December 21, 2024 was our 44th wedding anniversary. My wife was experiencing stomach pain which did not remit and in fact got worse. At 1:00 AM I drove to the Emergency Room at Northwestern Medical Center in downtown Chicago. It was uncharacteristically quiet and she was seen immediately. After all the tests, scans and work-up, the doctors told us she needed emergency surgery for an obstruction. At 7:00 AM the on-call gastrointestinal surgeon showed up and they took her for surgery. After being up all night, I sat alone, worrying and praying in in the waiting room for three plus hours knowing that my "better half: was at serious risk. As my mother would say. "Getting old isn't for sissies!" This year we are thankfully blessed, expecting to celebrate #45 with much gratitude to the doctors and staff at Northwestern Medical Center!