Author's Update

February 14, 2012

Yikes!   It's Valentine's Day, 2012!   I wrote to you last May, 2011!

Happy Fourth of July, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And happy Valentine's Day. I hope they were all fun-filled for each of you. Ours were all in turmoil.

A lot has gone on since May, 2011.

After Jim's back surgery last April, the screws began pulling out because his scoliosis was more severe than the surgeon had anticipated and Jim, hating his new back brace, oftentimes refused to wear it. Then Jim got a serious staph infection, not Merca, but the next down in severity. He was on an antibiotic picc line for 4 months. I had to change the IV bag every other day at the same time. He had to have all the hardware in his back removed since bacteria hides in metal. Three more surgeries later from cleaning the incision of infection, Jim was in a pretty weak state. But he was alive! He's 70.

Since my leg was getting worse with sciatic pain and I needed surgery long before Jim would be totally healed, I asked Brandon, Jim's son, if he could move here, live in our basement, and help us so I could have surgery. Out of work and out of jail for a DUI, Brandon gladly moved to Denver from Boise. Brandon has been a blessing. He's 6'2" and a big strong guy of 42. He shovels the walks, takes the dogs for several walks a day, cleans the house without asking, and is active at the City Rec Center and looking for work. We pay him what we can. He's always up-beat and mostly stays in his basement TV room with an adjoining bedroom and full bath. The laundry is down there, and Brandon cheerfully does our laundry and masterfully folds the clothes (he worked for a laundry). Brandon also makes the most delicious burritos and his baked cod is to die for it's so juicy and tender.

A friend of ours met Brandon for the first time and said, "Dave, how can you live with such a gorgeous hunk and not rape him?" I squinted and said, "Robert, Brandon is like my son. I've known him since he was three, and I had a hand in his development. He's made a few mistakes but they've never topped mine. And I don't think they ever will."

Jim got off his picc line the first of December. He's doing better, but still fights with his back brace. He takes it off entirely too often, in my opinion, and his heart function was down for awhile.

My hour-long surgery was successful. The surgeon removed three growths of arthritis poking into my sciatic nerve, causing my left leg to constantly feel frozen and packed in ice. The one night I spent in the hospital after the surgery was bliss. No visitors, finally a warm leg, and Star Wars was the all-night movie. I think I only watched the credits before I fell asleep.

Linda, Brandon's mother, flew in from Boise the same day as my surgery. Her husband, Jon, came in a few days later. Since I couldn't drive for 2 weeks after surgery, Linda chauffeured us around in her Cadillac. She loved doing it. Brandon was glad to see her. Linda made this place hum, though it tired Jim greatly. We ate very well. Linda is Aunty Mame.

Christmas Eve was spent at my sister Marilyn's home. It was the first time, after 39 years of being with Jim, my brothers and sisters had ever met Linda and Jon. It was a great evening. We were all sorry Jim was resting and missed the laughing during the annual gift barter. Everyone clapped when Linda ended up with one of the most coveted gifts.

Heart tests, blood tests, kidney tests… Poor Jim. He has doctor's appointments almost daily. Thank God I can finally drive. We've figured out all the Handicapped parking spaces and usually zip right in.

Book Six is humming. Thank You God! I got a zap from somewhere. The very zap I've been waiting for…for years! All those chapters I've been writing finally make sense and are tied together. There'll be re-writing, but hey, that's my middle name. Don't look for Book Six anytime soon. The only time I have to write is after Jim goes to bed. Most of my day is spent at Kaiser and it's too noisy to write.

I'm planning on writing a "soft porn" version of the Legend of the Golden Feather. No, I'll never replace the original. That's my favorite. The reason is to gain readers, even "Christian" ones who can't allow themselves to see other's reality. Maybe they'll see love in action minus the "sin" part . They're such hypocrites.

Jim has his next surgery scheduled for the end of February, 2012. The final date has not been set.

There's also the hint of a screenplay being written for Bristlecone Peak. I have a lot of work to do before that happens. Legal help for book rights and also contract research is forthcoming.

Dave