What's happened in the last 30 days?

About a month ago my uncle had a heart attack and spent several days in the hospital. Apparently he's doing well, and has had a good recovery. It got me thinking about my own mortality though as both of my grandfathers died of heart attacks at relatively young ages (both were in their 50s).

About three weeks ago my mom went into the hospital for major surgery. The doctors discovered a grapefruit-sized cyst on one of her ovaries. In order to prevent any further chance at cancer, they decided to also perform a complete hysterectomy. The good news is that she is doing fine, and she's getting a little better each day and a little more ornery—which is good for her.

While she was in the hospital I learned that people say the darndest things when on morphine. At some point this I will have to write an essay on this. It should be good for some laughs.

This past Saturday evening my dad called me from Washington DC—where he lives—and told me that he has been diagnosed with lung cancer. To make matters worse it's been classified as malignant melanoma that has invaded the lymph nodes. I don't know what stage the cancer is in yet but it is likely contributed to his recent anemia. He is still in denial that smoking cigarettes had anything to do with him contracting cancer. He'll probably die with a cigarette in his hand.

Tomorrow morning he goes in to discuss treatment options which will include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and who knows what else. At some point in the next few weeks he wants to fly my brother and I up to DC to spend some time with us. I don't exactly know how to feel about it at this point. My dad and I have not had the strongest relationship. His relationship with my brother has been even weaker. It will make for a strange journey no matter what happens.

Yesterday on the way home from school, while sitting at a stop light, a car slammed into me from behind and totalled my car. I'm OK except for a little soreness in my neck and back. In order to get back and forth to work I have had to borrow my mom's car.

I keep thinking the next 30 days have to be better than the last 30.

Oh, and today's my birthday. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. LoL Ah, such wonders the world has to behold.