I just hung up from speaking with Billye, and her husband did not print out this thread, as I'd hoped he would (#@$%&^ to him for that), so I came online and read each and every note to her. She was in tears, but in a good way. She says our online community means the world to her, and the loss of it while hospitalized has been painful to her. She wishes she were online, as she has lots to share---she's got advice on avoiding her situation (especially for Dahlek, who is facing something similar), on dealing with bone issues, fractures, and so much more. She misses what she has to offer, as much as she misses the help she receives. It really meant the world to her to hear all the notes from so many friends, and truly, I was as astonished as she was when I began to get a senses of the tallly, the sheer number of people who we both know, from this source of love and kindness and wisdom.

So, after hanging up with Billye, I did the thing that a brassy NY woman might do---I phoned her husband to read him the riot act in as tactful a way as possible. I mean, c'mon, buy the lady a laptop! Lots of reasons why it's not "necessary", all of which I combatted as best I could. I mean, even if there's no wireless in her hospital room, just to be able to use a laptop from her bed at home, rather than sit at the desk with pain in her behind, would change her life. So, I did what I could to push him on this one. I'm hoping he comes through. If not, I can say that money for a laptop for Billye would go EXACTLY where we want it to go, and we can find it here amongst ourselves and do what needs to be done. Not like when we all gave to Mr Lester for a backup of our data and he bought land in Second City. So I'll keep taps on Mr Silverlady, and if he doesn't come through, I'm hoping we can figure something out.

We need her as much as she needs us here.

So, the medical update on her: She's been transferred from the general hospital floor, where she had excellent pain control, to a Rehab floor, to get physical rehabilitation for the fractures. And she's on a new regimen for her osteoporosis, which I can't recite just now due to a senior moment. On the Rehab floor they don't give injections or use IVs, so they cut her pain meds drastically, down to Tramadol, and it's not working. She's hoping to get changed back to a stronger oral painkiller. She's happy with the care she's gotten up until this happened, this transfer which stopped her pain control.

Overall, she sounds tired, but much much better. And even though she's tired today from the change in room, her voice sounds stronger and she's got more optimism.

I'll stay in touch.