Travel to Seattle

The reason I've been so quiet over the past two weeks is that I've just survived a rather harrowing trip back to Seattle. My brother Jon has been in intensive care for two weeks due to a mysterious illness that had caused him to bleed into his lungs. Boy, it was touch and go for a few days there. Thanks in part to his own particular brand of fortitude, he seems to be recovering. I had to fly back on Thursday but I learned today that they have removed the tube and Jon is now breathing on his own and waking up.

Here's a website the family created for updates on him:
www.caringbridge.org/visit/jonbailey

Nearly the whole family was out there for several days last week. Despite the stressful premise of the journey, we did manage to get some quality time together. In particular, there was one evening at a harbor with brother Dan and sister Raechel and Jon's sons Blaine and Erik. We ate seafood and had a spectacular view of the Seattle skyline including the space needle.

And, during one of my many trips shuttling sis in law Judy from her home in Ellensburg to the hospital in Seattle, Dan rode along and we stopped at the lovely Snoqualmie falls. The drive through the Cascade Mountains is spectacular!

There are reasons for everything, and traveling for this reason is never the most ideal situation. But with the love and support of family, times can be easier and good memories can be shared. And with a brother as tough as Jon, things can actually turn out okay in the end.