Phoenix, AZ

(NOTE: This is from Mike ... he couldn't log into the blog so he emailed us this post so everyone could read it tonight!)

Today I visited the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix, the second largest burn center in the US. I got a grand tour from Dr. Marc and also met with Brett, the hospital's PIO, and Mike and Joe from the Burn Foundation here.

They informed me of the potential problems burn units around the country are running into, mainly staying financially afloat, to remain open to burn patients. Pretty sobering. There aren't but a couple hundred beds in burn units across the country, 43 burn units to be exact, so the potential for some capacity problems is very real. I was able to meet with a 12 year old boy today who was progressing well and picked out some cool cars from the grab bag o' toys. The burn unit here is looking into getting involved with the Phoenix Society, especially the SOAR program. I also think it would help with the burn foundation's totally awesome burn camp which starts each year on Father's Day.

Big Mike from the burn foundation gave me a highly sought after shirt from the camp - THANKS! Big Joe took me out to lunch at La Casa de Mariachi restaurant, it was great and Gracias.

After some lane splitting through PHX traffic, still got it, I made it back to the station just in time to avoid bursting into flames from the heat. I am absolutely amazed that people live here in Phoenix. No offense to all of you out there who love PHX, which is a great town, but it's really hot. Really hot. My Nordic genes are not cut out for it at all. Allright enough whining Mike. Oh no, i'm typing to myself, must be the heat.

I just made contact with the Chief in Vegas so I now have a place to sleep tomorrow, yay! I'm going to head out around 5am to beat the heat and should be in Vegas by 8. I'm meeting burn survivor "Big Daddy" Bruce Weisman tomorrow in Vegas which should be cool. Bruce has offered a lot of support for me on this long trek and I can't wait to meet him.

Since i'm in Vegas, should I put the roughly $12k we've raised so far on the Craps table? Let me know, we could win big.:-) What could happen?

Let's do a poem of the day shall we? I don't think any of my own are good enough to be read, so here is my main man Henry David Thoreau:

The Inward Morning

Packed in my mind lie all the clothes Which outward nature wears, And in its fashion's hourly change It all things else repairs. In vain I look for change abroad, And can no difference find, Till some new ray of peace uncalled Illumes my inmost mind. What is it gilds the trees and clouds, And paints the heavens so gay, But yonder fast-abiding light With its unchanging ray? Lo, when the sun streams through the wood, Upon a winter's morn, Where'er his silent beams intrude, The murky night is gone. How could the patient pine have known The morning breeze would come, Or humble flowers anticipate The insect's noonday hum-- Till the new light with morning cheer From far streamed through the aisles, And nimbly told the forest trees For many stretching miles? I've heard within my inmost soul Such cheerful morning news, In the horizon of my mind Have seen such orient hues, As in the twilight of the dawn, When the first birds awake, Are heard within some silent wood, Where they the small twigs break, Or in the eastern skies are seen, Before the sun appears, The harbingers of summer heats Which from afar he bears.

Doesn't get better than that,

Mike