Papa and Jonathan's SNAKE

Well, Marty came home from the hospital yesterday. He is doing well and has to stick around the house most of the time. He can't go to the center to exercise this week, but next week, he will be able to go. Our grandson went hiking with his parents at Four Peaks over the weekend. When he got home he wanted to color with his "Marks" I guess he wanted a snake on his chest like Papa, so he made one. He loves his papa!

Well, it has been a long time since Marty has posted any updates, so I thought I would help him out. Things are going along quite well. Right now he is in the hospital due to contracting RSV, A virus that small children mainly get. Most people who get RSV don't even know they have it, and it runs a course similar to a cold. (which we thought he had) He along with most transplanted people are more susceptible to RSV due to the suppressed immune system. He has been blessed in the fact that his pulmonary function, chest xrays, and his oxygen saturation's have remained good. His hospital stay is a required time of 5 days. (His treatments will be up on Sunday morning) He receives three treatments of two hours long daily. He is in isolation, but at least this time, he can get up and move around and there are no catheters(which he is very happy about). The medication in the treatment is called ribivirin and is pretty serious stuff. Any visitors can not be pregnant, nursing or contemplating pregnancy. I can't even wear my contacts in there because they could melt. He is in good spirits considering he hasn't left the room since Tuesday. He did begin to panic at first when the transplant nurse said he needed to be admitted. My daughter let him borrow her lap top (thanks to a suggestion from another transplant person) so he can pass the time with that. Before getting RSV he was continuing to go to the gym and work out. He still feels like he needs to do more, but he is realizing he has time and to not rush his "six pack" In the beginning of February, he began to babysit our grandson on Wednesdays. Jonathan spends the night with us on Tuesdays, and then the whole day with Papa. He is such good therapy for Marty. They can enjoy doing anything together. Anyway, it is getting late, and I guess I just want to thank the transplant team at St. Joe's for being so proactive and aggressive with this treatment. More when he gets home (on Sunday).

New Years

I forgot to tell about our New Years Eve tradition.... We always stay at home and just relax, watch TV and try to stay up until midnight (I can't remember the last time we made it up to midnight though) We always eat shrimp too. Well, this year was no different except our grandson stayed all night. When it was time to eat the shrimp, Jonathan took one, peeled the tail off, dipped it into the cocktail sauce, began to chew it, and immediately spit it into Monica's hand. He did though, enjoy peeling off the tails, so Jonathan was my official tail peeler. We had a great time.

More Suns Photos

Here are a few more photos from the Suns game...Jumbotron, Cheerleaders, and Monica and me.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS

It has been a busy month preparing for the holidays. I had some mixed feelings this year due to the events in my life these past six months. We have never gone all out materialistic at Christmas, but this Christmas I really felt like going overboard. So many people have been here for us, and I just wanted to show my appreciation. Needless to say, we did not go overboard, but instead tried to get gifts with a significant meaning for friends and family.(the one picture is of my daughter Marissa with a very significant gift) It was mostly about our grandson and his joy at each gift he opened. We again had the family over (Monica's Mom, sister and brother-in-law were here from Ohio). Christmas is very casual, no sit down dinner, just come and drop in and visit and eat. We are not real big football fans, so watching football is not a problem. We do have some traditions though, We go to Christmas eve service, and then as part of our Christmas gift to our kids, we go to a Chinese Buffet. Everyone came over after the buffet;we just visited and since Monica's mom and sister were leaving on Christmas Morning, Jonathan opened their gifts. He is so much fun to watch. He is very dramatic with his expressions. A very nice Christmas and New year.

Monica has a cold, so she has been "taking care of me" by sleeping on the couch, so I don't catch the cold. Not much fun for either of us. She just doesn't want to take any chances.

I have been doing Pulmonary Rehab at St. Joes two days per week, and taking a mind and body class three days a week. But both are done now, and I am wondering how to spend my days. The insurance company approved rehab until the end of Decmber, that time really went fast. On my last day, Bonnie the director of Rehab, went over my exercise charts with me, from the first session to the last session. The first session, I could not walk on the treadmill even THREE minutes as a very slow speed and stationary bike for five minutes The last session, I was walking 25 minutes at a much faster pace and riding the bike for 20 minutes. I am planning on continuing my rehab at the gym at the senior center down the road. (Just incase you are wondering, the gym at the center is open to the public)

SUNS GAME

When I went to the grocery store with Monica one day, a young lady approached me and asked me if I were a Phoenix Suns fan (I was wearing a Suns playoff jersey from 2007) I told her I have been a Suns fan since about 1979 when I moved here. She identified her herself as a marketing intern for the Suns organization. She explained to me a promotion that was going on in conjunction with Checker Auto parts. That if I filled out the entry form and if I was chosen, I would get to go to the suns game and be center court with the captians of the game. Well, I was chosen and we went to the game on Dec. 6th. By the way the tickets were free, and the seats were good. Monica and I had a real nice time. In all of the years I have lived here, I have never been able to get to a game. There is alot of entertainment during the time outs, I didn't even miss chanel surffing since there were no commercials. Monica took some pictures that I will try to post later. I just got this picture in the mail today, notice that Steve Nash and I are the same height! What do you think of the Suns recent trade?