Michael came through the surgery in fine fashion. The neurologist told me that Michael should not have any more pain. This operation was on a bulging joint in the rear of his spine and the surgery took place in the center of the back of his neck. The doctor told me that the anesthesiologist took 15 seconds to intubate Michael as opposed the the twenty minutes it took for the last surgery. He said there shoud be less trauma to his air way. We left Michael sr. tonight resting and not knowing when they will release him. Either tomorrow( I cant imagine this) or on Saturday mroning. I hope they hold him until Saturday morning to be on the safe side. I will let you know.

The day begain at 4:30 a.m. as planned when I arose and got ready for the day. Then I got Brendan up and as he dressed I got Aidan and Michael jr. up. We left the house at 6:15a.m. with Michael sr and his bag and took him to the hospital. Then the boys and I went to IHOP for breakfast and then I took them to school. I returned to the hospital where I waited with Michael in his room until they took him for surgery at 10a.m. The surgery lasted about an hour or so and I rejoined Michael sr. in his room at 12:30. He looked better than I have seen him since I have been down her in June. The pain was gone and he looked strong. He got up immediately and walked about ten laps around the hall of the sixth floor with the nurse. He was walking at a good clip as he was attempting to get the effects of the anesthesia to wear off more quickly. Tonight when the boys and I returned for our night visit at 7p.m., he was visable tired and he was ready to say good night pretty quickly after we arrived. We were probably there in his room for about 20 minutes max.

Pleae continue to pray for him. For his spiritual healing as well as his physical healing. I do love him so much. This time with him in the hopital is the most intimate time we have shared. It is not all that intimate, but it is a time what we talk and share a bit. He continues to be such a love in my life and so dear to me.

Right now I am so tired. I walked the hall ways of the hospital eight times and that is not easy for me. The last two trips were in a wheelchair we swiped from the foyer of the hospital. The boys wheeled me to Michael's room. That is probably the only way I would have made it up. My knee conintues to be a bit of a problem and this "bit" grows to a "lot" as I walk on it. So, today, it had a real workout.

I am getting ready to get into the bed and hopefully recuperate by morning. I plan to take the boys to the hospital after I pick them up from school tomorrow. I may not go to the hospital unless my knee is a whole lot better. It just takes too much out of me and I am not what I need to be for the boys. Michael suggested that I not come to the hospital tomorrow morning so I can be better able to take care of the boys at the end of the day.

I am supposed to take them to their mother at their old home at 8 tomorrow night. Then she will hae them for the week end. We will probably get them back when we go to the choir perfomance on Sunday at 2 in the local Christian church in Evansville.

May God richly bless you, my loved ones. jk