only on decorahnews.com: Injured Luther football player Chris Norton will return home in two weeks

It has been a little over 16 weeks since Luther College football player Chris Norton was taken to the Mayo Clinic after a collision during a football game against Central College.

And while the Norton family says the staff at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester has been wonderful, it's still a hospital room that has been home to them for almost four months.

Chris' mother, Deb, says she's pleased to hear from the doctors when they say Chris is recovering quickly from his injuries.  "It's fast for the doctors, but it seems long for us," she notes.  "We live in a hospital--that's getting wearing."

So the Norton family was excited when it got some news last week.  For the first time in four months, Chris will be able to go home on February 18th.  The Norton family--all of them--is being sent home to Bondurant, Iowa for the weekend.

Deb says the short trip will make a big difference.  "Even if we have to spend Monday through Friday at the hospital, it will just seem like we're driving to go to a job," Deb says.

Chris had been taking short trips to Apache Mall and to restaurants in Rochester.  He also traveled to Decorah to return to Luther College over the weekend.  But his trip to Bondurant in a week and a half will be his first trip home in four months.

Signs line the hospital room of Chris Norton