{Karlton Bontrager}

Alexa and I just got off the phone with Mom, and she had more encouraging news. Karlton has been moved out of the ICU and into the “High Dependency Unit,” which is a level down in terms of seriousness.

He is continuing to breathe on his own. He spends a lot of time sleeping, which anyone who ever lived with him will know. Because of the tracheotomy (which will be reversed when he recovers more) he no longer keeps the whole building rattling with his snores.

The nurses and my parents make sure to hold the phone up to his ear when we call. We have been doing a little “conference calling,” with Alexa and me, and sometimes Alec, on the phone all at once. Alec updated him on the Red Sox last night.

He will need some surgery to fix the bones around his right eye; that will probably happen some time next week. The swelling around his eye continues to improve.

Today some friends from Queenstown drove over 3 hours each way to come see him. We are so impressed with all of his friends!