update from AJ

I am never as good as AJ in giving updates on Eric. Here's the latest:
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Lot's of news from Yale this week:

Eric had his right hand amputated on Monday, and all ten toes amputated on Wednesday. He is no longer able to count any higher than five.

While certainly a bit gruesome, (not to mention a big fat drag), having gone through these procedures brings him closer to going home. Having both procedures done in the same week means they will heal at the same time. We are in the business of looking on the bright side.

And Eric, Mr. Bright Side himself, has continued to have an incredible attitude about all this. When I heard they were doing his toes, I called him to make sure he was okay. (One minute it's all hurry up and wait, then next they're carving him up like a Christmas turkey.) Anyway, I ask if he's okay, and he tells me he's excited. Excited, for Christ sake. My brother is the only human being on the planet who can muster enthusiasm for losing his toes.

Continues to show improving kidney function and breathe on his own, so it's now a matter of waiting for everything to heal. We're all hoping he can conduct his healing a little closer to home. Yale is helping Eric to work toward that.

So what's left?

They're going to do a skin graft and some reconstruction on his right
stump to make it smooth and pretty. Possibly as soon as next week.
Here's what they're going to do: They're going to open a flap of skin
on his belly and sew his stump inside. They leave it there for a
couple weeks and it will grow all kinds of fresh tissue and blood
vessels. After a little red button on his stomach pops up (sorry),
they'll remove his hand and lay some fresh skin on top. It's quite a
world we live in. Somebody should sell tickets.

He still has the tube from the vent in his neck. Once they're sure
he's all done with surgery (for the time being), they'll remove that
tube.

Then we all get to wait for his feet (specifically, his heels) to
heal. Latest word from the foot doctor is "months."

He may have some surgery on his left hand to repair some nerves.
Should know about that next week, too.

He's going to continue with physical therapy. They're working with his
left hand to get it back to full functionality, and they're doing some
exercises with his legs so the muscles don't atrophy.