where people often felt that health problems were either "God's Will" or "God's Punnishment.

Yeah, my God doesn't operate this way. I know this. If He did there would be a whole lot more smiting going on.

Off to work. Have good days and/or nights Bitches.

Nora, are you still around?

Andi, I meant to comment before, what a huge thing for your mom. I'm sure there are rocky waters ahead, but good on her for something that must have been incredibly difficult.

And, she was more than willing to come back to the hospital to sit with me more, with George (the baby). I couldn't get it at the time. I kept asking her if she wanted to/needed to go.

Know this feeling, totally. The thing that sometimes helps me is to picture the situation reversed - would you be doing it out of obligation or irked about it? I doubt that a lot. People want to help. Sometimes you just have to take that on faith, even if it doesn't quite sink in.

I've been thinking of you, by the way, and amazed at how you pull yourself through all this. I think I'd be curled up in a little ball somewhere.

I start to think that I don't deserve those friends...they're only doing these things because they feel like they have to

Any encouragement I give you I do give because I have to. In the face of your sweetness and strength and all around bugness, how could I not? It's because you're wonderful that I'm compelled to give you encouragement and say nice things.

You earned every bit (and byte) of it.

Thanks so much everyone.

ION, does anyone see a yardage of yarn on this pattern site: [link] How stupid to not list it.

Andi, it is so great that your mom got away from that beast. Throw her a party. In fact, throw everyone who knows her, including you, a party, because that is just the best thing ever.

vw, I'm not very good at telling people how much I care about them, so what I do is show up. I'm there, and I like to think that people get that, even if I can't say it. Seems to me like an awful lot of people care about you, and even if you sometimes don't think it, them being there is the best way they show you that.

Also, I was thinking of you today when I was talking to a friend who's brother had serious colitis a few years back. At one point he was on sixteen different kinds of steroids, which didn't even stop the bleeding, and he was in constant agony. Someone told him he should try smoking marijuana in the mornings, and it worked a charm - most of the pain and bleeding stopped and he could cut back on the steroids. I realise that's very much not an option for you, but I was thinking how nice it would be if you could find something like that. If anyone deserves a miracle cure, it's you.

What they said, VW.

ION...We have another storm on it's way, tonight.

And it's 7(F) degrees here right now.

Much happier-new-life~ma to your mother, WindSparrow.

Andi, lots of ~ma to your mother. I am sure it was difficult for her to make that decision, and it sounds like she made the right now.

vw, you're an amazing person who deserves only good things in life, and that is why you have so many wonderful friends.