You can reach Sue at (314) 452-3685 or (314) 726-2032. You can write to her c/o Rose Holt, 905 Barnard College Lane, St. Louis, MO 63130


Niece Catrina saw her neurologist today who could tell her nothing definite except that she has some kind of disc problem that may be pinching a nerve. Next week she is scheduled for an EMG test.

I had another card from Cousin Wanda Jeanne, but she gave no update on Ricky. I also got a card from Kaye Peterson (Bernie and Maudie's daughter) who lives in Mesa, AZ. Brother Joe sent an e-mail, saying he agreed with Catrina that this weblog is a way to get news about the whole family. We will try to pass along news we receive. Joe will be in St. Louis for a Railway meeting on Monday. We plan a breakfast with him on Tuesday.

Den and and I close on our Springfield house on the 15th. This sale has taken a long time, but it looks firm at this point.

I've had a great few days. Sunday Shirley, Rose, and I did some shopping and spent time at the Carmelite Monastery in meditation. Monday Tiffany and Haleigh came. Tiffany cut my hair. We had a great visit although Haleigh was shy at first.

Dave Smith finished our fence which now looks like new. He had coffee with Rose and me, and we had a wonderful political discussion. [Rose tends to get animated about the topic.] Mark and Karen came for dinner Monday evening. Mark had spent the day in Augusta, GA, at the Masters Golf Tournament where he saw Tiger Woods, et. al., play. Karen, who designed the backyard landscaping here is almost as happy with the result as we are. She tells us that all the final planting will be finished this week.

Today was my physical therapy day at St. Mary's. Immediately following that, Rose and I met Joanne Callahan for lunch in the hospital cafe. One of Joanne's gifts to us is that she keeps us mindful that healing is about a lot more than medicines, hospitals, and doctors and nurses.

I've talked to Scott and Chris, both of whom gave me some debriefing about the Louisville weekend. On the trip over (about 275 miles from St. Louis) Chris and Mark Goldman decided a diaper change was due. Mark declared that he was exempt because it clearly was a job only for blood relations. Luckily it was a simple diaper change.

Tomorrow I start another round of the IV infusion of the Solumedrol. That's the good news and the bad news. After three rounds of infusions now, at two week intervals, I can say they leave me weak and down-in-the-dumps for a few days. I still hope the treatments are helping. I am considering antidepressants to provide some relief from unnecessary suffering.

Brothers Donald, Joe, and Pete are going to Florida deep-sea fishing soon. Chris and Scott reminded us recently that Pete in particular is a great fisherman. They told us this story. When they were about eight and ten years old, they visited Uncle Pete and Aunt Janet in Idaho Falls one summer. Uncle Pete took them fishing in a rented boat. At some point on the river, they started catching fish. Uncle Pete got excited and decided to mark the spot. With great fanfare he took out his knife and scratched an X on the bottom of the boat. The two boys looked on in wonderment, but didn't say a word. When they got home, their Uncle Joe came to visit one day. The boys were eager to tell him just how "dumb Uncle Pete was!" Upon hearing the story, Uncle Joe, without missing a beat, said, "Why that was dumb! What if you had got a different boat next time?"

The Uncles went deep-sea fishing last year also. Chris and Scott think they probably did mark the boat.