I haven’t been sharing the ups and downs of my cousin Billy, not because there haven’t been, but because they haven’t been earthshaking in either direction. However, the overall trend seemed to be headed downhill.

Until this morning.

This is from my cousin Dave:

While sitting in Bill’s room blabbering and telling jokes I noticed Bill looking toward me and trying to grin. I told him I would go get dad and Kathy and come back to the hospital. We came back by and I started showing Bill pictures on my laptop and when I’d show him a funny one, he’d try and laugh. The Dr. walked in about this point and walked over to Bill and said “are you hungry?”, and Bill replied with a quiet,breathy, but very distinct “Yes”.

You could have heard a pin drop after he said that. I called Sharon and told her and I held the cell phone to Bill’s ear so she could say hi. Bill really perked up hearing her voice and he responded to her and said very weakly ,”How you doing?” Sharon was in tears. I called Patrick who couldn’t believe Bill had spoken and while holding the phone to Bill’s ear so Patrick could talk I heard Bill respond and say ‘Brandon”. Well, Brandon is Bill’s dog.. and 15 minutes later Patrick shows up at the hospital WITH Bill’s dog and Bill petted the dog.

He hasn’t responded to a Dr. since he’s been in the hospital (March 16).. They were basically giving up on him Sunday figuring he wasn’t going to make it would be gone soon….UNREAL! We’re hoping for no relapses, and small positive steps forward!!! If he can pull through this he still faces a complete bypass.

I don’t know how much human knowledge we lost when the Library at Alexandria burned — I’m reasonably certain that as a people, we know more at this time and place than ever. We know more about anatomy, physiology, physics, disease, injury, and medicine. We have tools that allow us to watch cells split in two, and tools to help us correct defects in the hard-wiring of those same cells. We are even learning how to help the body regrow parts it has lost.

And as a whole, we still don’t know squat.

Again, thanks to everyone who has shared their thoughts and prayers. The whole family appreciates it.

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