The power of love.

I love my family. It is amazing to me that our core unit and extended in-laws love and cherish one another as much as we do. Too often you read about children who are estranged from their parents, siblings who hate each other, and wives/husbands who can't stand their inlaws, or each other. My family seems to experience none of this.

Over a decade ago, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. As I recall it, at the time we were told to get her stuff in order, as it wasn't looking good. She's still with us thankfully, but has always had some complications from the cancer and the surgery and the radiation treatments. Without going into too much personal detail, the day has finally come where these "complications" just got a bit more complicated. No, her cancer is not back, but some pretty serious surgery is in her immediate future.

So this is how things went down - my mom was in Dallas to help my brother and sister in law with the babies when she became very ill with a kidney infection. Not her first, but this one seemed more serious than before. My dear brother, with the support of his wife and mother-in-law, dropped everything and drove my mom back home from Dallas, stayed the night, and went to the hospital with her the next day to get things squared away for a procedure she has had before and needed to undergo again. She would need that minor surgical procedure today. He needed to get back to his family and work, so I came into town last night and went to the hospital with my mom today. My dad was in Chicago on business, but we assured him that we, as their children, could take care of mom and he should complete his trip as planned. After all, this was somewhat a "routine" procedure. I think it gives my brother and me great pride to be there for our parents, as they have been there for us so many countless times.

Well, today's procedure ended up not being routine. The inevitable has happened and my mom needs additional surgery. We are thinking it will be next week or the week after. She's doing well considering and is back at home. I will stay here again tonight and tomorrow morning, then my dad will get back to town. By the way, my mom is the strongest person mentally and spiritually who I have ever known, and I admire her strength and courage beyond words.

I cannot express how proud I am of my entire family for being strong and cohesive and working together like a true team to make sure one of us is taken care of. My brother continues to amaze and awe me with his maturity and caring nature, which I see so often in him with his kids and wife, and for him to be there like that for my mom brings tears to my eyes, of pride. He is a great man, just as my father is. And how my father and mother love each other is rare, something everyone should aspire to. We are all so fortunate to have each other and be on good terms and drop anything and everything to help each other out, and that has extended to the extended/inlaw family.

My mom is going to be okay and we will all be here to support her just as we always have been. I am so glad to be here to help, because I can't even count anymore how many times my parents have dropped everything to help me with something...a move, a marathon, a neck surgery. I am grateful beyond words.