The News

As the car pulled up to take us to the airport, I got a call.

"Your dad's in the emergency room. He's having a cardiological exam."
"Is everything okay?"
"Sure. Have fun in Colorado."

We flew first to Denver. An uneventful trip, if longer than Ben's patience. As we touched down in Denver, I turned my phone back on and checked a message form my uncle.

"Hi Jonathan, it's Uncle Peter. Call me back."

Renee was hustling Ben to our connecting flight as I called back.

"Hey Peter. How are you?"
"Better than you."
"Why's that?"

Peter's voice dropped.

"You haven't heard about your dad yet?"

I called my mom's cel. When Dad's test results came in, they showed he needed a triple bypass. Immediately.Should I come home?

"No, there's nothing you can do. Have a good weekend."

After two sleepless nights in Colorado Springs, Renee tapped me on the shoulder.

"You should go."

My brother-in-law Kurt drove me to the airport at 5 a.m. In the airport, I met a sergeant on his way back to Iraq. We traded stories and declared a tie. On the flight back, I couldn't focus enough to read so I spent the four hours watching Star Wars on my video ipod. Thank you, Steve Jobs.

I got to the hospital about five in the afternoon. The operation was over. Turned out it wasn't a triple bypass at all. It was a quintuple bypass. Had he been a car, it would have cost an extra grand. He was on morphine but responsive. Things are going as smoothly as can be expected. Today they moved him to a regular room and he should be home by Tuesday.

And that's why I haven't updated in a week.