We went to lunch today at a restaurant. Tull went to the bathroom. The restaurant was not disabled-compliant; the bathroom door was about three feet from the last place you could park a wheelchair. The walker was in the car.

So Tull just stood up, hung upon the walls, and walked into the bathroom, did his thing, and walked back. Then did the same action at a friend’s house tonight.

We are so grateful for small achievements. Tull will be walking mostly with a cane within a week, and the wheelchairs will be history soon thereafter.

John’s daughter, Liza, just got engaged to a really nice fellow. We are so excited for them.

We love each and every one of you.

John and Lucinda

Update from Lucinda 12-26-03

Dear Friends and Family,

We really enjoyed our trip to Colorado Springs.
Let us share a moment with you. We had a beautiful room on the third floor and were getting dressed late Saturday morning to head out to explore the town. Suddenly, the lights started blinking, the alarms started ringing and a recorded voice told us to “leave your room immediately, take the stairs to the main floor and evacuate the building…do not take the elevators”.

Lucinda Marker has never experienced a true alarm in a hotel after many years of travel. Tull had twice (one hotel, one courthouse) but not under these circumstances. So we looked at each other and booked it out of the room with walker and wheelchair. We got to the stairwell and met several people who were on their own and also walking down the steps (including a woman in a bathrobe). They immediately asked how they could help. They picked up the wheelchair and walker and stood by Tull who faced the railing and side-stepped his way down four flights of stairs, two stories. This was an exercise Tull was just perfecting in PT.

When we got to the ground floor, Tull looked at one of the “helpers” and recognized him as a friend from junior high school. He was there for the same wedding, but knew nothing of our story. They caught up later that night.

Another weekend, another adventure.
We love you all and hope to see each and every one of you in New York.
John and Lucinda

Update from Lucinda 12-29-03

Dear Friends and Family,

We have talked with people very dear to us in the last few days who are in tension-filled situations. Our hearts are with all of you.
No preaching intended, but just when you thing you are at the end of your rope....something happens. Believe. It will.

Love,

John and Lucinda