How to describe

How do you describe to a 14 year old, let alone one with Williams Syndrome, what he is facing? Here's what open heart surgery means to Ben right now.

Blood. Feeling pain. Not be able to participate in his Special Olympics track & field and bowling activities this Spring. Blood. Are they going to use tools on me? (Ben loves tools, but not too sure about when they're used on him) Missing his friends at school. No gym class, basketball. No shoveling or mowing. I don't think he's realized that he won't be playing his drums for a month or two - that one will be REALLY tough.

So the surgeon visited him this morning and basically repeated what we've already heard. Surgery early next week. Fix that left coronary artery, with a variety of options for doing that which they won't know until they "get in there." This surgery is of the chest-cracking variety, much like he had as an infant.

Ben's a trooper and a real sweetheart. If you never met him, well, I hope you have a chance to one day soon, when he's back to playing those drums, working with his friends at school, and doing those things he loves to do.