Good Morning

Marydel benefit to honor devoted Glanding family

By Mike Finney
Posted 7/20/22

MARYDEL — If there was ever a Little League team in need of a coach or a meal that needed to be delivered to a homebound person, Tommy and Danielle Glanding were always there, ready and willing …

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Good Morning

Marydel benefit to honor devoted Glanding family

Posted

MARYDEL — If there was ever a Little League team in need of a coach or a meal that needed to be delivered to a homebound person, Tommy and Danielle Glanding were always there, ready and willing to answer the call.

However, over time, life scenarios have turned upside down for Mr. and Mrs. Glanding, of Marydel, who have both found themselves suffering from the crippling effects of medical issues.

Seeing them face their recent difficulties, friends of the family have organized a fundraiser called “Angels in Fight for the Glandings,” a benefit Aug. 6 from 5 until 10 p.m. at the Marydel Volunteer Fire Company.

There will be food, music, raffles and an auction to help a family who has always been giving to the community.

“I am working with a group of close friends of mine that are close to and/or related to the Glandings, thus, ‘Angels in Fight for the Glanding’s,’” said Wendy Strauss, family friend and one of the benefit’s organizers. “We are a close community that always comes together when others are in need.

“Danielle worked during the midst of COVID but is no longer able to work as a nurse. The Glandings are trying to keep their family going mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially.

“They are a family that has always given to the community and now it’s time to give back to them.”

Mr. Glanding is 48 years old and has had chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma since 2019. He has been suffering with medical issues for more than 13 years.

He has been forced to stop his medical care due to lack of time off from work and finances.

“It’s all Tom can do to get up and go to work. He’s done for by the time he gets home,” Mrs. Glanding said. “Anymore, he barely manages to keep up with mowing our lawn and coaching the baseball team, both of which bring him joy and our son helps him out.”

Meanwhile, Mrs. Glanding has been battling neurocardiogenic syncope, intermittent atrial fibrillation, severe debilitating osteoarthritis and was recently diagnosed with cervical and lumbar disc herniations, radiculopathy, myelopathy, stenosis and spinal cord compression with signal changes.

She requires a very serious surgery that could leave her paralyzed. It is scheduled for Aug. 10.

“Things have been difficult for years now and my favorite thing to say is ‘It could be worse,’” Mrs. Glanding said. “Some days are better than others; on bad days, it’s very difficult.

“At this point in time I have trouble doing anything, I have lost fine motor skills, strength, I’m not driving. So for instance, just to cook dinner, fold clothes, do dishes is a great challenge.

“I can rarely do any of that and if I want to go somewhere, I need a driver. Anything day to day, you can imagine, we haven’t gotten done for years and that affects us.”

Mr. Glanding served as a coach for Marydel-Hartly Little League from 1992 to 1099. He also coached in Marydel Little League from 2010 to 2015. He coached fall ball for Kent County in 2016 and travel ball in 2015.

Mrs. Glanding worked in the Marydel-Hartly concession stand in the 1990s. She also provided secretarial assistance to the travel ball team her husband coached in 2015.

She also volunteered for the Sudlersville (Maryland) Elementary PTA as the secretary in 2006-’08 and from 2005 to 2011, she volunteered at the school carrying out tasks to assist the teachers.

“Mrs. Glanding has been a registered nurse for 26 years and has always had a heart and passion to help others,” Ms. Strauss said. “She would cook meals for shut-ins, elderly and the homeless.

“Her husband and children would help her with the food prep and in the delivery of the meals. She told me right now she misses not being able to do that the most.

“Both Tommy and Danielle Glanding assisted cooking for many years for one of the biggest fundraisers for the Immaculate Conception Church in Marydel – the oyster and chicken and dumpling dinners.”

To make things even more difficult, the Glandings also have one adult child and a teenage child who are both fighting medical challenges of their own, which often makes it difficult for them to help their parents.

Mrs. Glanding said family and friends have reached out to assist them in their time of need.

“Since my symptoms have progressed, a few friends and family have taken me to doctor appointments, bought me lunch, brought me food. But most of all my parents feed us about five out of seven days of the week because I have such a hard time cooking,” she said.

“Our son has been a godsend. He helps us more than a teenager should have to help their parents. He drives me to the store when needed, gets me a scooter to ride, helps me shop on the good days when we can go get groceries, helps us with the menial everyday tasks, has taken up so much slack.”

The Glandings never question what has been happening to them. They just press on despite the adversities.

“My faith keeps me going for sure,” Mrs. Glanding said. “God is good and only gives us what we can handle, we do not question it.

“(We share) Love for each other … we’ve been married for 26 years, we are each other’s best friend, love for our children, love for our families, our dogs.

“We are thankful and feel blessed for what we do have, and we don’t dwell on what we don’t have.”

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