Day 4: New Letter from Aubrey

Bill, Mendy and I are both very touched by your and Claudia's developing the blog site for us, and Daniel. People constantly ask how they can help and there is not usually a way, but your blog site was something that is of great value to our family.

A doctor offered Mendy his parking pass, right by the doors and that as well was welcomed. Another doctor reads and reviews Daniel's stats daily. Another friend is the director of the nursing school and visits and evaluates his condition and care daily. Another works in the hospital and her good friend will be Daniel's physical therapy nurse. Another is fasting and yet another has said she is great at managing the nursing care and "cracking the whip". Baskets of fruit, reading material, snacks, health bars, and even tooth paste and brushes for each of us have been brought to us. Food and thoughtful gifts of love are left at our doorstep, to come home to. Two have offered their legal help, and many, many have offered to stay by Daniel's bedside throughout the night. Groups of family have gathered in homes to pray and encourage us. I have replayed phone messages that have been very touching and comforting to me personally.

To this point I have totally trusted in the doctors' advice and approach to his care; however, several have shared their personal perspectives of their past experiences with medical attention, which is helping me be more responsible with our decisions and influencing my need to pay closer attention to scrutiny.

Expressed prayers, faith, and words of comfort and understanding are very impressionable. Attention to our boys and their needs, offers of beds for our out of town relatives, and on and on. These are the things that will be of most value to us, and we cannot thank everyone enough. We cannot overemphasize how we feel about each of your expressions of love, kindness, genuine care, and helpful attentions to our family. Everyone...everyone, is interested in helping.

We love you very much, and would welcome a much needed ROOK game, ANYTIME you are up to it. It does a great deal to divert my anxiety. You know me as well as anyone and understand that I can become overwhelmed with a lot of noise and people all gathered together in one room. I become reclusive and need my space, so I find an empty room to collect my thoughts and decompress. People seem to be very sensitive to that and seem to know at just the right time, when to show up and what to say. We are overwhelmed with love.

Aubrey

Editor's note: Among our extended family, Rook is the ultimate panacea for stress during difficult times, and is a favorite form of recreation and camaraderie. Aubrey's anxiety was diverted by a Rook game last night at the hospital primarily because he defeated his opponents (this editor included) .... overwhelmingly.