September 24, 2005

Charlie’s recovery has been steady and strong. One by one, the tubes and wires and lines came out. (See photos) He slowly recovered his appetite. We went to pizza restaurants, Burger King, In/Out Burger, grocery stores, etc. and brought in food to the hospital. Jerry stayed for 8 days-Sept. 10th to 17th.

We took photos home and Becky got them uploaded to the site.

One week later, (two weeks after transplant) they were about ready to let Charlie leave the hospital. He needed some medications – and we needed to have them with us so we could give them to Charlie “at home” at Ronald McDonald House.

We called several Walgreens in AZ and CA and found the meds, paid for them by phone and credit card – and Becky packed her baby, Sammy, and her brother P.J. into her car. She drove to a West Phoenix Walgreens then on to CA and delivered the meds to Linda at the hospital!

Then the hospital released Charlie from the hospital about 4 p.m. Saturday, September 24, 2005!
He has to stay in the LA area for a month or two.

They all went sight-seeing at the beach. Charlie wasn’t up to doing much walking yet so Linda had to carry him some. He has been sitting on the bed for 8 or 9 weeks. He has some muscle-strength recovery to do too! Charlie has been VERY happy out of the hospital. Simple things like going to Jack-in-the-Box for a burger excite him. Mom pulls him in a wagon around Ronald McDonald House. Now she has a wheel chair so she can push him until he is up to walking.