While reading to the girls tonight, Shecklet #3 started asking me questions about my upcoming surgery.  While I’m not about to go into the specific details of what the surgeons will have to do (I’m actually keeping some of those specifics from myself as well,) Jake and I have promised the kids to answer their questions honestly.  After we talked about stitches, the reasons why it is good I’ll be “asleep” during surgery, balance, and the unknowns surrounding my recovery, Shecklet #3 asked if she could pretend to be the surgeon who takes out my tumor.  She brushed my hair aside (which she said was her pretending to shave the spot where they’ll have to make the incision behind my ear,) gathered her surgical “tools” and ever so gently removed my tumor.

I have amazing kids.  They continue to handle this entire scary situation with such poise and honesty.  And I’ve been able to draw strength from that.  I have told Shecklet #3 numerous times over the last month that if I have even a fraction of the courage that she has shown throughout her fingertip injury, I know I can get through what I’m facing in January.

T minus less than 2 months…