Family Christmas Party With Ben

At the state hospital, they held a family Christmas party for the patients last night.  Pizza, salad and pie!  They had a choir sing some Christmas songs which was good as well.  Ben practiced with them some times but didn't want to perform.

Despite his lack of smiles in the pictures, he seemed to be glad that we were there.  We were a bit late due to traffic (and me underestimating traffic on a Saturday).  Shortly after we sat down at the table with Ben and some other patients, Ben hopped up and went to another table and gather 6 wrapped chocolates.  One of the workers behind me commented that they (Ben and the other patients) had already eaten all of the chocolates on their table. And then Ben dropped them in front of the three of us--two for each.  That delighted the workers--that Ben would look after us.  It was a sweet gesture and he even smiled when he did it.

A recent change in medication isn't working as planned so another adjustment was made on Friday which has made him more sleepy again.  He doesn't like that feeling but is willing to hang in there in hopes that his body will adjust and he will get some overall improvement in his symptoms and in his physical health.

One of the reasons for the traffic was a downtown park in Provo was having a Christmas market/celebration of some type and there was lots of traffic and people walking everywhere.