I am very grateful this New Year as my mother has survived the last two weeks, which included a harrowing medical-emergency flight from Canada in a small air ambulance in those snow storms that shut down the Midwest, a week of tests, bad news, more bad news, then not so bad news, then finally, last night, six and half hours of surgery. Her prognosis is much better now -- yes, weeks of recovery and then perhaps more corrective surgery down the road, but wow, she is still here. I can not thank the surgeons and nurses, and especially her attending physician nearly enough for all their hard work, patience, and care. And my children who pitched hit long nights at the hospital with her, her husband Enver and my brother and his wife who co-ordinated everything and kept me updated constantly. I will be heading north soon to help her with the recovery and am so looking forward to the task.
I have posted this photo of us because today is also my birthday (I was the first baby of the New Year in Santa Monica that year) and this picture was taken by a newspaper reporter a couple hours after my arrival. I also think it was the last time before this that my mother actually spent any time in a hospital.
Happy New Year everyone!
Midori Snyder is the author of nine books for children and adults, published in English, French, Dutch, and Italian. She won the Mythopoeic Award for The Innamorati, a novel inspired by early Roman myth and the Italian "Commedia dell'Arte" tradition....
