From my father to friends and loved ones:

Yesterday I took Dana to UCLA’s emergency department with severe abdominal pain. After the usual long wait she was examined by the attending doctor and put on strong pain meds. When the pain was not dissipating a CT scan was ordered. The results were catastrophic. It indicated a perforation in her intestine. The contents were leaking into her abdomen. This is life threatening. It can kill you quickly. The doctor came in and told us emergency surgery had to be done immediately, like in 15 minutes. It’s major surgery, but the alternative is that Dana would get sicker by the hour and it would end up killing her. No option! The surgery has major risks. No option. Dana had the surgery on Monday. She survived it. Recovery is very painful and long. Before the surgery Dana wanted me to email her friends telling everyone how much she loves and appreciates you all in case she didn’t make it. There was no time (as you can imagine) so I thought I would fill in the details.

As of now there can be no visitors. She is being monitored closely. I’m with her making sure nothing is being overlooked. If you want to text her I think that’s okay.

It gratifies me to know Dana has such terrific friends. She is a lucky girl!

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Dana had a bad day yesterday. Although she got up and walked a little bit, all her IVs went bad. She was put on antibiotics and some new pain meds. Today she is getting a PICC line put in. She will remain in the ICU for now.

I read her all the messages and emails which boosts her spirits. She is still drugged and its hard for her to focus for too long. She wants so badly to respond to everyone.

Thank you for all the kind words and the encouragement. I will keep the updates coming.

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Dana is out of ICU and has been making some progress. She is walking a bit and eating. Her Picc line did however go bad and caused a very painful blood clot in her neck. She now has to give herself daily shots of Heparin in the stomach for at least three months to dissolve the clot. True to form she named the clot Romeo in that it climbed from her arm up to the “balcony” of her neck. I fear I raised a bizarre daughter…

Her pain is still extremely bad and we’re still trying to get it under control.

It is still difficult for Dana to communicate due to the pain so I remain her update voice for now.

Thank you for all the support you have shown her.