Pop continues to get a bit better tonight. His heart rate is 65 and his blood pressure is strong. His respiratory function is improving, so they lowered the PEEP setting on the ventilator to 18 and his blood oxygen saturation is maintaining at a robust 99%. He looks comfortable, but exhausted, and is not as responsive as earlier today and obviously wants to sleep. We are all very encouraged by his progress today. Fight, Channel Man, fight!

Another medical tragedy has befallen friends and family today. Brenda Lind, one of Johanna’s dearest friends and a close friend of the Topping family, fell and seriously broke her patella today and is now one of the walking (or not walking) wounded. Brenda has been a constant supporter of Channel Man Stan and our family during this difficult time and has been a regular at the hospital. Her presence there will be missed (until she shows up there on crutches sometime, that is). Our prayers go out to Brenda for a speedy recovery.

I wanted to say one other thing in relation to Kiera’s high school graduation. Before Pop got sick, he strongly expressed to Mom that he wanted to buy Kiera something for her graduation that she would have forever and that would be a keepsake remembrance given from them in celebration of her accomplishment. Mom had other ideas, but Pop won out and bought her a pair of beautiful aquamarine and diamond earrings, which Mom presented to her at her luncheon on graduation day. This is so typical of Pop. Channel Man has good taste in jewelry, and Kiera was delighted with her gift and cherishes them.

Goodnight Pop. Goodnight World. Goodnight Moon.