{St. Maria Goretti came from Italy to 54 US Cities - We got to see her too!}

Just by accident did I read about this UNIQUE EVENT, when Pope Francis arrived in the USA, only two days later than this Italian Saint.

Learning about her travel schedule to 54 US Cities, starting out at the East Coast, also Atlanta was on the list. But that day we could not go.

So I was delighted to find that on October 28, she would come to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, Florida, which is only 3 hours and 35 minutes driving distance from us!

Yes she flew from Italy to the USA and traveled along the East Coast like this...

PILGRIMAGE OF MERCY

TOUR OF THE MAJOR RELICS OF

ST. MARIA GORETTI

USA 2015

This is a prayer card that I have since I was a child, given to me by my most favorite Great-Uncle and Priest Dr. Sjang Nelissen, who went to the Vatican Council.

Yes, there had been an Italian connection between 'Heeroom' (Great-Uncle Priest) and me, going back half a century.

He studied Church Law in Rome and I was so delighted when I received special stamps from the Vatican Council, that he brought back for me. 

Don't know where they are now... I always passed on everything to my siblings!

But before we too started living and working in Italy, there was this special connection.

This is the beautiful Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, Florida.

Just click on the above hyperlink to see a Pdf about it.

We arrived around 5:00 PM so we had ample time for the public veneration and would find us a spot for the Solemn Mass at 7:00 PM.

We only had to walk 8 minutes for the 700 m from our Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront so that was very convenient and the weather was 29°C or 84°F that day.

The Angels from heaven were supporting those pilgrims, coming to see St. Maria Goretti!

The Basilica is in the shape of a cross and you can see where we managed to have a seat.

Such beautiful architecture with 37 stained glass windows!

We had ample time for admiring this beauty and taking it all in...

As much as I love ANGELS, I certainly had come to the right place!

And here is the glass coffin with the skeletal remains of St. Maria Goretti...

Her face is created out of wax.

Loved the Angel Heads on all four corners of her glass coffin...

And Angel heads on top...

Angels are everywhere, up on each pillar are carved Italian Angels with trumpets.

Overlooking the choir loft you notice a large window with the Immaculate Conception figure, surrounded by Angels singing.

Those stained glass windows are made by the Mayer Stained Glass Company in Munich, Germany.

The Basilica is filling up its approximately 560 seats with lots of people ending up standing in the isles...

Daylight is fading and the interior looks even more magical.

Mass is about to start and the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard is lined up...

This is a photo from 2 November post on the FB Page: Pilgrimage of Mercy: Tour of the Major Relics of St. Maria Goretti and husband Pieter and I are visible to the left of the purple hat..., I am standing next to the pillar and adjusting my iPhone.

Here in the center you see Celebrant: Reverend Edward Murphy and St. Maria Goretti remained to the right in the front of the Basilica before the high altar of Italian Carrara marble. 

There were maybe close to twenty Priests in this Solemn and partly Latin Mass that was such a blessing for being able to attend. For us it felt like being back in The Netherlands, or being back in Italy where Mass sounded a lot more similar. Sure the beautiful Basilica added to the incredible experience as well.

The sad fact however is that when I picked up a thick, local newspaper the next morning, anxious to read about this rare event, there was nothing. From Fr. Murphy I did learn that it got sent out to all media outlets in the north Florida area but quite unfortunately they did not pick it up. Even when his Church became a Basilica some years ago, they ignored the crowds and dignitaries that came.

Citizen Journalism is ALL that is left...

May our Angels and Saints pray with us for this World and especially at this time around the birth of our Prince of PEACE...

Related links:

Who is St. Maria? - Pilgrimage of Mercy | Pdf with more info

NC Register | St. Maria Goretti's 'Pilgrimage of Mercy' | Pdf with more info

Body of St. Maria Goretti Arriving in the U.S. | Pdf with more info about the Saints life

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Jacksonville, FL | Pdf with info

A Story of Great Mercy St. Maria Goretti & Alessandro Serenely |  Pdf with photos and full story

Basilica of the Immaculate Conception | video about this incredible building!

in English:

St. Maria Goretti (2003) full movie –1.

Just watch on YouTube and it automatically will go to the next version at the end; total of 15.

{My Hand with Dupuytren's Contracture - Update}

It is now almost half a year ago, since I had unexpectedly surgery on my left hand's index finger. Due to severe swelling, Edema, they had to open it up and look inside. 

You can see the huge swelling on my left index finger; Edema.

Having a rare auto immune disease could also trigger such unusual reaction.

After my total histerectomy, I even suffered Angioedema because of ACE inhibitors that I took for controlling my blood pressure, which I had to stop using of course.

An orthopedic surgeon opened up my index finger, on the outside and inside.

They started growing a culture but nothing was growing in it and I felt like having undergone surgery in vain... Also I'd begged to have it done by my Hand Surgeon, whom I saw in April of 2012, for my Dupuytren's Contracture. 'No, any orthopedic surgeon can do this I was told!'

This photo is of October 18, one day after surgery while still at the hospital, for a total of 6 days.

You don't realize how handicapped you are with only the use of one hand...

It was a time that I asked husband Pieter to bring me the lap-duvet, my own sewing creation from the left over down duvet that I used for enlarging the European sized twin duvets. I'd sewn a soft duvet cover for it from cable print flannel sheets that were on sale at Garnet Hill 

Don't know about your hospital experience, but I was almost freezing during my stay!

During surgery they had bruised my eyes and nose, making me look like I had been in a fight!
Could they not more carefully place the mask over my nose and mouth for putting me to sleep?

Not my best days...

At the first check up with J. Richter, M.D. he told me that sometimes, surgery does not go following the book... BUT with aggressive therapy, 3 times weekly, I would be able to fully use my finger again.

At Fairview Park Hospital: Rehab Unit they put Kinetix band on and treated me with Ultrasound in order to get rid of the aggressively formed scar tissue.

On November 14, 2014 still a lot of swelling as the Edema persisted.

You can see where orthopedic surgeon J. Richter, M.D. cut the finger open and also on the underside.

Dupuytren's Contracture does cause scar tissue to grow more aggressively...

One more reason I had begged to see my Hand Surgeon in Macon!

Finally, after going to the local hospital's rehab center, for 6 weeks, 3 x weekly, I managed to see my Hand Surgeon in the next city, one hour driving from where we live.

His first question nearly floored me. 'Where did you go for therapy?' I told him at Fairview Park Hospital Rehab. He then asked me: 'Why didn't they send you to a certified hand therapist?'... 

I realized that not only was I told that this surgery was not exactly following the books and now I learned that my first two months of precious healing time had not been fully utilized because, unknowingly, I did not see a certified hand therapist! 

So I committed to driving the long distance from than on. Surgery cannot be redone, sure it would have been a different outcome had Waldo E. Floyd III, M.D. done my surgery to begin with.

At Ortho Georgia, Diana, one of the experienced and licensed Hand & Upper Extremity therapists, provided me with an elastic finger for wearing during the day in order to reduce the swelling.

A gel coated elastic finger to wear at night, all for reducing the swelling...

She got me a splint to wear at home, for some 20 minutes at a time, about 4 or 5 times daily.

This in order to further stretch and straighten my finger.

From the side...

Here you can see my nodules from the Dupuytren's Contracture in the palm of my hand and it has extended out towards that index finger. You also can see where the scar tissue has kind of caused a nodule.

In order to bend the finger again, I had to wear this elastic strap, just simply stapled together and tightened over time, as I progressed.

Needless to say that when having to do all this, the usual household chores like baking, cleaning etc. are very much restricted!

This is on January 19, 2015 and still very much swollen and red.

At OrthoGeorgia I started out each time with this Whirlpool treatment.

Ground up corn cobs, an inert medium, are being circulated by hot air inside.

I had to insert my lower arm and hand and with a velcro sleeved extension it got closed off.

photo courtesy of Ortho Georgia and not my hand!

Next Diana would treat my finger with ultrasound, for reducing the scar tissue.

On January 22, after removing the gel coated elastic finger that I wore during the night...

At Ortho Georgia Rehab I had to work with pegs...

Shooting off these little 1.25 inch porcupine rubber balls, with your thumb and index finger.

Diana custom made me a brace for wearing, so the lowest finger joint could not bend; thus forcing the other two to function on their own.

Diana would stretch, bend, flex and massage my finger; well I could better write that she tortured me but I endured it for the benefits I got out of it. ONLY wish I could have started off with her right after surgery...

This is for bending the finger for a certain length of time.

This is today, still somewhat swollen and red but when I got my check up yesterday with Waldo E. Floyd III, M.D. in Macon, he told me that I better quit the therapy.

First he asked me if I could live with this finger the way it is...

What can I say? I have to accept it and in the almost six months time, I've grown used to it and look forward to normal use of both of my hands without being restricted due to all these things.

He still suggested I use my THERABATH PROFESSIONAL THERMOTHERAPY PARAFFIN BATH for warming up and than continue with the strap etc. at home. 

It has been a very expensive time for us and I often say, paying for hospital bills is far more expensive than being at the most luxurious Resort!

What bothered me was that I was not correctly advised for seeing a certified person and even worse, when comparing the billing between the non-certified, so-called hand therapist and the really professional one!

On December 1, 2014, this was the bill from our local Fairview Park Hospital Rehab.

Ultrasound therapy $ 377.25. Luckily I had reached my deductible of $ 5,000.- at that time!

At Ortho Georgia only $ 47.00
Sure, I'm not finger-pointing but there IS a difference!

With my new insurance, I've paid over 2015 already $ 1,150.83 out of pocket...

~

Life goes on, even after we have had a rough ride this year with also my Mom's death, husband Pieter's Angina Pectoris (heart cramp) after Mom's passing.

But we did enjoy a lovely 6 days in Arizona from March 22 through 27, using our free companion ticket from Delta that would expire on March 31. 

Related links:
{There You Go Again... Update} | previous post by me about bullying siblings that attacked me for NOT going to Mom's funeral while still having rehab and NO financial means for paying the very expensive ticket (short term booking)... I've forgiven them and only pray that they will change. It is up to God to deal with it.
{My Hand and Dupuytren's Contracture} | previous post by me
{Fighting the Water + Scanning Slides} | previous post by me
{Dutch Twin Down Duvets Altered to American Size} | previous post by me