COLUMBUS OH

Well, you can tell this note is not what Lew intended - he began to draft it on the 14th. However, when he returned to edit the note, something in Google messed up and would not permit him to edit it. So now we are returning to our old tried but true procedure: draft the note in a text editor and then paste it into Google's blank form.

Since medical reports for old farts inherently are depressing, let's put them off until the end and begin with the best part, the Animals:

We have had a third dog around for the past couple of months - After his annual trip to Thailand, Rob could not resist the temptation to rescue yet another. However, Bobbi and Lew drew a hard and fast line - this was to be his dog, and whatever happened he had to be responsible for it - because they simply were too infirm to be responsible for another one. Not that they could not babysit, but he had to bear the basic responsibility for feeding, pottying, walking, medical care, etc. And of course he has done very well for this pup - as always.

Rob named this new pup "Oreo" because his coat is colored like Oreo ice cream. He is considerably smaller than the other two, but makes up for it in energy. Rob thinks he is part beagle and part blue heeler - Bobbi and Lew have no idea. He certainly is cute (what pup is not?), so no one ever is going to have the heart to get rid of him. His energy gives My-low a real run for his money - which of course is good for him.

Timmy continues to battle his weight - still loses less than a pound a week, and has at least 10 to go. But he is the most cuddly thing - has to have body contact with Lew all day and doesn't move. In other words, still the same couch potato.

Audrey's big black tomcat Lucky remains perhaps the most beautiful of the animals. At night he sleeps on the corner of the bed just beyond Lew's face, and a considerable part of the day sleeps by himself on the same bed. Yet he is no couch potato, since later at night and early morning he prowls. But like Timmy he has a voracious appetite, so Bobbi and Lew have to limit his intake just as tightly as Timmy's. It sure is pleasant to have a soft warm fuzzy black cat next to your cheek at night.

And finally Kitty-poo - she remains the domineering leader of the pack despite her diminutive physique. If anyone - man or beast - crosses her, she maintains respect with a pawful of the most-broken-glass-sharp claws. Yet at other times she will sit and sleep on one's lap and wallow in petting for as much an hour; just don't exceed the time or space she has allocated to you.

Family:
Last week Scott & Su visited the Columbus Lindners with their 2 sons, George & Brian. All 4 were in excellent health and enjoying their vacation immensely. Bobbi put them up at the new motel nearby - just a block away. They stayed long enough to eat out several times, including one evening at Rhonda's. Unfortunately the next day Lew developed a sudden cholera-like dysentery, and Bobbi the day after that; but severe as it was, it resolved in just a couple of days.

Of course most of the time went to talking. Scott continues his pleasant tour as pastor in Wesley Chapel, often assisted by Su who has fashioned her own career from photography (plenty of her work is posted on the web). Both boys are in college at the community college in Tampa, thus helping them dodge the modern bugaboo of student debt. They left on Friday for the next leg of their vacation - visiting Su's family in Vassar MI.

Medical Report:
Sunday night about a week ago, Lutherphoned to tell them that Linda had aspirated and been hospitalized in Bryan. Luther was quite dissatisfied with the doctors there because they were were dragging their feet about honoring Linda's treatment decisions (Linda does have some swallowing dysfunction but refused a percutaneous feeding tube). Fortunately, while there was initial concern about her very survival, she recovered without incident in just a few days.

22 June aunt Aggie was hospitalized after another fall. She has been another family concern simply because he is 95 or 96. However she too has made recovery and been discharged.

will not lie - both bipeds here have long exceeded their warranty. They continue to get around, but only with some difficulty. Bobbi's 3 implants did relieve most of her lower extremity pain, but now her left ankle has developed pretty severe arthritis - bone on bone. Likewise, age continues to trim Lew's sails - his back prevents anything approaching athletics. So both do the best they can in the gym at the Senior Center.

At the end of May Bobbi & Lew had a scare one morning when Lew looked into the mirror and noticed that his right eye was sticking out more than the left. This was scary because every physician has been taught that asymmetrical proptosis often is caused by an intracranial tumor, which in turn tend to be malignant. A trip to his opthamologist elicited some concern and a CT scan of the eyeball. He then referred Lew to a prominent young neurosurgeon who followed up with an MRI of Lew's head to see if there was anything in there. After a week or so the report came back: no pathology (still doesn't say if there is anything in there). But they everyone is much less anxious now.xx