Saturday, February 21st

Hello, Renown Rehab is terrific! Marion receives 3 hours of therapy, broken up into 1/2 hour sessions per day. What a work out, and learning experience. This includes everything from eating and relearning to chew and swallow without choking, to walking using the weaker leg, to using an over the bathtub chair. We both are learning what we have to have when he comes home. The therapists are very professional, but compassionate at the same time.

Yesterday was a special day in the Ralston and Condie households, Sydney became a teenager!, and Marion and I celebrated our 27th anniversary. We have shared that day for 13 years! I have not yet reached her on the phone, but she is in our thoughts, and we miss that birthday dinner we have always shared with her.

Marion had the Roseborough's shop for him as my birthday is next Tues also, and they arrived last night with flowers and candy, so we had a festive anniversary, the 5 of us, Karen, Jeff and Spencer with a gorgeous bouquet of roses and Marion's and my favorite See's candy! Maybe this accident has brought out the romantic in him. In all these years I do not remember flowers and candy for my birthday, however, we were to have been at Disneyland next week. A ride on the tea cups and the matterhorn IS Marion's style!

He is coming along very well, and while we have not been updated as to any discharge date, safety is the issue, and his lack of balance is the key issue, as well as swallowing. We are here for a while. He is not unhappy with any of the paces that they are putting him through. He is doing better about calling for nurses when I am not here instead of just moving himself from the chair to bed, or chair to toilet, which had become quite a problem. But it is just that stubbornness that has assisted in his recovery, so it is definitely a double edged sword.

Thank you all for your love and support. The prayers, the food for me, the calls the ask about Marion and me, just knowing that you are continuing to care for us is keeping us afloat. It is humbling to be the recipient of so much help, I look forward to be of service to others. Thank you again, Love, Sue