We hosted a dozen people for Thanksgiving. It turned out well. The notable absence was my mother-in-law who has been in constant pian

She’d been contemplating a medical procedure for some time: a stent to address constant, severe pain. Her heart and breathing aren't strong enough to make her an ideal candidate. For her the pain outweighed the risk.

The procedure happened on Friday and didn't go as planned. They couldn’t place the stent and she required emergency surgery to restore proper blood flow. It was a terrifying few hours. 

She is stable now. We're picking her up to take her home while the surgeon and doctor consult. They plan to try a slightly different approach in a few days.