for having Wild Turkey as a whiskey option when flying Southwest. Thank you for bring us Thanksgiving gratefulness.
As always a great read my friend. Might I suggest a ZOOM meeting to watch you do your exercises? It would provide for some interesting conversations. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your entire family!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Diana and having your family with your this year.
Most Excellent news for you both. HAPPY THANKSGIVING = for all our blessings.
I love your comment about immediately ordering a pizza, i would do the exact same thing. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Wonderful news! Happy thanksgiving
Sent from my iPhone
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and Diane! Thank you for always having a half full attitude!
Great comments Dad. This visit to Macomb has been sensational on many levels. I will add you are a fantastic Grandpa rolling around and jumping in leaves with Kent and Ava and being so attentive to them (just like Mom). Hard to top this visit. All of it is great! Gordon III
Always uplifting and such a grateful spirit Gordy, so Thankful you are receiving positive news! Many thoughts and prayers continue for ongoing positive progress. Wishing you and all of the Taylor family a blessed Thanksgiving!
Well that’s a relief to hear that there is no cancer! So happy for this news and that you will have family for Thanksgiving! I am grateful to hear your update! Love to you -both!
Gordy and Diane………I always love reading all of your wonderful remarks…….always with the right words!!
I “raise my glass” to you both!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I was hoping you would describe going to the Athletic Club to do your tongue exercises and needing to tell people what you were doing. Ya right, your kidding me fellow!
Well done Gordy as always, modern medicine has an answer for most every problem it seems. So happy for you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and Diane
Everly optimistic! Happy Thanksgiving to your turkeys from our turkeys! Enjoy?
Happy Thanksgiving Diane, Gordy, family, and all!!!
Always good to hear from GT! Always enlightening!
Truly inspirational and knowing you and Diane is truly a blessing! Thanks for the new exercises! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thinking of you and Diane on this Thanksgiving holiday and wishing you continued success with your new exercises! I never thought you would need a tongue workout! Keep that tongue moving…You have much to say and I am listening.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. We all have much to be grateful for.🙏🤗👍🥰
I always find it amazing that they have treatments for just about every medical issue. I hope the physical therapy is effective. Often it seems, the therapy is a waste of time at first, so stay with it! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
No ‘turkey jokes’ for you this year. I will save them for next year when you are taking down a piece of pumpkin pie! Happy Thanksgiving to you and Lady Di and your wonderful family.
Good news, Gordy! Stay strong and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THE TAYLOR FAMILY! ENJOY YOUR DAY! THE FALZONE’S
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Happy Thanksgiving Gordy and Diane and the whole Taylor family. We all have a lot to be thankful for and one of those things is you and the motivational and uplifting messages you have passed along to us during your journey. Here’s hoping that the exercises you are doing now will allow you to enjoy a normal diet in 2022. Turkey and all the sides for next Thanksgiving Gordy. Stay “Fierce”.
Hey, Friends. All God’s richest blessings on you this holiday season. With grace and mercy galore. My favorite definition of Mercy: unending, unfailing gracious care!!! Our prayer for you, Dave Roberts
Gordyand Diane, thank you for …the honesty in sharing your struggles, the love you share, and the wisdom you continue to gain. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Gordy- thanks for sharing the good news and an inspirational message. Your glass is more than half full. That’s a tribute to you.