The hospital experience has nearly done me in. I waited
in the waiting room from 8 to one which was a truly multi-
cultural experience. You felt lucky just to be waiting on
an ordinary surgery. There were Amish parents of a boy
who was a victim of a head on collision. (Why was he in
a car instead of a buggy?) There was an Asian family with
a baby. They were able to twist his blanket into a sling
and carry him. It must be the customary way of baby care
in their country because it was so smooth and practiced.
There were pregnant girls of every race kind and color
waiting on boy friends to get out of surgery to correct
smashed up boys from fights and other mishaps. One teen
told me she was due in Feb. and hoped her boyfriends face
would be healed from his fight by then. Almost every bone
in his face was smashed. There were people sleeping on the floors, chairs and anyplace with their own quilts.


Ted's surgery was apparently successful. His pain level
has dropped significantly and he is up and walking. We
are nearly sure he will be home sometime tomorrow. If they remove the drain in his back, he can come home.

The food in the hospital is awful. Nothing is ever hot
and the lettuce in his salad was brown and withered. He
is going to try a sandwich tonight and a dill pickle. I
should get a lot more appreciation after this for my
cooking.

I told him that his mind seemed much clearer and he said
it was the freedom from the pain which has been constant
and intense. His feet were still numb but most of the
pain is gone.

We are grateful.