Good luck, Mom!

Normally I'd make a jesting complaint about suffering through three or four days of jet lag, but in about 90 minutes my mother will be leaving to go to the hospital for a massive reconstructive surgery on her neck vertebrae. Those of you who know my family know about my mother's considerable health issues. Even for her this is a big deal.

I'm sure she will be fine because my mother is the toughest person I've ever known. I have a similar condition in my back which has required two surgeries. My mother's condition is much worse and much more painful. (She is also, obviously, a bit older than I am!) There are days (like today) when my back acts up and my whole body aches. It's all I can do just to get out of bed. It's a tiny fraction of what my mother deals with every day.

Love you, Mom. Good luck!