Good news

Yesterday was a day of not-so-good news but morning today brought better news.

First, I learned that a dear friend in NC who is 28 weeks and three days pregnant was hospitalized with contractions. Two years ago she delivered a baby boy very early - perhaps at 20 or 21 weeks - that did not survive, so this pregnancy has been very closely monitored. As Kathy says, she just wants the baby to "bake" a little longer before making his entry into the world.

Her email message today said that everything has stabilized and if it continues, she will go home tomorrow. She has been given medications to stop the contractions and the goal is to keep baby in until 32 or 33 weeks. Her spirits are high and she said that she feels good except for a "numb bum" - did I mention she's a Brit?

Second, last evening horrific storms moved through western Tennessee where I have relatives on my father's side. As I watched the primary results, they broke in to talk about a tornado in Jackson, Tennessee, where my father's cousin Paul lives. This morning's news was awful - numerous deaths and injuries. Before I left for my weekly gig in A's classroom, I sent an email message to my mother and my brother to see if someone could get in touch with Paul.

I returned from school to a voice mail message and an email message from my brother, stating that he had reached Paul, and that he and his wife, Mildred, were safe. Their house sustained some damage but nothing catastrophic. They have no power, no water, no landline telephone service and many trees in their backyard where knocked down; the church behind them, however, sustained major damage. Paul also said that their grandson had moved out of his dorm at Union University over the weekend into an apartment, and although he and his apartment were fine, his former dorm was severely damaged. All told, 1800 students at the university have been displaced but none, thankfully, were killed.

So in terms of my friends and family, good news all around.