Hello Everyone! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all! So much has happened in the past year!! I am feeling better and looking forward to 2013, I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits!! I am well and have gained weight back. I am now 90 lbs. I gained the weight back after having a VERY serious bout of dehydration and malnutrition in March and April, due to an infection and problems with my feeding tube, located in my jejunum (J-Tube). I had a near death experience, my weight went down to 49 lbs. And I was in and out of the hospital several times, with each time I went, they didn’t feed me for days, I had limited saline drips and NO food at all. No free water and no nutrition leads to weight loss! My gastroenterologist Dr. Zinkin got me a new thicker J-Tube so it would seal up around the hole better. I also got a new hydrolyzed, pre-digested food called Perative, higher in Nitrogen to promote weight gain and healing. I was in ICU at Huntington Hospital for 2 weeks and I needed a PIC line in my neck, so I could get the antibiotics for a constant infection and I needed the medicine through that for 5 weeks. I am getting better care now at Carillon Nursing Center, I was in another facility prior to that called Port Jefferson Nursing Home, that wasn't as good and not close to my family. I was supposed to go into a smaller group home setting called Angel Guardian, located in West Babylon, NY, run by a company called Maryhaven. They refused to take me, even after waiting for them to get their act together for over two years, because they felt I was too big a risk at my reduced body weight and the feeding tube. I was sick at the time. Now I am waiting for another group home to be built, that will be for people with greater medical needs. I am hoping I can get my Augmentive Communication device back, it was broken by the aides here, I need it so I can self express and communicate with others! I like writing, it helps me concentrate. Please send me your email address, so I can write you and stay in touch! Love, Laura