E-mail update sent on Mar 4, 2002:

I'm out of the hospital now. Actually, I got out of the hospital last Wednesday afternoon and spent a couple of days with some very hospitable friends. I got home Saturday evening and have been doing well on my own since.

While waiting for the leg to heal, I'm wearing a splint on my leg to keep the knee extended so the muscles behind the knee don't draw up causing me not be able to straighten the knee when it's time for the prosthesis. The splint is not painful but either it or me is a bit clumsy. I keep banging it into the furniture and such as I roll around in my wheelchair. Fortunately, the bumps don't cause any pain. I think the leg is healing very well. I'm due to get the staples out Wednesday, March 6th, I think

My blood sugar levels continue to remain in the normal range and today makes two weeks since I've had any diabetes medication. Again, not conclusive, but most encouraging! I monitor my glucose levels daily and having had an above normal reading at any time since the surgery.

While in the hospital, I got lots of calls and visits from friends and I really appreciate that. Because I got out of the hospital somewhat quicker than I expected, there were several who attempted to visit or call only to find I'd already gone home.

I also got lots of cards and many, many cards from folks I don't even know. One of my friends told her mother, sister, and her friends to send me cards and the word seemed to spread. Both her sister and her mother told their friends as well. I've been able to identify how most of the card senders got my address, but there are a couple that remain unknown. Nonetheless, it was a very friendly gesture and is genuinely humbling to think people who don't know me would take time to send a get-well card. It's also been great fun tracing the senders.

I suspect it'll be about a month before I get prosthesis and can begin the process of learning to walk with it. Meanwhile, I'm using a walker and a wheelchair to get around. It's a bit different not having a foot on the right leg but not nearly a traumatic an experience as I expected. Since I can still feel the missing foot, however, I get really amused at some of the guarding actions I take to protect the foot that isn't there. But I really did expect to have some difficult emotional adjustments to being an amputee. However, I'm finding it much easier than I ever expected and, frankly, it's interesting to see what's taking place. Of course, some adjustments have to be made, but they aren't as significant as I thought they would be. Strangely to me, I can balance on one foot much better than I ever thought I might.

Some of you who have gotten in on these updates of mine only recently might be interested in seeing or reading the earlier updates I've sent out over the last 2 1/2 years since my accident in August, 1999. I have published copies of each of the updates on my web site as well as some pictures of the car I was driving taken after the wreck. I was in hopes of getting a picture of the train engine I hit, but I haven't found it yet. When I do, I'll post a picture of it, too. Anyway, go to http://www.johnghormley.com and click the link to Health Updates should you be interested.

There have been a spurt of e-mails from me during the last couple of weeks surrounding the amputation surgery but I suspect progress will slow somewhat while waiting on the prosthesis. Therefore, expect a bit of a delay before the next one unless there should be some drastic change in my condition between now and then.

Thanks, again, to all of you who have called, written, e-mailed, or visited lately. Your support is very encouraging and uplifting to me.

John