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Smiles for Friday

Friday, January 21, 2005 6:03 PM CST

Man, was I tired last night! Look at all those typos!

Today is a good day. First some jokes.

Nurse: "Dave, are you an organ donor?"
Dave: "Yes I am, but not today or tomorrow."


Dave, looking out at torrential rain on the pass and over a foot of standing water: "How ya doin', Denise?"
Denise: "We don't need chains...we need a BOAT!"

Michelle, to Judy as Erik, Peter and Mark tell the ICU nurses that they are ALSO Dave's brothers so they can get in to see him, "So how was it raising 7 boys?"
Judy: "Well, after the first 3 it was a piece of cake!"

Dave was discharged today. We still don't have a date for gamma knife, but it looks like probably next week or the week after.

His platelets are barely holding, but they didn't have to give him an infusion today, so hopefully they're on the way back up. He'll get checked in WW Monday or Tuesday.

Dave is gaining strength and balance quickly. Each day brings great progress. He's still got quite a bit of work to do, and tends to run into that left side wall, but he's doing well, and can do the stairs, so that's good.

His faith and magnetic personality still shine through. There was a woman in the waiting room who was also visiting a woman in the bed next to Dave. When we went into the hall to practice the stairs, she heard Dave say he was thirsty. She ran to the cafeteria and got him some water. There was another gentleman visiting his son. He got up to congratulate Dave and wish him well. People are so wonderful.

We're in Kelso right now, and will spend the night here. Then with our escorts, Bob & Judy, we'll make the rest of the drive tomorrow. Dave can't wait to see the kids. When I get a little sleep, I'll log the stories of the kids & ICU. Got a few pictures, too.

Thank you, thank you for everything. KOKO!

PS. Please pray for Allison. She is 10 years old. She has a tumor in the brain stem. Her 2 year survival anniversary was yesterday. She is an amazing little girl, and this disease has ravaged her. After surgery, radiation and chemo, she was hospitalized for 4 months, couldn't talk for 3 months, and now, 2 years later, she still uses a wheelchair. She continues to improve, and her tumor was stable at last MRI. She has an MRI coming up soon. Although I will probably never know the outcome, I pray for her and her family. Her grandmother was Dave's roommate in ICU...she has colon cancer that has spread throughout her abdomen. This family has been hit very hard.

We are very blessed. In the brain tumor/cancer world, we are one of the few, very lucky ones. Please pray that this merciful gift will continue for us, and be granted to others like Allison. If you can order a gray wristband from www.abta.org the proceeds go to brain cancer research. Love, peace and joy to each of you.

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