My mother-in-law had hip replacement surgery yesterday, after a year and a half of pain, doctors, tests and frustration.  She’s 73, but this was the first time she has ever had to have a major procedure.  We were all there when they brought her up to the room.  She looked pale.  It frightened me.  They had given her morphine to manage the pain as the anesthesia was slowly leaving her body.   I realized how much I love this woman who has treated me as her own since Day One.  My husband’s family is so awesome and I have been blessed beyond belief by every one of them.

Mary June is going to be fine.  I have faith in that.  The next few weeks will be difficult for her, but she is tough.  She has that Irish blood running through her veins.  I know when it’s all said and done, she’s going to have the active, pain-free life she had before.  She has a love for life, and there’s still a whole lot of it left for her to enjoy.

I can only hope that I can be a fraction as good to her as she has been to me.