No Surgery Today - August 14

Hello All,

Let me tell you once again that we feel supported and loved. It is
immense, the energy and images and love you are sending our way. We
feel it and we are riding on it when we waver.

Many of you have called. We aren't getting back to everyone simply
because there is so much to tend to here. Know that the calls means a
lot and I have felt very centered and grounded by hearing your
familiar voices in this unfamiliar land. So thank you.

Just wanted to give a short update. Looks like the vein graft and the
skin graft will happen all in one sitting rather than one today and
one Thursday. This is actually good news because Mark is exhausted
just from managing the pain. He needs the rest before he goes into the
OR again. So he is sleeping as I write and he needs this rest badly.

Again, we need you to believe that this tissue on his heel will stay
viable and then and IF he goes into surgery on Thursday (I'll explain
the if part below), we'll need your help. It will be a long surgery
(8-10 hours) and the surgeon has a big task of making Mark's back
muscle and skin integrate into his leg. Again, vascularization and
non-infection are the keys to success. And that heel! Keep the heel in
your thoughts. This is all pretty weird isn't it? I'll say....

OK, the big question we are dealing with today is that now we've been
presented with the question of whether or not we want to go back to
Boston for this procedure. The MDs here are excellent, yet MGH (MA Gen
Hosp) is an excellent trauma center too. We are sorting through a lot
questions with this one regarding MD expertise, the quality of care
given at a big med center like MGH, and even some financial
considerations (MA has a great Free Care system that I am trying to
research today---Mark has really crappy insurance that is going to
cover just the tiniest fraction of some truly gargantuan bills). So,
any ideas for visualization on this one? I guess just visualize wisdom
for us for today and tomorrow as we figure this one out. Either that
or a winning lottery ticket and a private jet to get Mark comfortably
back to Boston :)

We are in good hands. And we have been singing together here and there
when we have the energy. "Gonna keep on moving forward...." (Thanks,
Pat and Sandy!)

I'll leave you with a picture that Chris and Polly Kimbery sent us
this morning. We went to college with these two beautiful people. We
worked with them at Princeton Blairstown Center. We cooked hummus and
kale with them at the 2D Coop in college. And now they have 3
beautiful boys and the 5 of them sent us a lovely message for Mark's
heel. Check out the photo (hope I was able to attach correctly).

Peace salaam shalom,