Dear Marion,

Thank you for your second letter, "Margrit in Konnarock"
which I received just after mailing my response to "Subversive
Ideas." I am touched by your concern, and by your readiness to
help. I infer that Margrit has been imploring you by e-mail
or on the phone to make possible her prompt return to Konnarock.
Her last statement to me (yesterday) was that she would stay here
until I (or Klemens) cleared her to go back. I told her that I
could not forsee the future, but that I did not think she should
go at this time, while she continued to have diarrhea and was
scheduled to take metronidazole tablets for 25 more days....
================
At this point I was interrupted, first by a telephone call
from Jeane Walls in Konnarock, - Jeane is the lady who nursed
my parents through their final illnesses, and who now takes
care of the house for me. Margrit had told Jeane that I was
about to drive her back to Konnarock, - and Jeane wanted to know
if this was so. Jeane told me that she thought Margrit incapable
of packing her car and driving back to Detroit, and said that she,
Jeane, who is presently nursing her demented sister-in-law Irene
simply did not have time to take care of Margrit.
===============
While I was speaking with Jeane, Margaret came and presented
me with a note: "7:35 p.m. Margrit is frying steak, ready soon
for you and for her." I didn't say anything, finished my
conversation with Jeane, and went downstairs to eat the steak
Margrit had fried. She had an apparently severe recurrence of
her diarrhea yesterday, somewhat better today. I had advised
her to limit her food as much as practical to the unpasteurized
yoghurt I had bought for her. Steak was not on her diet, and I
don't know whether Margrit was deliberately tempting fate or
whether she had forgotten. She did remember to ask me for her
metronidazole. She asked about my conversation with Jeane.
Margrit then reiterated that it was unnecessary for me to
drive her to Konnarock, and that she would fly down, and 
when I pointed out that Jeane couldn't help her, Margrit
said, without protest, Well I'll just stay here until you
think I'm ready to go back. I answered merely, Not yet.
===============
Now back to your question. There is, about 600 feet from
our house not a motel, but a "bed and breakfast" lodge,
newly renovated, where Margrit could stay while packing
her car. She could keep warm with an electric heater in her
room at the house while she was packing. But that's beside
the point: The surgeon said she should lift no more than
10 pounds, raising the garage door requires at least
25 lbs, - she wasn't able to do that before she got sick,
and certainly shouldn't try now. In the past, it has taken
her days to pack. She isn't able to carry her bags downstairs,
she isn't able to stow them into the car. When she last
mentioned it to me, she was planning not to drive directly
to Detroit, but to make a grand 1000 mile loop through
Durham NC where she has friends, then to drive through
Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio back to Michigan.

Stigmatizing her plans as impractical, unrealistic,
delusional, insane, subconsciously suicidal - doesn't
help. Certainly I don't want to hinder her or stand
in her way. I want her happy and healthy. Margaret and
I can in fact drive her to Konnarock, open up the house,
help her pack, and send her on her way in her little car.
But would that solve any problem? She would be at great
risk of wound rupture and/or recurrent severe diarrhea.
Even absent these new problems, she isn't able to take
care of herself; she has lived a life of fantasy so
consistently and for so many years, that the reality 
principle of assessing mental function won't work.
She isn't able to do the necessary shopping or house-
keeping. Who would look after her, who would care for her?
Possibly, if she became convinced that what she wanted
was not possible, she might become very melancholy and
indeed consciously, deliberately suicidal.

The last she told me was that she was prepared to stay here
until I thought she was ready to travel. I'll rely on that 
assurance until she tells me she's changed her mind,
and then proceed as way opens. And I thank you very, very
much for your affection and for your involvement.

Jochen