Last weekend, I traveled to Colorado to see Ben. Jim and I try to visit at least once a month. Medically, Ben has had a few set backs. Behaviors surface occasionally that need care, intervention and sometimes medication adjustments. He had just come out of a period of struggle and things were much better. I have learned through this journey with Ben that God will provide the road, the answers and peace. The director of the home where Ben lives honestly likes him. She feels his sense of humor and personality add  much to lives of the other people in the home. She feels like Ben is worth it. This may sound sad, but Jim and I have been fighting this battle for Ben alone for so long, to have someone fighting along side of us is such a relief and a blessing. And....of course God is on our side. Jim and I no longer panic when the wheels seem to fall off the wagon. Either God will fix the wheels or we find out that the wagon rolls just fine without wheels.

On Wednesday, January 27th I got in my car and made the 40 minute drive to Ben Taub Hospital here in Houston. It has been over 2 1/2 years since Ben was hospitalized in the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Ben Taub. I drove the familiar route and parked in the familiar parking garage, taking care to remember the floor my car was parked on. I have lost count how many times I had forgotten where my car was parked in this garage. Today, I was going to remember.  As I walked toward the front door of the hospital, passing people from all walks of life, it didn't seem like years had gone by since Ben's injury. Ben Taub cares for the indigent of Harris County in Texas. And because of it's excellent trauma center, it not only cares for the indigent, it also cares for the wealthy and everything in-between. The medical and nursing staff at Ben Taub is dedicated, skilled, brilliant, and overworked. When Ben was in the intensive care unit, an ICU nurse told me about patients that had walked through the doors of that unit to thank the professionals who had cared for them years after their devastating injury. The hope in her voice led me to believe that this didn't happen nearly often enough. Today I was there to tell them about Ben.

Ben just walked up the sidewalk of his home in Colorado after giving me a hug and a huge smile. He is content. . During this Thanksgiving season, I am SO grateful for the path that brought us here. To find exactly what Ben needs to live a productive life at this stage of his recovery is a miracle. I praise God who never leaves us alone to fight or suffer. He had the miracle planned even when all I could see was darkness.

The weather in Colorado was warm and beautiful this weekend. Ben and I shopped and went to restaurants. We took drives with the music turned up. Saturday we spent time getting Ben's malfunctioning computer up and running. I put a few finishing touches on his room.  But even with all the joy, this is not a fairy tale with a storybook ending.

Today is a beautiful day in Colorado. I am visiting Ben. His life has settled into a routine in the beautiful Colorado neighborhood where he lives. As the months unfold, Ben is still struggling with memory. As predicted, because of the severity of Ben's injury, his capacity for remembering what happens day to day remains impaired. His post injury amnesia has remained which is a poor prognostic sign for long independent term recovery. Behavior issues are better, but often there is no "filter" and things slip out of his mouth that are better left unsaid. He can't process steps to a goal and his stated goals seem out of reach.

Today marks 26 months since Ben's injury. Currently it seems to be a season of rest for our family because many of the harsh problems described in previous posts, have resolved or have settled down to a manageable place.  The Colorado house where Ben currently lives is staffed with personnel trained to maximize the lives and potential of  young men who have sustained a traumatic brain injury. The home is in a beautiful suburban neighborhood with mountain views and wildlife. There is a back deck where Ben spends much of his time outside with nature. Today Ben went to a nearby lake and spent time fishing and hanging out. He has been to festivals and concerts. He goes to the gym three times a week.The staff includes him in shopping, household upkeep, and cooking. Trips to restaurants and movies are frequent. Ben has developed good friends in the place that he lives. It is not all fun and games, however. Ben is still receiving rewards and consequences for his ongoing behavior management program. The director also has a curriculum for working on the cognitive and memory issues that affect all of the residents in this house. Every time I hear about the effort this director puts into her ongoing search for activities to enrich the lives of these young men, I thank God for her heart and calling.

Last weekend was memorable for the Ramsey family. Patrick, Ben's younger brother graduated from the University of Wyoming. The university is 125 miles from where Ben is living in Colorado. The plan was to travel to Laramie and then to visit Ben. Snow and horrible weather shut down all roads out of Laramie. Driving behind a snowplow in May was definitely an adventure for this Texan

Next month will be the second year anniversary of Ben's accident. I have learned first hand in the last two years that the road to recovery for patients with a traumatic brain injury is often frustrating and long.  In the beginning when I didn't know if Ben would live through his injury, I read of the frequent problems of others affected by TBI. The list seemed insignificant at the time....after all we were in a battle for Ben's life. Now I "get it". We are smack dab in the middle of what seems to be common struggles for those recovering. Understanding the mental,  physical, and behavioral deficits, learning coping techniques and promoting improvement for these deficits, and looking for the tools to achieve a meaningful life are daily obstacles for us and for many others.