A Simple Request...

Simple post today asking for everyone to keep someone in their thoughts and prayers.

Today, Tuesday, my father-in-law is having MAJOR surgery at the University of Chicago Hospital (also where my twins, The Peanut Butter & The Jelly, were born and lived for 2 weeks) The surgery he is having is an esophagectomy/esophagogastrectomy (exactly which one depends on what they find when they start) It’s less invasive than the previous procedures, but still dangerous. It involves the removal of his esophagus and then having his stomach stretched to replace it.

To give you a little background, about 1-½ months ago, he was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and Barrett's Syndrome after suffering from severe acid reflux for decades.

He will be in Intensive Care for 3 days, followed by 8 days in the hospital and then an 8-week convalescence at home with a liquid-only diet for a month. The doctors have told him he will lose, at the minimum, 50 pounds.

My wife is the 2nd oldest of 5 daughters. She, sister # 4, and their mother are playing the waiting game in the hospital’s OR waiting-room anxiously and nervously waiting for the 3+ hour surgery to be complete. Sister # 3 is sitting at home with sister # 5 who is mentally and developmentally disabled and in a wheelchair. The two son-in-laws, myself and sister #2’s husband, are going to be at work, trying to imagine what the 6 of them are going through and doing what we can to ensure things run smoothly in his absence.

While at times I may complain about my in-laws, I do love them, and it is hard to see them all going through this.

So… what’s the reason behind this, wandering, poorly-written, post?

Besides to vent, is I believe that the more prayers the better, so I ask all of you to please pray for a successful & error-free surgery and a quick recovery.