Margaret sent this e-mail from Bernie and Maudie's son and daughter for posting:

" Rose, here is the long awaited update from Bernie's family:



'Hi Auntie M!

We couldn't make the phone lines work for us at the hospital yesterday, so I'm writing you this from home today.

Dad had a really rough day yesterday. We weren't very happy with the staff (especially Nurse "Prickly" Bob). They didn't inform us that it is very common for these minor set-backs. Dad was so tired he was hallucinating most of the day. He was able to wolf down the watermelon we smuggled in, though. And I think he was winning at most of the Skipbo games he was playing in his head....

Anyway, Sandi called the hospital at 6:45 this morning. Dad was already taking laps around the ward and had slept very well. He was lucid and even accused the nurse of being a slave driver. So he sounds like he is back to his old self. They are talking about moving him out of ICU as soon as today.

Mom stayed last night in the trailer. We set her up at Lake Pleasant, an RV park about 5 miles away from our place. She alternates from staying with us and sleeping "at home". Yesterday took a lot out of her (and out of us all).

We're praying for Uncle Norm, too. Thanks for the updates.

Doug


...Sandi just asked me to give an overview of Dad's operation in case anyone missed it. So I'll include it here.

Dad had bypass surgery for blockages in both legs on Thursday 9/8. The stint that was previously put in his left leg was never opened all the way and was mostly blocked. The right leg was closing up as well.

The doctors hooked in to his Iliac artery and grafted on some tubing to bypass the blockage in his right leg, then they patched into that bypass and bridged across to the left leg (I think duct tape was involved as well). Some of the arteries needed repair so the doctors were at it for about 5 hours . They told us, on average, that this is a 11/2 hour operation....

Long story short, Dad's blood pressure in his legs has improved from 55 in the left leg and 75 in the right, to 95 in both legs. The doctors are pleased and Dad is now talking about how warm his feet are. That's something I've never heard him say before. We are all very encouraged.

-more later."'"