Surgery apparently imminent

We still haven't received insurance authorization, but the assistants at various doctors' offices say it should be forthcoming, so we are proceeding as if surgery will be done this week. To Cedars-Sinai in the morning for a final blood test in case a transfusion is needed during surgery. Our son Steve will be staying at our house and taking care of the dogs. All the tests show that except for this nasty little bile duct tumor I'm in excellent health and there's no evidence of metastatization, so we're anticipating the surgery will be successful and after some hospital time and recovery time at home -- maybe three months -- I'll be tip-top.

I'm immensely appreciative of many people I know and quite a few I don't know expressing interest and sending prayers and good wishes. I know that my writing tuches quite a few people I dopn't know and will probably never known, but the response to the illness and imminent surgery has been heartwarming. I'll probably be dark for a while -- we'll have a laptop at the hospital but I don't know if I'll have the energy or motivation to use it -- but expect something in a week or so.