g-ma update, etc.

it's been a busy afternoon.

prague's university dates back to 1348, and we got to tour the original university building (which does in fact date back to the 14th century)... after that martin, jan, and josef (3 of the czech students who were in the states with us all summer) took us to the top of the hill that has a amusement park of sorts... there's a tower that resembles the eiffel tower, which you can climb and get an awesome view of prague... there's also a house of mirrors and very nice rose gardens... after that and the mile steep downhill hike, we're chilling at the math building until the conference dinner tonight,..

to note, while i was out, doing all of the above, mom sent the following email:
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Since I wrote earlier, Priscilla called back to say that the nurse thinks the end may be near, unless she responds to the antibiotic. She said that each time the infection flares up, it takes a greater toll on the body for someone in grandma's condition. Grandma is having more frequent episodes of stopping breathing - and then starting to breath again...that - in addition to the fact that grandma has been totally nonresponsive with anyone - is why the nurse said what she did to Priscilla.
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extremely weird to think that for all the worrying we've been doing about grandma for the past 5-6 years now, and how much i've made myself ready to fly or drive out to pittsburgh at a moment's notice, it could happen that she finally goes home to be with Jesus while i'm in europe on a dimacs ticket and don't have money to come home until my prepaid ticket says i can (august 22). i would *like* to be able to make it to pittsburgh when it is time to grandma to die, and for that (alebit selfish) reason, i hope she hangs on at least another few weeks and the antibiotics help for now. just extremely bizarre that i'm half a world away and at a complete loss as to how to react to that news at a distance. we'll see what happens. please keep her in your prayers.

later.