I visited with Chad and family yesterday. It's been a week since he's been home, and every day he gets stronger. He had his post-op visit with the doctors on Friday and they confirmed that his heart is indeed shrinking. The surgery did what it was supposed to do, and he is getting better. We're all relieved and very grateful.

There are metal rings holding his ribcage. Over the next three months his bones will heal naturally and eventually fuse back together. Until that happens, he will live a very careful and limited life. He can't lift anything heavier than 5 pounds, and is supposed to avoid using his arms to support himself in any way. (You should try getting out of a couch sometime without using your arms - it takes some getting used to.) He can't carry his laptop, drive a car, or strap on a guitar. While he heals he is supposed to avoid both physical and emotional stress. He's staying away from email, but he is encouraged to walk every day to exercise his heart. He walks down to the end of his street and back once a day. It tires him, but it gets easier each day.

At home, he's walking around, listening to music, reading, making beats, playing piano a little. He's pretty self sufficient, but he is restricted in what he can do. Healing can be a dangerous time. When you feel badly, it's easy to take a break from life. You don't have a choice. Your body shuts down because it has to. But once you start to feel just a little better, once your head clears up and you're ready to be well, it can be easy to forget how fragile the body still is. How important it is to give yourself space to heal. To do nothing. To relax. To be bored. That's what happens now. Chad's energy level is getting higher. And luckily for everyone, he is not allowed to do anything right now except think about music.

We want to thank everyone who has written for their kind words and generous offers. And right back at all of you, a sober reminder: look out for yourself and your family. If you don't have health insurance, get it. I know it's easy to put off. But freaky shit happens. If you don't know how to get health insurance, or can't figure out which plan to choose, talk my friend Alex. He helps folks like us get insured.

There will be more from Beauty Pill in the coming year. As I'm sure Chad has mentioned before, we have been working on a lot of new material. There are so many musical ideas to play through, pull together, tweak, think about, draft, and record. Ann the Word is the first of many newer sounds you'll be hearing. And we're looking forward to playing again. Playing again! I moved back to DC three months ago, just as Chad was getting sick, and we are happily looking forward to taking full advantage of being based in the same city. Practicing, playing, writing new songs, finishing new songs, recording.

Thanks again for reading, staying in touch. See you again soon.

Jean