Showtime at Stanford Hospital

I have never felt so well-support in my entire life. It is humbling and gratifying. For those of you who pray to God or Jehovah or Allah, these entities may be wondering why he, she or they are being besieged to help some guy named Israel.

Some of you all suggested that I use creative visualization to see a positive outcome. They tell me that is the central force of the universe.

Whatever you have prayed or visualize on my behalf, I thank you for it. I hope tomorrow your Gods confirm your faith. I tested such faith yesterday asking that you pray for the Boston Celtics who went on to beat Cleveland.

It happened. I don't know what that did to the faith of my friends in Cleveland.

Tonight, my prayers are going to my surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and all their assistants. May they  have a wonderful,  peaceful night enjoying themselves, their love ones and getting a good night's sleep. Let them awake with happy hearts, steady hands and their best ability to concentrate.

As for all of you in Twitterville you have brought me an amazingly wonderful aspect to a very scary experience. I have written about this sort of thing, and I have reported on many stories like this, but I never was the recipient.

It isn't just on Twitter. I have received over 1000 messages on Twitter, on email, by text and even Google Chat. I have heard from a friend of 50 years and people I have never spoken with before. I have heard about other people's surgeries and the operations that have saved or preserved the lives of loved ones, often parents who are about my age.

I have heard not a discouraging word. Not one from anyone. Thank you all so much.

Now, all that is left is to pack a minimalist satchel of pajamas, bathrobe [Paula got me new ones, that are really cool]. Then I have to take the first of two showers using this antibacterial, pre-surgical soap, they sent me home with today.The second will be when I get up at 3:45 am so that Paula and I get to opening curtain at 5 am on the 2nd floor of Stanford Medical Center.

I have been growing a full beard for the last week and now I have been directed to trim it off my neck, so that they can insert a catheter into my carotid artery. I forgot why they're doing that. I'll take their word that it's necessary.

I spent six hours today over at Stanford today getting poked, x-rayed  and being redundantly interviewed about my medical history. The only glitch was that Stanford's computer refused to save a 13-year-old update on my current address. The insurance carrier refused to recognize me at my old address, and there was some chance the whole surgery might get postponed until it was resolved at about 3 pm today.

I wouldn't want that. I want to get through this wormhole and get back to writing and exercising and tweeting and joking.

That will happen soon enough.

I would ask you to wish me luck, but most of you have done that already. And my thanks to you and what you believe in for all that positive, supportive loving energy.