Update on Eric

It has been a while since I last made a posting...since the race actually. So, I don't know if you are still checking in on things. But I thought I'd take a chance and post the latest e-mail from AJ:
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Hello well-wishers, candle-lighters, God-prayers and keep-us-in-your-thoughters -

It's time once again for everybody's favorite e-newsletter: What's Wrong with Eric This Week? Well, I'm happy to report that the boy is doing rather well. In fact, his progress has been remarkable. And what do we do when Eric is feeling particularly healthy? We cut him open, of course. And that's just what we're going to do today...

As you'll recall from our last episode, I mentioned that Eric would be having surgery on his left hand to move some tendons and muscles around, unblock some nerves, and generally make that hand more flexible and dexterous. "Hey," you might be saying, "wasn't he supposed to have that surgery a while ago? What the f*$&#@?" Yes, he was. As it turns out, his hand surgeon is a bit of a baby, and decided to postpone the hand surgery a couple weeks until his feet healed. Something about "infection." Baby.

The good news is we're go for surgery today. Surgery will last about four hours at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. They specialize in orthopedics (and replaced his hip back in 2004). He should be home Tuesday or Wednesday.

"And so what's the deal with his feet? What the f*$&#@?" you might be asking.

First of all, watch your language. This is a family newsletter.

The skin grafts on his feet did their grafty-thing and are stuck on there in a very disgusting yet satisfying manner. Foot doctor is very pleased, and Mr. Eric is even allowed to stand up. They gave him some Big Boy Frankenstein Shoes (just in time for Halloween), and if you stop by his house at scheduled times you can see the Amazing Eric actually stand on Two Feet! No flash photography, please.

In further 80-year-old-Eric news, Sue's grandma loaned him an electric wheelchair so he can chase neighborhood cats in his spare time. He was a major attraction at the annual Wagner Ave. Block Party, and could be seen racing up and down the street, delivering beverages and giving rides to his neighbors ($1.50 for five minutes - Ladies Free from 3-6pm).

So, what's next? Well, there's a little spot (about the size of a nickel) on the back of one foot where the graft didn't hold. We tried to fill it in with Hubba Bubba (chewed and unchewed), spackle, wood putty and caulk, but no luck so far. The foot doctor is going to close it sometime after his hand surgery. After that, it's all about the walking. Not sure at this point if he's going to go to a rehab facility for a couple weeks to start walking, or do it all from home. I'll keep you posted.

That's all the news that's fit to print. We're still hoping for Eric to be walking around and wrapping his own presents by Christmas. His patience continues to be superhuman.

Hope you're all doing well.