Hi...it's Friday morning in downtown Houston. It's really sorta freaky outside. The sky is just a bit overcast, and the wind is picking up a little, but you would never guess that a nightmare like "Rita" is lurking just around the corner. There is virtually no one out on the street. Our Hospital instituted a rule last night that no one else could come in, so no one who wanted to be here left. I'm supposing that the other hospitals probably have the same rule. It might have been a little easier if the staff in charge had warned us; there are people here who had no chance to go out and pick up extra clothing or food. Last night they just suddenly closed the cafeteria early and stopped serving family members from room service, but all in all I suppose this was a minor inconvenience compared to what people were experiencing out on the roads! It was really horrible, at least on the news. Thousands and thousands of people were trapped on the highways with no way to go forward or get off. Many just pulled off the road when they were finally able, and stopped in shopping parking lots or whatever, and made make-shift camp sites (using bushes or asphalt for toilets!) Authorities are trying to get help out to the stranded drivers before the storm hits; G-d help them!

Mike is, thankfully, still fever-free! He is still feeling a little unsteady when he stands up, but the doctor thinks maybe it's due to dehydration and /or some of the drugs he's taking. But, since he is not running a fever, no one wants to mess around with too much. For now, they're just going to pump in more fluids.

Right now, Mike is napping, and I still have coffee, so all is right with the Rudmans for now. Tune in for further developments...