Tomorrow morning at 5:30 am, our darling older grandson, Nico, age 9, will have his 3rd surgery at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles for an ear condition called cholesteatoma. In his 1st surgery, the surgeon removed an extensive collection of skin cells and scar tissue from Nico’s ear and also two of his small hearing bones due to damage. In the 2nd surgery, she continued to remove scar tissue and also replaced the eardrum’s covering with a prosthetic one. Tomorrow, she will again thoroughly clear the ear of excess tissue, and we are hopeful she will insert prosthetics to replace the two small ear bones that were previously destroyed.

Our family—two aunties, two uncles, 1 1/2 cousins, Ray, and I—will arrive late tomorrow afternoon in South Pasadena to greet our sweet Nico and his parents when they return from the hospital. Rachael and I will make chicken and rice soup, and I’ll get Lyla to help me make honey-sweetened banana pudding, a Nico favorite.

I would appreciate it if you’d keep our Nico in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. How wonderful it would be if hearing were restored in his affected ear through this surgery!