It takes eight people to do my job. The job of mom, that is.  If you count the people it takes to do my teaching job as well, that makes a total of ten. I will be having surgery Tuesday to repair nerve damage from the hernia surgery I had back in September. Having just completed the massive document of who goes where when, I have counted ten people to cover for me for four days. Unbelievable, isn’t it ?  I have been in a lot of pain, so I am actually looking forward to maybe not having the surgery, but having the surgery over with. But wow, it is a lot of work to get everyone ready and organized for a few days without mom on the job.

When I had the initial hernia my husband half jokingly said, “Why don’t you have Sam do it?”

Sam Shaheen,M.D. was Rick’s fraternity brother back in the day.  In the years since he has played a variety of roles in our lives including Best Man at our wedding and godfather to our daughter Ella. Add my surgeon to the list.  When I was preparing for the first surgery I believe I said something to the extent of Sam Shaheen will operate on me over my dead body.  Something like that.  Fast forward seven months to me limping out of the original surgeon’s office.  I believe I said something like Sam is the only one who can operate on me.  The original surgeon dismissed me, sending me to the Pain Management Clinic.  You’re kidding me, right? I’m forty four, not a hundred and four!  It is funny how when really pressed, we working moms are smart enough to know how to make sure things get done right.  I’m circling the wagons and turning to the doctor I have known since we were eighteen, whose cell phone number is in my cell phone. And he knows I’m not afraid to use it.

So, on my forty fifth (choke) birthday, I will wake up very early. I will not turn on the computer as I usually do. I will not eat or drink anything. I will wash with Hybicleanse, blow kisses to my children, and let my husband drive me an hour away to the hospital where Sam operates.  The ten people who will cover for Professor Mom while she gets her body repaired will be busy. God willing, I will be back at it before long, writing heartfelt thank you notes to those ten.  Oh, and one to Dr.Sam,for getting me back on my feet and back to work, and for answering his cell phone when I call.