Monday, December 12, 2005~

Dear Louisiana~

Thank you for your very encouraging letter of the other day, but I am feeling less than merry. Remember I told you that Bethlehem was in danger of losing her legs because she had a very nasty bacterial infection? Well, that very thing happened, and she is still in danger of dying; but each hour and day that goes by, it is starting to look a LITTLE better for her. Still, she isn't out of the woods yet, not by a LONG shot, and that means we will have to spend part of our Christmas holiday at the hospital with Bethie. All we can do is hope and pray that she DOES recover, but it will be a very long time before she will be out of the hospital because after she recovers from this sickness, she will be undergoing a lengthy rehabilitation period, and she will need lots and lots of therapy on the physical, emotional, and occupational sense. But she IS over the worst of her illness, and it appears that since she had the surgery two days ago, she has finally turned the corner, and her vital signs are starting to improve...SLOWLY, yes, but they ARE going in the right direction.

It is going to be a very hard and unhappy holiday for us because of this situation, but if I know my Bethie in the time we have had her, she has always been a very strong kid with an unbreakable spirit, and I know that she will get through this momentous challenge in her life with the tenacity of a tiger. We will just have to learn to be there for her on her bad days, and try to be supportive of her during the course of her recovery and her therapies. We will also have to be there for M'Bute' because she will no doubt be carrying this burden for the rest of her life, and we must make her understand that it was only an accident, and it was NOT her fault. M'Bute' has always been an unpredictable, sensitive child, and now she will have to come to terms with Bethie's losing her legs and will have to adapt accordingly. It will be a momentous challenge for ALL of us, really, not just Bethlehem and M'Bute' because Bethlehem's illness affected ALL of us in more ways than one. She nearly died, and that she survived such a devastating illness is a Miracle indeed. So we have plenty to be thankful for this holiday time!

Until Behlehem contracted this necrotizing fassitis (I know I spelled it wrong), I had never really heard of it, but she got it somehow when the bacteria invaded her bloodstream, and it just sort of went crazy; and Bethlehem was so sick. She nearly died twice during the worst phase of her illness, and the doctors and nurses had to work so hard to revive her back to life. She was burning up with a very high fever, and her skin was so red, and before they had to remove her legs, her legs were left open and oozing, and it was a sight I will never get over for the rest of my life. It was like a terrible nightmare, and I don't think I will ever get over the stench from those oozing wounds. It was disgusting to say the very least, and maybe this--the amputation--was a blessing in disquise; I don't know, but ever since then, she has slowly improved, and she is doing better than she has ever since this first happened to her. But she still faces a terribly long and painful period in her life as she begins to recover from both the illness and the surgery, and it will be a test of our faith. But we know that God is watching out for our best interest, and only He knows what is in store for Bethie (and for US). Maybe this will bring us closer together, and maybe M'Bute' will get the mental help she so desperately needs. Lord, I certainly hope so!

I am glad your friend M'Buti survived her bout of necrotizing fassitis, but it sounds like she went through hell. I am glad she is doing better, and I hope that she doesn't get it again! I didn't know so many people had it until I went on the Internet and did some research about it. What I read was both terrifying and compelling, and I learned much. I even went as far as ordering some books about the illness from the foundation they have for NF survivors. I shall look forward to receiving them in the mail, and I hope that they will help us in our time of need. Maybe I can one day share Bethlehem's story, and more people will be educated (and inspired). It will help not only her, but ALL of us, and we must do all we can to educate others about this horrible illness!

But on to more pleasantries...I am glad that you will be spending Christmas with friends and family. People should NOT be alone (or sad) on Christmas! And I am glad that your daughter Ronee' (the one who had the stroke nearly five years ago on her eighth birthday) is doing so much better. She sounds like a scrapper! LOL And I hope that your son who has cancer is doing better, as well as the one who has muscular dystrophy...Johnny, I think you said his name was. They sound like young Miracles too! You must have a whole house FULL of Miracles!! :) We will be together for Christmas, as I said earlier, but we will be spending a good chunk of it at the hospital with Bethie. It will be hard, but we WILL make it with His Help! Just continue to keep us covered in prayer!

Your California friends Kendra (Williams) and Louisa (Mason) both sound nice. Have you met them before? I am sorry that they won't be there for your Christmas holiday, but I am glad that they are going to be with each other's families! Maybe I ought to write to her; she sounds like a special person! (Kendra, I mean.) Your friends Jenna Doucet and Sari Constantinos sound nice too, but Constantinos sounds more Greek than Finnish. Is she Greek, or is she Finnish? *grins* Maybe I ought to write to one of them before, if they don't mind. I just haven't had the time (or energy) to do much since Bethlehem first went into the hospital and then became so sick! All I HAVE done lately it seems is WORRY!! I haven't EVEN gone Christmas shopping yet, that is how bad it has been! So I will have to get on the stick and do it SOMETIME; after all, it IS only 12 more shopping days until THAT Big Day!! Maybe later this week, depending on how Bethlehem's recovery is progressing!

Well, I will go now. I am getting ready to go to the hospital to see Bethlehem. I will go for now; I will be back sometime this afternoon before the kids get out of school. I will write more later; I will keep you up to date about Bethie's situation, and I will TRY to get some Christmas shopping done, too. But I just don't feel much like getting out and seeing all the cheery lights and decorations (or hearing the happy Christmas music) when my own life is in such shambles! Take care, Louie, and have a beautiful Christmas holiday (and Happy New Year's early, too)! Stay safe, and God bless your family richly with His Blessings and Mercy!

(((HUGS))) and love, your Georgia friend, Donna Sue. :) (Trying to smile through the pain and tears)