Greetings Everyone,

As many of you know my Mom has struggled to stabilize her health for several years. This summer proved to be a tremendous challenge for her as she suffered two bouts of pneumonia.
She returned to the hospital three weeks ago in congestive heart failure cause by additional fluid around her heart and in her lungs.

On Tuesday, September 11, Ella underwent surgery to remove the fluid from her lungs and from around her heart. I am pleased to report, that at 86 years old, she came through with flying colors. Showing tremendous spirit and fortitude she endured an 11 hour wait for surgery, the actual operation and then left post-op in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

I spent the day with her yesterday, though groggy, she is in good spirits with minimal pain. Ella is aware of everything around her. Last night at dinner, she drank her soup and finished the orange Jell-O with very little help from me. She is able to communicate with her medical team who continue to give her excellent care. If the recovery stays on track, she should be home by the weekend or at the latest early next week. Once home she will require nursing care for the next three weeks, and daily assistance for the rest of her life.

Ella asked me to send this note to everyone thanking all of you for your prayers, light, love and positive energy. If you would like to send Ella a card or flowers, please use the address below:

Ella R. Howard
1362 Kenyon Street NW
Washington, DC 20010

With love and hugs,
Timah and Ella

My Mom returned to the hospital this week with congestive heart failure as a result of the pneumonia she continues to battle. While her condition is stable and she is expected to come home, her health continues a slow decline that is appropriate for her age and medical condition. It is still not clear what continues to cause the build up of fluid in her lungs and between her lungs and heart. While the not knowing the cause is frustrating, I spend my time concentrating on what is known -- she is lucid, funny, still headstrong, interested in the world (although death is close now than it was a month ago), and still looking forward to future. As always she continues to be a realist without any sense of bitterness or fatalism.

For Ella, hope is a verb.

I divide my time between work and the hospital. As of this writing, my Mom will remain in the hospital for the remainder of this week and possibly through the weekend. I did photograph her this time because I thought these maybe the last photos I take of her. I will post them later in the week after she has had a chance to see them first.

http://www.bopsecrets.org/CF/graffiti.htm

Concrete breeds apathy.