Subject: Long, hard weekend

Sunday evening 3/22/98

Brian's website:   http://www-d0.fnal.gov/~hanlet/Brian/brian.html

Dear Friends and Family,

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were a repeat of the last 2 weeks.  Little sleep,
vomiting, leg and back pain.  His blood counts were 4 instead of zero today.
That is good.  A stable 2000 and he can go home.  He got another blood
transfusion today.  We are now hoping that his counts will continue to climb
and he'll be home by next weekend.  He still feels very bad and has not
managed to obtain any peace yet.  He tries to get involved in an activity, but
pain and aggravation distract him and he just can't concentrate on anything
for more than a minute.

Stan spent Friday and Saturday nights and all day Saturday with Brian.  Sara
spent Friday night in Alameda and went home briefly on Saturday to get some
quilt fabric.  She really appreciated the opportunity to "get away".

My 2 children came home from L.A. and San Luis Obispo for the weekend. I spent
this weekend with them.  The four of us went to the hospital after church
today to give Sara and Stan a little break.  Brian still says he wants to
marry my daughter, Sara.  She was able to cheer him a bit.  He particularly
liked her massaging his back.  He told Stan, "Actually I feel very good right
now."

Being in the room with Brian is very confining.  Brian does not allow any
adult TV. He watches an occasional cartoon or video.  He doesn't want anyone
to talk on the phone or talk to any adult in the room.  This is very isolating
for anyone who is in that room.  You can imagine how difficult this is for
Sara who is there day after day for weeks at a time.  Anyone who knows Sara,
knows that she is definitely a "people" person. She does feel sensory deprived
after so many days in the hospital.  She is very brave and doesn't complain.
God has helped her find comfort in His words and she feels His presence with
her daily. She has found that her hand-pieced quilt is an excellent diversion
for her.  It is a quiet activity and is very satisfying to her.  She has
pieced 50 stars using old fabrics she found at a thrift store.  She needed
something to look forward to doing each day.  

Sara is eager to share your many letters, cards, notes, prayers and gifts with
him when he starts feeling better.  He is too sick now to even listen to a
card.  As his counts go up, he will feel better and he'll be able to enjoy
your words of encouragement and love.  Chemo has been delayed until next week;
as long he starts feeling good this week the new schedule will be---March
30-31- evaluation days with chemo starting on April 1st.

Praises to God that Brian's blood counts are up. Please pray for his counts to
climb quickly and for him to start feeling better.  Pray that he and Sara get
sleep during the nights this week.  Pray for God's calming grace to put Brian
at peace as he starts recovering.

I just got off the phone with Sara.  Stan and Steven left the hospital to go
home tonight.  Stan pulled into a gas station and hit a white pole and badly
damaged his truck.  He was distracted and filled with worry over leaving Brian
and Sara and just didn't see the pole.  He called Sara from the station
crying.  He needs our prayers tonight for comfort and peace.  He feels so bad
that this accident happened.  They just don't need this complication in their
lives.

Love,
Susan