Normalcy

Audrey’s 17th surgery is today. If Michelle hadn’t been writing them down, we wouldn’t have come up with the correct number. We had sixteen in our heads. I guess we forgot one.

In our world, this almost doesn’t count as surgery. Audrey is having tubes put in her ears again, and this is her fifth or sixth time. Once again, we lost count. Calling this surgery feels like calling the Dallas Cowboys a Super Bowl contender.

A business partner needed me to join a meeting this week, and I told him that I was available any day this week. “Isn’t Audrey having a procedure on Tuesday?” he asked.

“Yes, but it isn’t a big deal. Michelle can take her, but if I need to be there, I can take the meeting from the hospital. I’ve done it many times.”

I always surprise people when I tell them I can work from the hospital because surgery isn’t a big deal. They don’t seem to understand that this is just a normal day for us. What used to say “Audrey surgery” on my work calendar, now just says “Tuesday.”

Part of me feels like I’m a bad parent because I’m not really nervous about Audrey going into surgery today. Granted, this is very minor compared to what she has been through, but it’s still my kid going under anesthesia. I know I will feel differently the next time she has heart surgery. That is always a big deal.

So, this is just a normal day for our family. Normal. I’m not sure I know what that word means anymore. I have more thoughts on that topic, but more on that later.

To be continued . . .