And the Flame Grows Brighter

Yesterday was another day of remarkable progress for my Mother.  The doctors took the ventilator tube out late on Thursday and the feeding tube out around 5 AM on Friday.  Mother had some chicken broth and jello for breakfast then shortly after I arrived mid morning, the physical therapist had her standing, taking a few steps and then some exercises to build her strength back up.  After a solid food lunch, they moved her out of CICU into a regular care room on the 3rd floor.  About mid afternoon, Mother's hairdresser, Karen, came to visit and do a little something with her hair.  As it turns out, I went to high school with her hairdresser with both of us graduating in 1969.  She has been doing my Mother's hair for some 42 years now and Mother would not have it any other way.  It was a great visit for both my Mother and I as Karen and I reminisced a little bit also.  My Mother has astounded her doctors, family and friends with this last couple of days of real progress.  She is surely not out of the woods yet, but she is definitely on the road to recovery thanks to her doctors and the many prayers of a great many people.  Let's hope the flame of life continues to grow. 
 

Your Saturday Soundtrack this week is Cell-ebration, which is a celebration of marvelous music for my favorite orchestral instrument, the Cello, featuring works by multiple Composers and Performers. We begin with the live recording of the Theme from Schindler's list performed by Luka Sulic and the Zagreb Soloists then comes an original work, Disappearance for Gypsy Cello and Pipe organ written and performed by Adam Hurst. Next up is the Cello Concerto, Opus 129 by Robert Schumann performed by Radio Kamer Filharmonie conducted by Michael Schønwandt featuring Andreas Brantelid on Solo Cello followed by The Cello Song and Beethoven's 5 Secrets performed by the Piano Guys. The centerpiece for this play list in the Six Suites for Solo Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach beautifully performed by Yo Yo Ma. Then comes Michael Meets Mozart performed by The Piano Guys and Smooth Criminal performed by Luka Sulic and Stjepen Hauser. Then we turn once again to Yo Yo Ma as he performs the Cello Concerto by Sir Edward Elgar with Daniel Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Finally we close out this Cell-ebration with a live performance of Benedictus by Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser.

I have not had the opportunity to collect photographs or read my news feeds since I have been spending all my free time at the hospital with my Mother.  When I sat down to put this post together, I had a backlog of over 1700 articles, photographs or groups of photographs in my reader.  Therefore I have no "Best of the Web This Week" to share with you today.  Instead I have some 48 photographs posted in days of yore lifted from my original collection of photographs taken from the Eyecatcher blog.  Thanks for choosing to spend part of your weekend with me here at Nichevo.  We will see you again here on Monday.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!