Jan 6th

Good evening. When I arrived at the hospital this morning, Kristen, Marion's nurse for the day greeted me with a big smile and said she hoped this was the day to extubate him. However, it turned out to be an optimistic wish as his lungs were still too "wet". He gets 1 or 2 more days to get less "wet" and strong enough to cough up secretions, or he will be trached. Trached because that allows them to wean him without having to re-entubate him if necessary and perhaps causing possible damage to his airway, anyway, that is what I understand.

Also, an RN from the Post Acute Liaison crew came to visit, that's the Rehab team. She was preparing me for the possibility that if Marion was not strong enough to go full bore in Rehab, that he might have to go into a Skilled Nursing Home for a period of time to gain strength and also do rehab there, until he had the strength to get the full benefit of the inpatient time at Renown Rehab Hospital. She gave me advice that it was wise for the family to not consider that the end of the road or not to visit or keep up appearances. I don't think that she knows the Condies and how much time that we spend at the hospital and time with Marion, that was one bit of advice that we did not need to hear!

Marion's eyes are so bright and alert when he is awake. He looks all around and is taking it all in. Today he spent almost 2 hours in what is called a "cardiac chair", a BIG chair that helps him to just get out of that prone position he has been in for over 2 weeks. That will help his lungs and digestive systems both.

Karen and I worked with the letter board with him, but as much as he wanted too, it probably is early, and frustrating for all. It sure will be better with the tube out of his throat!

I will e-mail this message, but I have been told that the object is for people to look as they wish, so after today, I will post each evening and it will be there for you to look and send notes back to me as you desire. Once again, many thanks to all for your prayers and support, love, sue