Good words!  and so true, I know that after it is all over, it will not
seem so long,
Ben is just not used to having no control over his life, others are
controlling what and when he eats, whether or not he can get out of bed,
and when he may go home.  I understand his frustration.
I go to the hospital every day and stay for at least three hours or
longer, it seems to help him, we talk about everything, God,  the news,
and even sports, I'm learning a lot,sort of, only I forget who plays for
which team.

We do have much to be grateful for,Ben lost a toe, not a foot, and I'd
rather have him minusone toe, than not here at all.
This too shall pass!!!

Have a Merry Christmas,  wishing you the Christ in Christmas!!!

Rhonda
----- Original Message -----
From: "BD" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2003 2:08 PM
Subject: Re: Doctor news


> Rhonda,
>
> I know it is difficult for Ben, and yourself as well watching from the
> distance of not actually being him in the situation, and it must be
hard as
> well for the doctor to know that yawl want to be together for
Christmas,
> and he is trying to keep hope yet not false hope in yawl too. If you
know
> he is depressed, the doc does too and it probably trying to keep him
up as
> much as he can. It might be good to recognize that Ben still has his
foot,
> will not have to find rehab in how to deal with that adjustment. It is
> proven that attitude goes a long way in producing medical benefits,
even
> the Bible talks of that so we know it is true without medical proof.
Ever
> notice if you are riding in a car going somewhere you really want to
be and
> haven't been there before, that it seems to take a long time? You
think we
> must  almost be there by now I'd think. You run that over a few times
and
> still not there and then finally you get there and you thing, wow,
that
> took a long time. On the return trip you get set to read or what ever
for
> the long trip and before you know it you are home and now you think...
wow
> that didn't take as long as I thought. It is because we were in so
much
> expectation in the first trip and the second we just laid back and
didn't
> think of when we'd get there much at all. Perhaps helping Ben to focus
not
> on being home for Christmas but just support and etc. will be good and
> trust the doctor's advice to not over tax the foot just yet. Just a
> thought. Also, with Christa off of school, you off of classes just
now, and
> Ben going to have some time off yet, Christmas can be when you want it
to
> be and not when the calendar says. Just like church is not the
physical
> building, Christmas is not December 25. We here are having our
Christmas at
> home tomorrow because of our trip to the east side of Wisconsin. If it
was
> after, it matters none to me, the point is Christmas is spending time
with
> family sharing the celebration of Christ's birth and what he did for
us.
>
> Brad