09/5/10 - Update

I'll pass along recent updates I've received from Dad.

"All of you except Ted have been aware since early this morning that I faced a certain crisis stemming from Mom's "aura" yesterday. Just after noon, on our way home from leaving K at the airport, she showed the classic symptoms of an "aura". Fortunately we were nearly home and I was able to give her an anti-seizure tablet and give her some rest.

Mom finally went into a deep sleep at 5:30 am. I came away from this experience pretty much convinced that the Spain agenda did not make sense. Before she went to sleep Mom agreed that we needed to rethink this, but this morning, when she was in better shape (but still fragile) she was understandably of two minds about Spain. During the morning we had some pretty frank conversations, and Mom resisted giving up the idea. But she admitted that she had not functioned well last night, and gradually came around to the idea (encouraged by talks with a couple of you) that Spain might not work. I made it plain that I was simply not strong enough to be able to cope in a public environment - such as on a plane or in an airport - with some of the challenges of last night, when she on two occasions was just a dead weight.

Mom slept off and on most of today (not getting up until almost noon and then sleeping on the porch for several hours in short stints). She has not had a recurrence of the "aura" but her speech is still slow, her eyes are not well focused, and her walking is impaired.

Gradually we evolved a plan to substitute for Spain. We will fly to San Francisco later this week, then after staying several days will go down to San Diego. S and the boys will come in about the 16th and stay until the 20th. We will return to San Francisco and then return to Charlotte. We will have several chances to see S and J and the new baby.

We have Duke appointments on September 28th, which will include an MRI (another challenge), meetings with the Dr. and his staff, and making arrangements for the skin graft (the aperture looks good and seems to be filling in with new skin).

Love, Dad