eSpecially Ben

Never thought I would be relieved for Ben to have just a run-of-the-mill skin staph infection, no MRSA. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.  After taking Ben to the doctor a second time and being reassured that he was healing, I did go to Philadelphia to see my friend Carla. We had an incredible time catching up, eating, walking and just spending time with each other. I came back refreshed and ready for anything. The trip reminded me that getting away is important to my mental and physical well-being. Perhaps I should not wait 13 years again to visit Carla. If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, I highly recommend Longwood Gardens and Tyler Arboretum . They are probably some of the most beautiful places I have seen in awhile.

Have you ever been on a roller coaster ride and you are so miserable that you are not sure you can hold out until it ends. Hoping against hope that you will not be the one to yell, "Stop!" Beginning with last week, my ride has been of the boomerang, double dip, dog leg and cobra roll variety. Unfortunately, I am still on it and expecting a trim brake  is my only consolation. It started last week with stressful staffing issues for Ben and escalated from there. As last week progressed, I noticed a pimple on Ben that needed watching. By Monday morning, I knew a doctor visit was inevitable. That Ben was in pain was obvious. Because of the location of the infection, he could not sit. He was yelling, moaning and whining, something Ben simply does not do. His pain tolerance is very high. At this point, my anxiety and stress were affecting me physically and emotionally. I was keenly aware of my situation, but I did not see any way to a quick fix. If I had a doctor prescri

  This was a first for Ben. He sat in front of it for several minutes then went for it. He made it all the way through!