Surgery? Yikes!

We had a meeting with the surgeon today, me and Madison.  She was out in the waiting room, her homework and comic books spread out across the table there.  She was just fine.  Daddy got her those comic books, and that's all she really needed.  Nevertheless, she finished all the homework she had for the week.  The receptionist was watching over her out there, so all was well.  Meanwhile, Daddy was inside talking with the surgeon, who happens to be the same doctor that was helping Mommy through her cancer.  Apparently, Daddy's gall bladder is operating at 30%, which means it will probably be going out of business soon.  There is no recovery plan for a gall bladder, or at least I don't think there is one.  The surgeon's opinion was that we remove it completely.

This is not an uncommon procedure.  Daddy had an endoscopy a few years ago, but this is pretty much the first surgery he's ever had scheduled.  Yeah, he's a little nervous about things.  Did the gall bladder have to come out?  Is there any chance of it getting back on track?  Apparently not.  And as bad as Daddy's been feeling lately, it can and will get worse as the gall bladder degenerates into a small nausea bomb planted in his chest.  The selling point is, "How'd you like to be on vacation when this thing goes off?"  It's better to deal with surgery when you can plan it all out, versus dealing with it in an emergency vehicle on your way to an unknown hospital.  SO, December 12th it is.  That's a Monday.  Daddy picked that day because it is after the recital and after the Nutcracker.  Hopefully things will be okay until that point.

Before our visit to the surgeon, we went to piano class today.  Madison performed for Mrs. Pam, and was a little rusty - but that was because she was trying to incorporate the use of the foot pedal with her song.  She's been doing well though, and she has plenty of time to practice, practice, practice.

We went to ballet after the doctor's visit, but this time only to make a payment for some photographs upcoming.  With Madison involved in "The Nutcracker," we thought it would be good to have some pictures of her made in her China Doll costuming.  Obviously, we'll share that picture here when we can.  Space was limited, so Daddy dropped by today.

It was Taco Tuesday today, and while that may have been a good thing for Madison, it was clearly not for Daddy.  No more tacos until the gall bladder takes a hike.

Tonight's movie was not a Christmas movie.  I know that's a shock.  But we did go with the western theme of this series we're in right now, and that may be the biggest reason of all.  You see, tomorrow night Daddy wanted to preach a movie message, so tonight we watched "The Good Dinosaur" to find clips that would work.  I found them very well.  Tomorrow, I'll post the message - it should be good.  But we enjoyed the movie, all of us before bedtime.

One thing we do not enjoy:

Ironically, this picture came via Glen Burns, our local meteorologist.  Fires are still burning in the mountains, and we're approaching record territory for a lack of rainfall.  There is no hope in sight.  You can see the smoke from these forest fires, and how choking it is for all of us.  No one is outside, and it's been that way for a week or so now.  Tonight, we prayed for rain - just as we continued to pray for our leaders.  Prayer works.