Jerry's August 22nd Update!

Thanks Uncle Don!!!

Jon
don & vicki said...

It is 2;50pm and I just left Jerry after being with him since around 10:00am. Vicki and I arrived yesterday afternoon and were amazed at the progress!!!Today I watched some of his therapy and he continues to improve. I went with him to pick up his new glasses, which are just fine. When we returned, he pottied and tried to eat, but he was tired, so they helped him onto the bed. I left and will return later this afternoon.In all, I cannot say enough about the progress since I saw him two weeks ago. If this continues, I expect near full recovery (at least from my perspective), granted he has quite a way to go, but the speed of the progress to date is nothing short of spectacular.My thanx to Carol and Merle and everyone else who has given the moral support and encouragement to him. Let's keep it up.Uncle Don

Jerry's August 21st Update!

Hello everyone,

As I mentioned last week, Maryann and I have returned home for the time being and will update this blog as often as possible. We're going to be depending on folks like you who visit with Jerry to keep us posted. We'll also let you know what we here from the nurses and doctor.

As I write this I'm in Boston on business and can't help but think how Jerry's doing. When it was time for us to leave we were not preparred to go! But getting a message like the one we recieved from our good friends Carol and Merle really helped! Thanks Carol and Merle!!!

What a super day your dad had. As we discussed on the phone, he could throw the balloons back and forth numerous times with his left arm; stood up and down and transferred from walker to wheelchair; also put on his own sweatshirt and complained of the stains on it!! We went to eye doctor and had 2 imbedded hairs removed and he was able to pull himself with BOTH arms up against the contraption they use to view the eyes and hold himself up for an extended time. He could look whichever direction the doctor instructed in order to thoroughly view the eyeball. Look at the pics. They are awesome. We had a long day but fulfilling. He also sat right at the table and ate regular cauliflower, mushrooms, rice with green onions and creamed chicken -- in chunks, not pureed. Amazing progress. He bragged on Jessie and Tracy and Joseph and how helpful they were. Missed Boo and Jon a lot but excited about everyone coming. Was hoping to see Susie and eldee and asked us to check on them -- which we did. Also told us of his prescription glasses he had ordered before the stroke. We checked at the South Kaiser and found, sure enough, he had ordered them and they were ready to pick up. Waiting on date for transport to get them fitted rather than just pick them up. I talked with the Eye Department and they said we could just pick them up but preferred, if possible, to have him come in and make sure all was okay with them. Your dad liked that too as he loved the outing. Kept asking us what made us come and over that fateful day of the stroke and how did we know he needed help. Said he remembered the phone ringing and ringing and getting mad about it cuz he couldn't get to it. Rambled enough but it was just such an awesome day. Sure miss you guys. Love ya, merle and carol

Jerry's August 16th Update!

He's baaaaack! Today we were check out of the hospital and were able to get Jerry back to the rehab center. I know the hospital visit was a little scary, but it was just the thing Jerry needed to get rid of the pain. Over the course of the last few day he's been tested, checked out, prodded and even vaccuumed. We felt confident there wasn't anything he has that they didn't see. Once back at the rehab Jerry recieved an incredible welcome from residence and staff alike. He got settled in his bed just long enough to be welcomed by his physical therapyst. They took him and started working him out. Once done with that he was in high spirits and wanted us to find his wallet. Maryann asked "why do you need your wallet?" He replied, " I want Jon to go get me an ice cream"! He also wanted to read all of the cards that you've sent. He didn't want us to read them, but wanted to read them himself. Once of the cards he recieved was from some of the staff at his favorite bank, (Bank of the Cascades) He immedialty asked Maryann to grab his cell phone and called the bank. It was great, he spoke to one person and then another and another till he spoke with almost everyone there. This really put him in a great mood. Thanks!

Please continue to send your cards and comments, as he begins to rehab and continue to make his remarkable recovery, your words will keep him focused and motivated!

Thanks so much!

Best,

Jon

Jerry's August 14th and 15th Update!

Things have been happening here so quickly, it's been hard to keep everyone posted. As you read in my last post, we had some problems with excessive air (gas) in Jerry's stomach as well as a urinal tract infection. We thought we had gotten through that and were feeling good about being back at the rehab. Well when the doctor came in Tuesday morning he examined Jerry and said "this man is sick"! He spoke with us and received our consent to send Jerry back to the E.R. Once there Jerry was examined by a doctor who oddly enough use to be a fireman and if that wasn't enough... his wife was also a fireman. He immediately bonded with Jerry and assured us that he would do whatever it takes to get him squared away! He ordered a CAT/SCAN and when the results came in, he was able to pinpoint the source of the pain. Because of the urinal infection Jerry's kidneys and intestines went into paralysis. This rendered his "plumbing" useless and allowed excess gas to infiltrate his "inners". He immediately put together a game plan and the staff here executed flawlessly. As a result of the intestines not working, Jerry had a lot of back up that needed to be extracted. They literally hook him up to a special vacuum and sucked the "stuff" right out of his body. This was pretty damn gross, but Maryann and I were here for the whole thing. One funny thing was when Maryann thought she heard a gurgling sound. She asked me to check it out. When I got there I lifted his arm and the "stuff " started coming out and spilled on my shoes! Nice"

Today was 100% better. Jerry got his color back and the doctor said things couldn't have worked out better. He even had the opportunity to work with the occupational therapist. She was literally amazed at how he's progressed overall (she had seen him when he first got here 3 weeks ago). She put him through a regiment of exercises and movements which he did flawlessly. Carol, Merle, Maryann and I were almost cheering with every move.

Bottom line, Jerry is a fighter and is smack dab in the middle of a prize fight. What's the prize....A QUALITY LIFE! And even though he's taken a few "good" shots, he's gotten up every time and keeps on fighting!

Stay tuned for more round by round "let's get ready to rumbllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllle" coverage!

Jon

Jerry's August 13th Update!

Today was tough day for Jerry. First, during this mornings visit with Carol and Merle, they noticed that Jerry seemed to be depressed. That may have had something to do with his son Rick going back home after a short visit. Rick's visit was good therapy for Jerry! As the day progress, the pain we spoke about in yesterday's blog returned. Only this time the pain was intensified. Jerry was literally yelling from the pain and if you know Jerry, you know he has a high tolerance for pain. We had the nurse come in and check and upon inspection she noticed that his feeding tube had backed up and was leaking. This was all we needed to insist that he be transported to the hospital ER from the re-hab facility. Once there, we waited and waited........ and then waited some more, then finally........a doctor was able to see him. They took some x-rays and found two things. One was he has an urinary tract infection down below and that my friend can be very painful. The other thing that was bothering him (he stated that it felt like his kidneys were on fire) was a severe case of excess gas. The doctor speculated that this may have been caused by air that somehow was in the large syringe that is use to push Jerry's meds directly into his stomach via his feeding tube. The x-ray showed large pockets of air everywhere. They gave him some medication for the gas and pain killers ease the other aches and pains and then allowed us to have him transported back to the rehab center.

The biggest take away here is that Jerry still has a long way to go and no matter what we want, he needs time and prayer to get through this.

Stay tuned for our report tomorrow when we meet with his doctor!!!

With love,

Jon and Maryann

Jerry's August 11th And 12th Update!

Hello everyone!

As Maryann and I prepare to go home at the end of next week, I want to let you know I will not continue to do an update everyday as I don't want to make news where none exist. Jerry has been doing very well with his rehab and I will continue to keep you informed as his situation and heath dictate. You should know that he's had a great weekend filled with family and friends. The best thing I've noticed is how sharp he is mentally. His wit and humor, his ability to understand what's being said and what's going around him. Today day was a exhausting day, Jerry had Sonya, Benito and the kids there for most of the morning and Rick was with him till about 2:00. Jerry was a gracious host even at his own expense. When Rick asked him how he felt he said he felt "perky" as the day went on he began to get very tired. Rick, Maryann and myself went to get something to eat and when we returned, Jerry was not the same happy guy we left. He was feeling some pain in his stomach where his feeding tube is placed. He also was experiencing pain in his neck. The biggest problem today was his severe discomfort with what he called heartburn. He was really hurting and we were able to get his nurse to give him a dose of Prilosec. This seemed to work, however, we'll need to ask the doctor on Tuesday why he's having so much pain. The nurse came in and then gave him his pain killing cocktail. Even with this he still was in pain but he endured until the medicine knocked him out.

I know Jerry will be sad tomrrow when Rick goes home and Maryann and I will do our best to keep him company.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers and I'll keep you posted on his progress.

Jon

Jerry's August 10th Update!

Today was a busy day for Jerry. He got a "king sized" helping of family today. First thing this morning, Sonya, Benito and the kids showed up and then Rick got here and they went straight over to see Jerry. When they got there they were rewarded by seeing Jerry use his walker to walk down the hallway. This was another first in Jerry's rehabilitation. Jerry also downed a few more cups of coffee and was treated to a soft serve ice cream from "Dairy Queen"! It was great to see Rick taking care of Jerry and I know it was a very special time for Jerry to have his son here! One thing that sticks out from today, Jerry was able to lift his left arm. This was significant in that as a result of the stroke, Jerry's lost functionality of most of his left side. It was good to see him want to make progress and put in the work!

Well until tomorrow........

Jon

Jerry's August 9th Update!

Well today Jerry was able to have another special visitor. He and this visitor go way, way back. The visitor's name was "Joe" first name "cup a"! Can you guess who it is.......That's right COFFEE!!!!!! Today he was given the OK to drink a cup of coffee. Not that thicken cold crap either. This was coffee that Maryann brought to him from his favorite coffee shop. Jerry likes the coffee from this place so much that he has stickers advertising the place on both of his vehicles! Jerry also had another milestone, he was able to lift his left hand above his shoulder. This is real progress. I can't wait to get back there and give him a high five! The singing duo of Maryann and Angie are receiving rave reviews from the patients and staff!

Well it's pretty late, so I'm going to bed. Truth be told, I actually fell asleep and woke up to write this! The car stories you all sent were awesome. Please keep them coming! They're fun to read!

Thanks,

Jon

Jerry's August 8th Update!

The other day I sat with Jerry and he and I talked about the cars we most like to have back and in a strange co-incidence mine was my first car and 64 ford falcon with "3 on the tree" (that's a 3 speed transmission which is located on the steering collum) and Jerry's was his 1965 Ford Ranchero (example picture left). His has a 289 with four on the floor. It was great to reminisce about the cars we loved.

If you have a favorite car you wish you could have again, please share your story with us!

Today Jerry got a nice visit from his closest and dearest friends Carol and Merle. They visited for about three hours. Carol and Merle have been rock solid for both Jerry and Bev. and Maryann and I have grown to love them just like family. Well Jerry had another great day. Maryann and Angie went to see him just before lunch and they brought two very special visitors.......El Dee and Suzy (his dogs). That's right, they brought the whole herd! Jerry and the rest of his visitors were able to enjoy some quality time outdoors and Jerry was even able to play fetch with the pooches! We spoke with the doctor and he informed us that Jerry's got a long, long way to go, but he continues to improve each day and I admire him for being an example of strength while enduring the pain. I know Jerry's getting excited because his one and only son (Rick) is coming to visit. He'll also get to see one of his granddaughters (Sonya) and her kids, so this should be an eventful weekend. I was in Los Angeles today for a meeting and came back to Santa Rosa to pick up my truck and can't wait to get back up there and see him (and my wife too)!





Love you guys!





Jon

Jerry's August 7th Update!

Well it's about midnight and I'm just getting settled in my hotel in LA. I had to come down for a meeting and will be flying back to Northern Ca tomorrow and then driving up to Salem Oregon. Maryann and I have cancelled our vacation and will use the time to be with Jerry. Speaking of Jerry. Today was another day filled with progress. Jerry was able to (with the help of a nurse) walk to the bathroom this morning. He also had a just a great day being with people who love him. I read him some of your emails, I can't tell you enough how much he loves hearing from you! He's also been able to eat in the dinning room with the other patients. The afternoon was special for him as Maryann and Angie brought a guitar and sang several songs for him. This was very special as all who were in the room were able to be blessed by the wonderful harmonies. At one point, some of the patients started requesting songs. Merle came by this morning and spent some quality time with Jerry and in one of the crazies co-incidences the guy in the bed next to Jerry was an old co-worker of Merle's who he hadn't seen in 25 years! This will be a great weekend for Jerry in that Sonya and the kids are driving up and Rick is flying up on Friday!
Stay tuned!
Jon

Jerry's August 6th Update

We had a great day today!

While in therapy, Jerry actually walked. It was just a couple of steps, but they were very important steps in his rehab. He was also able to sit at a table in the cafeteria and eat with the rest of the patients. Jerry later went outside with us and sat in the sun for about 45 minutes. During this time we (Maryann, Angie and myself) grabbed a guitar and sang some songs for him. He was tapping his fingers and moving his head. He was basking in every minute of it! His speech was pretty clear today. We left for a while and Shastina and Pam spent some time with him. When we got back, it was time for him to eat dinner. Boo fed him and we all sat in him room and talked. The others went home and I decided to stay and watch the Giants game with him. During this time we talked about many things. One of the things we talked about were old classic cars. He spoke of his 1965 Ford Ranchero with a 4 speed automatic and a small block 289. We continued to talk and I read him your blog post for the day. He was grateful to those of you who sent messages. It really means so much to him. He also wanted me to let you know that he doesn't want you to get the wrong impression and think he's sitting at some country club. He's in great pain and endures that pain throughout the day in hopes to one day come home! It's important for those of you who said you're coming up to visit to keep those commitments, he's counting on it and so are we. As it was getting late and I was about to go home, he looked at me and wouldn't say anything as he knew I was about to leave. I looked over at him and he was wide awake and did not want me to leave, so I stayed a little longer. Together we can make this work. Please do your part! A note, a visit, a card, a prayer all are accepted gratefully!

Thanks and good night!

Jon

Jerry's August 5th Update!

Well it's late but it's been a productive day!

Today when we arrived Jerry was sitting in anticipation of our visit and understandingly so. When we walked into the room we were greeted by a nurse who informed us that Jerry had........are you ready for this...........................................FED HIMSELF!!!!! Whoa, he actually took his food and fed himself. This was great news! He also was able to drink a glass of water. This is equally important as he has to control the amount of pressure he puts on the plastic cup so he doesn't crush it! Jerry was very alert today (except right after he took his pain cocktail). Our friends Frank and Angie are still here with us and have been a great help in just being there for us. Grandpa was fully engaged in conversations with Frank.

Jerry was also able to speak with Linda (his daughter) for a while. He was very focused on speaking clearly and articulating his speech. Linda held it together until she got off the phone with her Dad and then began to cry. She was overcome with emotion as it was the first time she'd been able to speak with Jerry since right after his stroke! Jerry is having a great day and later in the afternoon, Frank and I were able to just sit and watch some TV with him. It was great, he was commenting on what we were watching and it was just the guys hanging out watching the TV. Grandpa is doing his part in getting better and continues to fight everyday! We have a big meeting with the doctor's and therapist on Tuesday. Be praying that they see significant progress and provide us with some direction as to what are the next steps.

Good night.... or should I say good morning!

Jon

Jerry's August 4th Update!

Wow!

Today was the best day yet. Grandpa had the best day since he's been in here. This morning while with Carol and Merle he asked Carol to call the house and asked to speak to me. When I got on the phone Jerry told me with at very clear voice "Bring me my dog Suzy. I want to see my dog"! It was completely awesome! We got the dog loaded in the truck and went to see him. When we got to the hospital he was upright and "perky"! He wanted his dog and she wanted him. She jumped on his lap and it was just like old times. The presence of Suzy had a positive effect on not only Jerry, but everyone else in the hospital. The folks there were so happy to see a dog and be able to pet the her. Then the nurse said it was time for Jerry's lunch. We thought. OK, here comes the thickened juice, but this time it was mashed potatoes and pureed veal. WOW, WOW, WOW! We've been waiting for this day but didn't think it would as soon as it did! Jerry ate and we almost were in tears! Jerry was so proud of his day's accomplishments and especially his dog that every one was talking about. Another cool thing happened. Maryann and I have been so focused on Grandpa that we haven't had anytime to think about ourselves and our Friends. While I was walking the dog I saw two people sitting on a bench by the front door. I thought to myself that the guy looks like one of my friends from Sonoma Co., but why would he be here. So when I was done walking the dog, I went to take the dog back inside and while walking to the door to my delight and surprise it was our friends from Santa Rosa, Frank and Angie. They came up here to provide some tangible love and much needed support. This was just awesome! This entire day has been incredible! We feel very blessed!

Well, till tomorrow!

Much love,

Uncle Jon

Jerry's August 3rd Update

Hello all,

Today was much like yesterday with a few new twist! Jerry (Grandpa) had and active day. He went to rehab and again worked very hard. During the morning, Maryann took him outside for a minute. While out there she showed him Bev's old Cadillac and asked him if he remembered the car. He said he didn't. However his did asked where Bev was. At that moment I understood just how much he misses her. He was pretty zonked after all the activities and so Maryann and I went to lunch to let him get some rest. While we were out, Shastina showed up and spent some quality time with him. We came back and relieved Shastina. During this time Jerry was as alert as I've seen him all week. He wanted to talk about everything. For some reason he started talking about when he was in high school and in the marching band. He spoke of Bev and how she knew Johnny Mathis. It was great to just sit and listen to him. At on point he was even laughing! While I was at home, I got a chance to speak with his neighbors. They expressed deep sadness for his illness and offered themselves is we needed anything. I spoke with Grandpa about the blog and he's very grateful for all of your emails and well wishes. That brings me to the end of this post. I close with the best part of the day. Jerry was able to accomplish the 3 S's. Afterwards he looked so clean and he was ready to go to bed. It was 10:00 pm and time for us to go home and do it all over again tomorrow!

I need to let you know that he's in no way out of the woods. I know these post are full of the highlights of the day, but it's been a significant struggle to get to were he is. He's enduring enormous amounts of pain everyday and has to deal with inconveniences most of us couldn't. But he's a fighter and he'll continue to fight until he's out of there. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers!

We love you!

Best,

Jon

Jerry's Update for August 2nd, 2007

Well today was quite the day, but instead of me telling you.................here's Aunt Boo!

When I got to dad this morning he was working w/Marcia the occupational therapist. He was drinking thru a straw! She gave some exercises for us to make dad do like making him hold his left hand w/ his right. When he did this he started moving his fingers on his left hand. He didn't even realise it. It has something to do w/ the way the mind works. He also needs to pucker his lips as though to kiss and blow in a balloon. That's two separate exercises of course. He was pretty out of it, tired from working w/ Jean the speech therapist and Marcia. At one point he made me cry, he kept talking to mom and offering her cranberry juice, which is what we were giving him. I just kept bringing him back in the moment cause he didn't realise what he was doing. It's good to ask him questions about the family. Jon came and was reading the blog notes to him and so I ask him, who's Jamie dad? My grandson. Who's Sonya? My granddaughter. Is that Jamie's sister? Yes. It's good to let him know what's going on in your life today, etc. It keeps his mind sharp. I showed him a picture and asked who the people were, he pointed at Jesse and said He makes Joseph laugh. Later Gary the physical therapist put him in the wheel chair and took him down to "work out". While gone I went in search for clean linens. We all know how good it feels to get into clean sheets! When he came back exhausted He asked for more juice (thickened). We took off his now red stained shirt and gave a cool wipe down to refresh him. The weather was in the 90's and the building was very warm. We rubbed his back down w/lotion since it's peeling like from a sunburn. He stayed in the wheelchair for a long time which is great. It causes him to use his upper muscles and turn his head to the left. Before getting put in bed I had his nurse put his medication in his right eye. That always hurts him, but it's very important that that cornea heals since his left eye sight is questionable. Well while they were getting dad in bed Jon and I both fell asleep in the entry way chairs. By the time we got in his room he was nearly asleep from exhaustion and they were getting his nightly "cocktail" ready for him. All in all it was a great day. Tough but great. Dad's making lots of progress. Another thing, the dogs came home today. It's very expensive to leave them at the kennel, sor for now there here. Please keep praying and communicating. Funny cards would be great. He definitely still has his sense of humor. Jerry Cohn c/o Sherwood Park 4062 Arleta Ave. NE, Keizer, OR 97303. Love to all, Boo

Hello everyone!Sorry this post is late. I had to travel to Portland and Seattle today for work. Before I left, I went to visit Grandpa. I brought him a brace for his leg. This brace is for his ankle and foot. This will allow him to stabilize himself during his rehab exercises. Today brought more improvement for Jerry. During his visit with the speech therapist, he did so well swallowing the ice she said he can now has crushed ice whenever he wants. This is good news because he has not been able to fully close his mouth and it gets very dry and sticky making it hard for him to talk. We have been dipping a swab in a cup of water and giving that to him to keep his mouth moist. She also stated he can have the pudding like thickened cranberry juice as well. She also gave him a special balloon to blow on that exercises his face and mouth muscles. These guys are very good at what they do and are really making a difference with grandpa. Back to the leg brace. he was able to put it on and use it during his physical therapy. They had him in a special machine that works on stabilizing him when he stands up!All in all he had another tough day of workouts and being moved around which is really exhausing for him, but he's getting better! He's getting better!!!!!! Still a long long way to go, but he's getting better!At about 5 o'clock they gave him his pain killing cocktail and he was out for the night. If you're planning to come up to see him, please use this blog to send your dates. We're trying to figure out who's going to be here so we can make sure he's covered while others are taking breaks. It's important to get those date to us as soon as possible. Once you do that, we can put together a calendar and post it on this web-site!Keep sending the notes, he really likes them!Love you!Jon

GIants and Barry!

Well it's evening and I'm here with Grandpa watching the Giants and Dodgers. Jerry was given a "high octane pain killing" cocktail and, well let's put it this way.....I'm watching the game by myself! He's going in and out of consciousness and is still feeling some pain in his right eye which has a scratched cornea. The nurse says he won't be feeling much of anything in an hour or so. He wants me to let him know if Bonds hits #755! Carol and Merle were here just a short time ago and I can't begin to tell you what great friends they are to Jerry. They love and care so much for him. One touching moment I was blessed to witness was when Merle was holding Jerry's hand and Jerry was in some serious pain. Merle looked deeply into Jerry's eyes and said "if I could change places with you Jerry you I would"! As I looked at Merle and the expression on his face I knew he meant every last word of what he said. What a "true" friend! Thank you Merle......and Carol, you are truly part of our family!
I read Jerry several of your comments and they lifted his spirits a great deal! Please use this blog to reach out and let him know you're thinking of him. I'll read every single word you write. Also, if you have the know how and would like to attach picture, I'm sure he'd love to see them.

Well he'll be asleep in a few and I'll stay just a little longer to make sure he's comfortable, then go home!

Thanks for your support and keep in touch!

ps,

Bonds popped up in the 7th and is being taken out of the game! And with that....I'm going home!

Jon

GIants and Barry!

Jerry's July 31st Update

Well if you read the blog from yesterday you'd see the comment I put in about tomorrow being better than today and so on and so on. Well today has definitely been better than yesterday (and yesterday was pretty good)! Jerry was able to swallow some thicken cranberry juice as well as more ice. THIS IS HUGE!!!! As he continues to get better at swallowing, that's one more step towards getting him home. As you know, one of the results of his stroke was that he lost use of a significant portion of his left side . He could not move his arm or leg on that side. However just a short time ago Uncle Don (Jerry's brother) was rubbing his lower back and "Bam" his foot started to move. Uncle Don asked him to move it again and he did! WOW! He's also sitting upright and speaking more clearly. One things very obvious......he is aware of what's going on and is fighting to get better! We're waiting for his doctor to get here an give us an "official update", once we have that, I'll post it here for you!

I asked Jerry is there anything he would like to say to you and he said "tell them all thanks for their thoughts and prayers"! So with that.......Thank You!

Jon 707-953-7000 (cell)

JERRY'S JULY 30TH UPDATE

Today was a "good" day! Jerry was able to see two therapist one physical and the other speech. Both went well. They put him through some rigorous exercises, but you could see the benefit immediately. He also received a visit from one of his best friends, Suzy (his dog). You could see by the expression on his face that he was glad to see her. She was able to love on him for a short while before she had to get back to the kennel. The biggest surprise of the day is when his speech therapist was able to get him to swallow a few small pieces of crushed ice. This is huge in that when and if he's able to swallow food.... the feeding tube can come out and we're one step closer to getting him home!Regarding communication, please try and contact Aunt Boo and myself if you need a verbal update and not the rehab center. They have been receiving calls from a lot of folks and it's becoming disruptive. I'm also trying to set up a voice mail for those of you who do not have email.All in all he's doing much better today than yesterday and hopefully tomorrow will be better than today. Either way..... I'll keep you posted!

All my love,Uncle Jon!

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by jon
7/30/07