She's really kind of nice.

I haven't updated this week because my little family has been grappling with trying not to overreact to the news that my mother's latest mammogram doesn't look so good, precancer cells and worrisome lumps and exploratory surgery scheduled for next week -- and talk of mastectomy. My mother's dead upset, obviously, and my father and I are trying hard (and successfully, as far as she knows) to stay optimistic and keep to the discussion rules that she's set. Which hasn't really made the week better -- maybe a tiny bit less stressful -- and it doesn't make well-meant conversations like this any easier.

Me: I may need to take a long lunch on Wednesday -- my mother's having outpatient surgery, my father travels a lot, and if he's out of town she'll need someone to take her home.

My boss: Well, if you need it, take the whole day and stay with her. I'd hate to think -- well, I know what it's like to have a parent go into a routine surgery and not come back out.

Me: O_o

My boss: My father had a skin cancer removed and had a reaction to the anaesthesia and died in recovery.

Me: o_O

My boss: I never got to say goodbye.

Me: O_o

Me: Oh my God I guess I will take Wednesday off.