The news I’ve been getting is all, thankfully, good!

Chris Springer, our newest member, signs a big baseball for our ailing member Brett Grant. President-elect Bill Pierce brought it to our joint meeting with the Las Vegas Fremont club. Many members signed the toy and it'll be given to Brett. Knock it out of the park, big guy. We love you. We miss you. And we want you back soon. We need your expertise and help with the fundraising efforts.

The joyful headline on this piece comes from the email the club received today from Rick Jakel, the good friend to our club, and mentor and best buddy to our own Brett Grant.

To use a baseball allegory that would, we hope, bring a smile to Brett: There is joy in Mudville. Mighty Brett is getting better.

Rick reports:
"Just hung up a short time ago with Emily, Brett’s remarkable daughter.She told me that he had progressed to where today he is able to nod his head “yes” or shake it “no” . . . however he still cannot talk because of the tracheotomy.

He continues to improve and 10 minutes ago was scheduled to go back into surgery to hopefully get his incision closed up.

Right now the news I’ve been getting is all, thankfully, good!

More as I hear further updates."

That's wonderful news, indeed,  from Rick. Brett's many friends are cheered.

We had more wonderful news at our joint meeting with the Las Vegas Fremont club Tuesday.

Right there beside our esteemed PDG Tom Novotny, was his lovely -- and equally hard-working wife Robin. She looked as radiant as ever, just a week after a cancer operation at St. Rose Hospital in Henderson.

We love you Robin. Great to see you looking so well.

And then, last night, came this update from Kathy Grant at the Care Pages website:

Dr. Pigazzi was able to close Brett's abdomen today.

He is very aware but still frustrated because he cannot speak. The doctor also put in a feeding tube. Next step will be to get him off vent so he can talk.

He has been receiving the cards you are sending to the hospital. Emily reads them to him. She read all the comments on the poster that was signed last week at the All Star game too.