Semi smart, earthy crunchy MAMA

Here we are....esophagectomy day. You said what?! Esophagectomy. Yes, that's right. Today is the day that mom is having her "throat" removed and a new one made. Most likely from her stomach, but possibly her intestines.

It's 11:35 am. We're all tired (been up since 3:30) to get here on time and see mom before she went into surgery. Dad is just reclining (uncomfortably) in a hospital waiting room chair with his head back on the blue fleecy pillow Sissy and I made this morning while we waited for mom. For now the only thing he is staring at is the back of his eyelids, but I am sure that will be short lived as sleep is escaping him in all forms as it did last night.

It is hard, really, really hard - to not be able to help him or comfort him.

And the phone rings for dad...it's the surgeon.

I went and stood next to my dad, just in case. It felt like 5 minutes in slow motion standing there next to him as he said, "yup, m-hmmm, ok". I noticed my heart was beating hard enough to alert me to its presence. But in realizing that, I found myself holding my breath for any sign of good news or bad, but the conversation was so even that it was impossible to discern what was being said. Until finally, dad's knees gave and his head tipped back slightly - a motion of relief. I gave Nick and Missy the thumbs up and dad hang the phone up shortly after that.

Things went well, actually they went great. The surgery was done in half the time it was suppose to take. And the doctor got the cancer. He got it all. We thought it was all recovery from this point on....

Clearly I am posting after my mothers death.