Just had a call from my sister-in-law in the hospital. She says she feels better than she has in years! It felt very good to hear her voice...and even better to know she's not in pain.

She'll be at a remote (to us) hospital for the next 2 days and we won't be able to get up to see her. Once again, although the medical system will certainly be there when you need it, you don't really get a choice of where. The hospital she's currently at is at least an hour's drive, and in an area that costs $12 to park for half an hour. There is a cheaper parking lot but it's a 6 block walk, and not something me or my mother could accomplish. Thankfully, her stay will be relatively brief. Even though she has had major surgery, she will only be in the hospital for just over 48 hours. She'd come home today, if she could though - considering they are building a new hospital wing and the jackhammers started at 6am.

So my mother and I decided to send her flowers. Great idea, right?

I called the florist and her silence on the end of the phone puzzled me. Then it clicked. Not a good day to place orders for flowers - even for hospital deliveries.

Busiest day of the year, she said. If you haven't called before now, you're not getting any today, I was told.

So I guess flowers will have to wait until she comes home. It's just so hard to be here and not be able to visit her when she's always been there when I've been sick. Damn V-Day!