I'm sorry for those of you on the email list for the first time, but my goal
yesterday was to get the word out and trust it would be passed along to
those people I missed.  So, to everyone who gets this, please forward to
anyone not included here that knows Richard Ernst.  Kristin apologizes for
not contacting many of you personally, but everything has happened so fast
there simply hasn't been time.

A recap for our newcomers:
Last Saturday, Richard began having sever headaches that were soon
accompanied by blurred vision.  He went to the hospital on Monday, and the
doctors diagnosed a brain aneurysm.  He had surgery on Monday night, and the
doctors discovered there was no aneurysm (blood clot) but rather
hemorrhaging.

The update:
Richard had an MRI last night, and the doctors found a tumor on the lower
back side of his brain, near the section where the brain meets the spinal
column.  It's about the size of a key lime, and apparently was causing the
hemorrhaging.  Although this is certainly not what anyone hoped to see in
the MRI, it is in a very operable location.  He is being treated now with
steroids to reduce the swelling, and remains on some heavy duty pain
killers, including morphine.

There is no immediate threat to his life, as the doctors said he could wait
as long as two weeks to have surgery, but Richard wants to get it done
sooner, so he is scheduled to under the knife again on Monday.  He is in a
lot of pain.  They won't know until the operation whether or not the tumor
is malignant.

He is in the ICU at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio (7700 Floyd Curl Dr)
and unable to accept flowers or gifts, but if you want to send something,
his home address is: 243 E. Elmview, SA, TX 78209.  Since the operation
isn't until Monday, the Ernst's are just killing time, and they welcome
visitors.  If anyone wants to come to San Antonio this weekend, they would
be happy to see you.

I just called and spoke to him, and he sounds pretty good.  He said the
nurses haven't been "poking or prodding" at him as much, so that has been
nice.  I am going to visit him this afternoon, so if anyone wants to send
him a message, email it to me before lunch, and I'll print it out and take
it to him personally.

That's all I can think of right now, and please forward this email.

Remember the Ernst family in your prayers.

John Shepperd