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I am on the edge of close.

All around me plans are being made. Work days canceled. Plane tickets procured.  I am being invaded.  My surgery is Monday, October 8th.  My mommy and Dan’s mommy will both arrive on the Saturday before.  My sisters come in on Sunday.  On that Monday morning, the out of town folks will merge with the in town folks to form a waiting pattern that will last . . . I don’t know how long.  I can’t remember the last time such a party was planned in my honor!  Being the guest of honor at this party though is not so great.  While the combined family gather to toast me, I will be asleep with a silly plastic short order cook hat over my head and a tube down my throat.  My companions at that point will have masks over their faces and rubber gloves on their hands and they will be fiddling around with parts of me that no one (besides my Dear Dan) should be subjected to.

What will the party goers think when the guest of honor sleeps through the big surprise?  I just hope they don’t expect me to clean up the after-party confetti.  I might be busy.

I have been busy the last couple of days.

Yesterday I had my morning beach excursion at the lake instead of the ocean.  We have a beautiful 680 acre lake called Devil’s lake.  (No one knows why it was so named . . .) The lake is about three miles long and is connected to the ocean by the world’s shortest river, D River.  Our favorite little swimming hole is not far from this park.  I sat there on a bench reading for a little while.  This lake reminds me of the chain of lakes we lived on in Ohio when I was small.  I love it there.   I had the park to myself.

When I got back to the RV, I talked to my friend at the river park.  She is as anxious to have us come home as we are.  I am not the only one homesick for our old spot.  The kids are willing to give up their 76 channel cable AND the playground to get back home.  Dan is looking forward to being able to do some of the work he has not been able to do on the motorhome for fear of disturbing all this blasted quiet here.  We both are looking forward to putting the kids on the bus instead of driving them and picking them up everyday.  We are returning a couple days early!  Instead of on Monday the 1st, we will be back there on Saturday. I am ready to go home.  I feel like I have been gone longer than a month!

After I called to make the arrangements for our triumphant early return, I received a call from the Orthopaedics Department’s version of a business office.  Someone just doing their job, I know.  But she scared me.

“I know that you have made arrangements with the University for financial assistance, but our department is not actually part of the hospital. We don’t give discounts.  We need our part upfront.”

Twelve Days until I am scheduled to get my butt cheek lobbed off, they want a lump of their own.

“Huh?  No one said anything about this. . . “

“We’ll take half as a deposit.”

“Huh? I . . . Ah . . . I have to call my husband. . . “

And I did call Dan. Again and again. When he finally answered, I tried not to cry, I really did. By that time, I was on the way to get the kids and didn’t want to walk into the school looking like a wreck.

Dan got the number and called her back.  “This is not elective, this is her life we are talking about. This is a rare cancer that only Dr. H is qualified to remove. The surgery is just around the corner.  Does this mean that if I don’t give you the money, my wife won’t get her surgery?”

“Oh, no no.  I didn’t mean that . . .”

“Well, you scared my wife. I can only give you what I can.  If you have any further financial matters to discuss, I would appreciate it if you called me instead of her.  She has enough on her mind.  I don’t want her worrying about paying for this. I will bring what I can next week when we come up for the pre-op and I will try to pay the rest by the end of the month.”

“Well, that will be fine.”

Go Dan Go!

This person was just doing her job.  She was not on the personal staff of my doctor.  She didn’t know the specifics of my case. She was hired to get money for services rendered.  She didn’t know my husband.  But she does now.

I didn’t get to tell you about this yesterday, because last night was Open House at school.  We took turns touring one class after the other and talking to each teacher.  By the time we got home, Momma was tired!  I meant to write, but I just ran out of steam. IT had been a full day.

I guess I will have to tell you about today, tomorrow.  I seem to be getting behind here. It’s getting late and I am at the bottom of my energy.  (No Puns Intended.)

I am on the edge of close.  Yes, close to falling asleep.

Love to all!  Until tomorrow. . . think of me here: