SUCCESS, DAY 2

Hi, Everyone,

Melanie has been discharged and is now back at Barry & David's apartment, having tea and bagels (chicken soup to follow). Unlike here in CA, they literally let you walk out instead of being wheeled out, and walk she did, all the way down and out of the hospital on her own two feet.

The cab ride was a bit bumpy going from the Upper East Side to Chelsea, so she was pretty sore and exhausted when I spoke to her a few minutes ago from the apartment, but still in good spirits and happy to be in her temporary home.

Barry is also doing very well - He and I spoke for close to a half hour last night, and says he feels so much better already. He has a heartier appetite then he has in quite some time, and according to David, Ruth and Naomi, has more color in his face now then any of them can remember him having for many, many months.

Just this second read a text from David telling me that Barry's doing so amazingly well, that they're releasing him tomorrow!!! All tests look great, lab numbers/ultrasounds normal, and they couldn't be more pleased with his progress!

All parties have raved about the excellent pre & post-care of the surgeons, internists, nursing staff and administrative teams. At every point, they've been treated with respect and sensitivity - Our thanks to Mt. Sinai; we are forever in your debt.

Melanie told me this morning that when she woke up around 2am this morning, she decided to take a walk down the hall to see how Barry was doing. He was also awake, so she stayed together and they chatted for awhile.

Apparently, they both would fall asleep midsentence, wake, try and remember where they left off, laughed when neither of them had a clue, and continued like this for at least an hour. I said it was great practice for when we're all a bit older and such communications become commonplace; "I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" (I'm afraid we're closer to that already then any of us would willingly admit)

If you'd like to send a card or note to either Barry or Melanie, the address is:

224 West 18th Steet, Apt 2A, New York, NY 10011

That's the up to the minute report, I'll post again later today/tomorrow morning, Renee