Wise words from a wise friend: "Do lean on those around you...If you don't, you are denying them the opportunity to help in one of the few ways they can!" Thanks for the reminder, Denise!

Speaking of leaning on others ... I will be leaving this next Wednesday, and am currently arranging for my replacements. If all goes well with Chuck's surgery tomorrow, I will be flying to San Antonio on June 14.

Here is Chuck's current state of health. There are only two issues:

1. The skin on Chuck's back has "dead spots." Dr. Young will be removing these tomorrow. When Dr. Young initially closed Chuck's back incision, she created a flap of the "extra" skin. This flap has developed dead sections which must be removed so that they do no reach his handy-dandy hardware.
2. Chuck is still on the ventilator. This is how the whole ventilator/weaning thangy works: for most of the day he is on CPAP = the ventilator gives him pressure and oxygen once Chuck initiates a breath. By the end of the day, Chuck is woooorn out! At night, the ventilator breathes for him. On one occasion, Chuck was taken off of the ventilator completely and allowed to breath totally on his own. He did this for three hours on Friday. He has not been allowed to do it since Friday.

Please pray for a successful surgery with no complications (Monday at 12:30). Please pray that Chuck's lungs heal and that he can come off the ventilator.