Faye Emerson here.  Hope this finds you well.

We are hanging in there, as best as we possibly can.  We have our bad days, our good days.  Lately, they've been improving.  They're not great, not by a long shot, but they are definitely on the upswing.

I am happy to say that our youngest child, four-year-old Nicholas, is out of the hospital.  He had appendicitis, developed complications; we thought for a while that he was going to die; however, by a unexplained miracle, he survived.

Nicholas is getting stronger every day, and he has been doing very well in  his ongoing therapy sessions.  We are very proud at how far he's progressed. 

Renate and Ellen, our other two children, are estatic that little brother is back home.  They want to be around  him all of the time, play with him.  We tell them to be easy on Nicky, as he's still very weak, vulnerable.  I shouldn't get too angry with the girls; if I were them, or their age, I'd be wanting to play with little brother all of the time, too, especially since he was so sick.

We didn't really celebrate Hallowe'en this year.  We spent Hallowe'en at the hospital with Nicky, where the staff held a party for the children there.  They had a wonderful time; Nicholas enjoyed the music, and the party atmosphere.  All he did was lie there in his crib, and laugh his head off; it was great to see him smiling, acting more like himself for once, instead of lying comatose, tubes hooked up to him.

Nicky came home on the third of November.  He's been home nearly two weeks now.  Friends and family have been coming, bringing get-well cards, gifts for Nicky and even the girls, and food, money for us.  It's been very much appreciated; we tell them the money is unnecessary, but they won't hear of it.  They tell us to take it or else.

No problem!  LOL

Now we are getting the house ready for Thanksgiving.  We plan to make it memorable, for Nicky's sake; it  may be his last one.  You never know.  He could still be around next year at this time, but then again, he could go; doctors are still very cautious about his chances of surviving much longer.  We plan to make any days left memorable for Nicky; he deserves to have fun, just like any other child!

After Thanksgiving we will have Christmas.  We plan on taking the kiddoes to see Santa Claus the day after Thanksgiving at the mall.  It will be crazy-crowded, but we don't care; we love the pre-holiday excitement, and I love taking advantage of all the sales; you can get some really good things/bargains!  Call me crazy, but I've always loved going Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving!  It's tradition with me.

Well, I am going to go; Nicky is making his "Mummy-come-here" noise; I will have to see what he wants.  I will write in here again soon; hopefully Nicky will continue to improve, which is my dearest prayer.  Take care and may God bless you!

~Love, Faye Emerson. :D