Quick Note

We have been unable to get up and see Nick for a few days.

Colleen and our son Larry both have colds of some sort that we don't want to share with him - color us greedy.

Col has spoken to him on the phone a couple times and it sounds like he is getting up and around a bit more - walking the floor some. He is understanably a little upset about not being able to do more - but he is getting stronger each day.

She didn't keep him on the phone long as it seemed he was a bit tired from the therapy.

Will post more when we have more.

Out of CCU

Nick is out of CCU and back on the 9th floor - finally.

I found him sitting up with his legs off of the side of the bed when I
arrived at about 8:30 last night.

He is much more alert and seeming more like himself - though he has been
through a tough couple weeks, to say the least.

He seems to be getting stronger each day.

We watched some poker games on tv when we weren't trying to find the sports
scores - which we never did find.

He is eating some now which is good to see that feeding tube gone.

He was tired so we called it a night around 9:30. Hopefully, he got a good
nights sleep last night - the night before he couldn't sleep due to the
prednisone they gave him.

Most of the fluid build up seems to be gone - except for in his legs/feet -
I guess that will follow soon. He seems really thin now with that fluid
gone.

The updates from here on out will probably be less informative as he gets
better and better to face further treatment - hopefully - out in Seattle.

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Great Visit

I made it up to see Nick for a couple hours today. He was sitting up watching tv and using the suction tube to clear his own mouth. Unbelievable.

He gave me a bit of a start when he started talking - which I didn't know he was doing. Asked if I had gotten the boat out and how Colleen's dad was doing.

He gave me an account as to what he remembered which was an amazing amount of detail leading up to him going to CCU. He was a little confused as to where he was the whole time - which is more than understandable.

Larry drew him a picture of a jet in the sky - with executive jet on the side (his company) - and wrote him a little note on the back. He liked it and his Mom hung it up on the wall for him to see.

They are supposed to move him out of the critical care unit and back to the 9th floor tomorrow.

His Mom and sister were up there when I got there and Uncle John was heading up to see him when I got to the lobby on the way out.

Heading to the pool with the kids for the last hurrah of summer. Col may go see him later tonight.

Off the Ventilator for a Bit

To my pleasant surprise I arrived to Nick's room and Dawn and Mrs. Herber
were talking to Nick trying to wake him up and make him aware that I was there.

As of yesterday we were supposed to let him rest and not get him aggitated. But things had gotten a bit better since then.

They had him off of the ventilator for 2 hours today - which
is really good for first shot. They need him to do some breathing exercises
while off and he was a bit sleepy yet to do them - but that is
understandable at this point. They are hoping to take him off the vent again
later today.

Hess arrived while I was there and we enjoyed a visit with Nick together.

They changed Nick's sedative so that he isn't quite as far under. They are
working up to removing the tubes and all as soon as he is strong enough.

Nick was able to open his eyes a bit and respond with head nods and shakes
to questions and comments - which was great to see.

Hess and I sat and watched the daytime court shows with him - more like try
to wake him up during the shows.

There is some talk about whether he will be able to handle a plane trip to
Seattle with his bleeding issues. Though the bleeding has been stabalized
the pressure changes in an airplane may cause bleeding to start again. There
may be other avenues to pursue such as Johns Hopkins in MD.

Tentative Optimism

Colleen spoke to Nick's sister Dawn today.

One of the doctors said that "though he/she didn't want to sound too
optimistic - that there was substantial improvement since yesterday" - or
something to that effect.

They said that he is fighting so hard that he is actually fighting against
the machines - which is why they have him sedated again. It has been
requested that we not speak to him when we visit but to just hold his hand
and comfort him so as not to aggitate him.

Also, one of the oncologists indicated that they are just trying to get him
better enough to get him out to Seattle - which is a slightly more
optimistic voice from them than was heard recently. I believe that it was a
different doctor from the group than they usually see.

Col and I are going down Ocean City tonight for the final Family Night on
the boards - so we will not be up to see him.