ALL OF OUR GOOD FRIENDS:

Dear Friends

Sorry I am so late in sending out this update. There have been so many things happen today that I have not had a minute to sit down and compile a letter that would make any sense. My day started at 5:30. I made a batch of bread and a pan of pull aparts to feed our present family of 4 children and 4 adults. Then I put on soup and made a salad, cut up the turkey for lunch Then I went to town with Ernie to get some parts for the car. My sister, Marianne and husband Louis came over for lunch, bearing gifts for the children. Finally, at 3 o'clock Ernie and Faith took the kids to Chilliwack to go swimming. They are going to Marianne and Louis' for supper. AT LAST Evelyn and I have the house to ourselves and I can write this report.....But it may be a little jumbled.

Rocky is not very happy because he cannot have a part in doing this update. He couldn't go to Vancouver yesterday with us--had to stay home with Evelyn, and had to be alone when she went to church. But we had a fantastic day. The weather was perfect, with all the leaves and sping flowers and flowering trees at their most beautiful, to make the trip pleasant. The children and Faith were all in the back of the van, singing the tunes from "Sound of Music" that they had seen on a video last evening. The children are so delightful that the two hour trip went very well and pleasantly.

The visit: When I walked into the room where Hart was, my heart soared. Hart was sitting up in his wheelchair, and I haven't seen him look so well for over 3 years. His face was radiant and his eyes were bright. He looked wonderful. The family stayed a few minutes and then took off to Stanley Park for a fun day, leaving me to visit Hart. I was there 5 hours, and Hart sat up the whole time. We visited, played a game--Hart beat me, of course--and then his cousin and wife dropped in. We had a pleasant visit with them, catching up on family news. ... ...

Hart's condition: Wendy, Hart's very pleasant nurse came in to do a few things for Hart and she reported that in her twelve years of working in the complex joint unit, she had never seen anyone recover as quickly as Hart had. Only 2 days after this major surgery and he was sitting up visiting and playing games and making jokes. .... Further on this: This morning when I phoned Hart he said that the surgeon had been in. After Hart joking with him for awhile (quite a different scenario than had taken place over the past few years), the doctor reiterated what the nurse had said. He said that he was amazed at how fast Hart had bounced back and that he saw no reason for him to stay in the VGH, so he was putting on his chart that he could be released back to the Hope hospital tomorrow. ... So when the proper arrangements are made in the morning, Hart will take the reverse trip back to familiar territory and Rocky will be able to visit him once again.....And then, very soon after that, we will have him home.

Another miracle: Since Hart's episode with his leg in 2004, he has had a serious blood clot. And since he has colitis, he cannot take blood thinners. So they put in a filter so that the blood clot cannot travel to his heart or brain--or wherever blood clots go. But when they did this present operation, it has been reported that they FOUND NO BLOOD CLOT.... So again, another answer to prayer...... And Hart tells all the nurses and attendants that his swift recover is all due to the prayers of all of his friends.

More on our visit to Hart: Ernie, Faith and the 4 children, and myself all went up to the 7th floor to see Uncle Hart. After our greetings, (Hart was in the wheel chair) Hart suggested that we all--him included--go up to the 16th floor to see a view of Vancouver harbour. What we didn't know until we got there was that it was in the palliative care unit, but the desk clerk, seeing all these beautiful children, and Hart in the wheelchair, gave us special permission to go into the viewing room for 5 minutes. What a view. I had never realized that Vancouver was that beautiful. I can't describe it. Ernie took a lot of pictures and they are on my computer, but I don't know how to edit them so that they are small enough to put in an email. Maybe if Faith gets time she will edit some of the pictures so that I can share them with you in the future.

In closing this report for today, I want to say: THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR YOUR WONDERFUL PRAYER SUPPORT... AS I WRITE THIS, I AM SENDING UP A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR EACH OF YOU, FOR ALL YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF YOU WHO ARE SUFFERING, SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, FOR THE PRAYERS THAT HAVE GONE HEAVENWARD FOR HART.