July 21, 2009

Gene had minor surgery for the pressure sore on his lower back early this afternoon at Erlanger. He came through the surgery very well and went back to the ICU for a few hours, but by late this afternoon, he had been deemed well enough to leave ICU and is now back on the 6th floor where visitation hours are much more flexible. Emily stayed with him until late afternoon and was very pleased with the care and attention the staff was giving him.

Emily's sister Joyce came down from Knoxville and the two of them went back this evening for a visit with Gene. They found him in great spirits and had a wonderful visit with him.

Joyce told him that he was going to have to write another story about his adventure in the hospital. He smiled really big and told her "No, I'm going to write another book. It's going to be called There Is No Such Thing as Time in a Hospital". They all got a great kick out of that. Emily told him that now she knew what he'd been doing all that time when he has his eyes closed - he's writing his new book in his head!

Gene is once more displaying his remarkable character as he takes this setback in stride and makes us all marvel at his spirit.