I talked with Judy this morning, asking if I could hang out at the hospital 
today, where my dad is recovering.  She suggested that maybe tomorrow I 
could go with them.  I was disappointed, partly because my brother, Gary, 
and sister-in-law, Lois, (we call her Loie, but Jaws should say  it more 
like "LoE."), who live about 3 hours from me, might not be there then. 
Blanca, my care provider, offered to take me there.  It takes maybe 20 to 30 
minutes to get from Caldwell to that area of Boise, and I rarely go that far 
with her.  this is the biggest gift she's ever given me!  I asked her to 
stop at MacDonald's.  I paid for a lunch for me, and she accepted a drink. 
On the way, I listened and sang to carman's old-time hymn album on cassette, 
but the tape was acting up in some places.  It was nostalgic, thinking of 
Dad when I was much younger, growing up in a church that sang such simple, 
uplifting tunes that I rarely hear anymore.

so I got to see Gary and Loie, as I'd seen another brother, Gene,  and 
sister-in-law, Mary Esther, (We call her M E, not sure of the spelling.), 
from another direction on Thursday afternoon.  Dad seems to be slowly 
getting better, but, as far as I know now, is still on the ventilator, still 
unable to speak.  He was asleep when we arrived, and, with my cochlear 
implant, I was able to talk quietly with my family!  Gary explained to me 
that when Joel, our nephew and Judy's son,spent one night with Dad, Dad was 
afraid he was dying because of some mucus that was clogging the airway.  It 
was after Gary and Loie left, that Dad signaled that he wanted to write 
something, saying he wanted to hear our conversation, so Judy, Mom and I 
came to his bedside.  He kept nodding and/or smiling, indicating that he 
understood, and even signaled that we could talk more loudly.  I told him 
that I'd brought some things for him to do to pass the time, whenever he was 
ready.  Blanca went out to the waiting room for most of my visit, but in the 
end, she came in and said hello to Dad.

We returned home, listening and/or singing again, with Blanca yelling when 
the tape would play backward or something every once in awhile, which 
sounded funny to me.  I'm going to buy two CD's of Carman's, the old hymns, 
and the newer choruses with Awesome God, which she says is her favorite song 
but was ruined on that tape.  I was able to find them through my mall.

thank you again for your continued prayers and support.  I love you all!

Sharon