Yesterday Holly and I had a little treat: Linda and Berle drove up from California just to see us and take us out to dinner. It was a sweet if not extravagant gesture. For no other reason than they wanted to see our pale, pasty, Oregon faces, they drove up; the extravagance is highlighted when the had every intention of leaving this morning. It's kind of neat to have family that is willing to drive hundreds of miles just to take you out to eat and leave the next day. To honor the occasion we took them out to Thompson Brewery & Public House and ate outside. It was a good evening, a good meal (3 plates of fish and chips, Holly wimped out with an American gyro, a couple of pints of good beer, and again Holly wimps out and had a glass of wine).

As I noted Linda and Berle had every intention of leaving today but it was not meant to be. Linda has been suffering some rather painful, and slightly alarming, symptoms for a little while, and Holly found out about it. I'm not sure if it's endemic to the human race, to Americans, or to women, but Holly couldn't help overhearing a phone conversation between Linda and her doctor, and of course she paid attention. It's a funny, if not touching thing to see a daughter turn the tables on dear old Mom and mother her. So it was that Holly urged her mom to take the doctor's advice and keep a Friday appointment, or to seek out a second opinion while up in Salem.

I had though the matter had been resolved. Linda and Berle would leave and being the mature adults they are would make a decision on how fast they should get home, whether to make a Friday appointment or a Monday one (the doctor did leave it up to them). Fate stepped in and made their decision for them. The pain grew worse and before they left Salem they paid a visit to our Urgent Care center. I don't know all the details, and even if I did I wouldn't understand them, but end result is this: Linda has cysts and fibroids in her reproductive system and will have to have a hysterectomy. She was given some medication to manage the pain until she can get home and schedule the surgery. To my decidedly laymen ears it sounds as if this isn't life threateningly serious, and can wait a couple of days.

Surgery is still surgery however, and isn't without risks. I'm sure this is just the beginning of some emotional turbulence. Prayers are always appreciated.