Looking pretty good, considering...

The nurses had Keith sitting up by 5 a.m. this morning. How do I know this? Because by 5:30 he had called me and left a message. If phone usage is any indication of wellness, Keith is doing wonderfully -- by the time I got there this morning he had already called me four times, plus a fifth while I was in the hallway of the hospital heading his way.

Well, I did marry a professional communicator, so I shouldn't be surprised when he insists on communicating even when he should be resting.

He looked remarkably well, in spite of all the tubes and wires, sitting in the recliner watching Bravo on TV. By the way, it is the oldest little TV I have seen in years -- Keith has already learned where to bang on it when the sound doesn't work. It's on a moveable arm attached to the wall.

I brought him his Soduko books, reading glasses, and his palm pilot -- and his all important cell phone. But I think he mostly wanted his phone, if only to play games on it when he feels a bit better.

I brought our "baby" Karen to see her dad. She's the one who says he looks like a baby ostrich right now with his fuzzy head. They had just moved Keith back into his bed, so he was kind of worn out by that, but he rallied for a little while to make jokes with his "favorite" (so she claims) daughter.

Aimee and her boyfriend Luis and older daughter Kim will all join me tonight to visit for a little while and then we will go to ORMC to the ICU there to see Keith's mom (who got an infection and is back on the ventilator again).

This running back and forth between ICUs is getting pretty crazy. Keith is very worried about his mom and she is very worried about him. In the meantime I have trouble keeping track of which doctor or nurse I have spoken to recently and which elevator to take to which floor of each hospital. Christmas has taken a back seat to everything (boy did it cost alot to send the grandkids their gifts via FedEx today!) -- except for those few I haven't bought any presents, been able to put up the tree, or buy food for Christmas eve. I sure hope the stores aren't too crowded tomorrow!

But, all of that is just side stuff. What is really important is the health and well being of Keith and Bea -- and the girls all understand that too. So, this year's celebration will be very small. We will share it at home and at the hospitals and be glad for the good things -- a new son-in-law, a cancer that hasn't spread and was operable, a new job teaching high school again, healthy children and grandchildren, and a grandma Bea who, in spite of her terrible ordeal, is still more concerned about her son and his family than herself.

My greatest gift this year will be the return of my husband for the new year and a quiet uneventful 2008.

Thanks for all your prayers and good wishes. I am relaying all messages to Keith and as soon as he gets into his regular room in a few days I will bring his computer to him so he can communicate more directly with everyone. The support of his Sentinel friends has meant a great deal to him and he is anxious to get back to work.

Have a safe and joyful holiday.