At long last, a minute to say thank you to each and every one of you
for your love and support during this difficult time. We are finally
out of the hospitals and back at home in Flinn Springs, though I seem
to spend most of the time meeting with doctors, nurses, cardiologists,
and blood drawers at the hospital labs. We don't have any final news
as yet.....still waiting for the pros to put everything together and
see if they can figure out what happened. My last memories are of Dan
taking me home in record time in the RV from Texas, and getting me to
the emergency room in San Diego. He is truly my hero...there is no way
I could have done what he did to get me there.

We met with the cardiologist Thursday morning and she is doing some
basic investigation. The biggest question right now seems to be how
strong my heart is at this time. Is it strong enough to survive a
valve replacement surgery? Some of the folks at UCLA don't think it
is. Some of them do. I'm sure she will have a better idea on that when
we meet again next week.

I also met with Dr. B (my life-long doctor) who talked Dan and me home
from Texas to San Diego. We reviewed my current med list and how
things are going on a day-to-day basis. And the answer to that is each
day I am gaining a little more strength. I can finally usually get
myself in and out of the bathtub, and each day walk a bit more. I'm
not super-confident on my feet...feel like I do the "Old Folks Home
Shuffle" rather than my usual stride, but each day I'm a bit better
there, too. Still not willing to take on the grocery store without a
wheelchair, but that day will come. I am sleeping a lot and mostly
just bumping around the house.

I have lost 50 pounds, so am gradually determining which clothes I can
still wear and which ones will go on to new homes. I wouldn't
recommend this as a weight loss program, but we'll take our gifts
where we receive them. I hope over the balance of this year to drop
another 20-24 pounds, which would put me back to my size-4 when I
married Dan weight!

Those of you who are still holding my life in your prayers....we' re
looking for a heart healthy enough to withstand surgery and the valve
replacement. ......thank you so much for your help with this.

Please stay in touch. Hardly a day goes by that something doesn't
bring a tear to my eye...I am so blessed to have so many loving
friends and family members.

And, a quick note to Dan --- you are ever more the hero in my
life...each day just makes it more and more apparent.
Kathy, thank god you decided on that day those many years ago, to
follow your dad into this marriage and the family we have built. Mike
and Rachel, your support of Dan,doing the grunt work of the logistical
nightmare and just being there for us is as important a part of this
past month as anything else. The number of people who have contacted
me and told me just how great you have been does not surprise
me....thanks for once again living up to the standards we throw at you.

Love to you all.....and again, thank you for your support, your
friendship and your love

Marla.
Marla B. Pence Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention
of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to
skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly
proclaiming --- Wow! What a ride!!!!!