I called to speak to my dad yesterday; he had loaned us a small television set sometime ago, and I wanted to ask if I could donate it to some Hurricane Katrina evacuees who are settling here. My dad was not home, but my mother answered the phone. in the course of our conversation, she tol d me that my dad is going to have surgery tomorrow to have one of his eyes removed. He has been blind in that eye since he was a small child, so it's not like he's losing anything functional. He's having it removed because he keeps having painful infections that will not clear, and he's been using eye drops to control the pain up to now and finally decided just to have it removed. Still, I've had eye surgery myself, and I know what it's like. Plus, my dad is a senior citizen, and while he will likely be okay, anything could potentially happen. I did get hold of him last night, and when asked hoow he is, he said he is fine, and is not scared "because the good Lord will take care of this." He has peace about it. I just keep thinking about all the times he was with me in the hospital whan I was a child and later when I was grown. One time, I had a small surgical procedure, and he stayed with me until I sent him home at 2:30 AM. Told him it was silly for him to stay just to watch me sleep, and to go home and rest.
He's always had a strong work ethic, has my dad; he told me he plans to be back working within a week or so after the surgery. He will eventually have an artificial eye, but there will be a blank shell at first while he heals. I am not pleased with being given the news about the surgery a scant 48 hours before the procedure; I've had no time to prepare for this on an emotional level; while the logical level says it will likely be fine, emotionally it's difficult. Communication skills have never been strongly emphasized in my family of origin; this is just the latest illustration of that. I will be working at home tomorrow so that I can stay near the phone.

Last week, I got word that my ex mother-in-law was in the hospital with a kidney stone and dehydration. She's in poor health also.

Jay found my old ID today (the one I mentioned losing in a post on August 6.) I knew it would likely reappear after I got the new one, and it did. It was in an envelope that was on the floor on his side of the bed.