The Eve

Tomorrow is my dad's surgery. Today we spent the day at his house, talking about things and how they'll go over the next few days. A 4-7 hour surgery, 2 days in ICU, then a hosptial stay of about 5 more days. It's going to be a long couple of weeks for him, for our family.

I can't remember how much I've posted about the details of the surgery . . . but the changes that will follow are pretty outstanding. He'll be rid of the cancer in his throat, first and foremost. He's also going to lose his voice box and the ability to breathe through his mouth and nose as an unavoidable result of the tumor removal. He'll continue his life as a 'total neck breather' -- breathing through a hole that is left at the bottom of his neck. As outstanding as the circumstances may be, my dad is still going to be around for many years, hopefully cancer-free . . . and that is the most important outcome of all.

Think of us -- pray for us -- tomorrow. There's really nothing funny about this year's 'April Fools Day' -- unless, of course, this whole surgery is just a joke. My dad kidded about that today . . . but it's probably an awfully long way to go for a joke, we decided.

He'll wake up and head to the hosptial in the morning, and I'll wake up and wait at home to hear how it goes. If I could be there, I would . . . but it makes more sense for me to just stay home and keep life with the girls as normal as I can. After tomorrow, I guess we'll have a new 'normal' to get used to. We'll be taking it one day at a time.