Misheberach

Misheberach is a Jewish prayer for healing. [Here's an audio clip of my favorite version by Debbie Friedman.] In my religious tradition, we believe not only should people, who are ill, pray for themselves, but also that the community should pray for them, too. Prayer is a great opportunity to connect with spiritual energy, and I have a few people who could use a cosmic boost right about now. I would appreciate you sending a few healing thoughts into the universe for these people.

One of the August Moms, Annapolis Mom, just reported abnormal findings on her mammogram, and her radiologist wasn't optimistic. She had a needle biopsy yesterday and is anxiously awaiting the results. We are all so worried for her, her husband and their young children. When you have a free moment today, would you please add the Annapolis Mom to your prayers?

I should add that there are two August Moms in the Annapolis area. The other mom is the World Traveler; her husband recently suffered an exacerbation of a chronic illness. Her family would appreciate your prayers, too.

The Family Blender's famlies are going through some serious emotional crises right now and could use a spiritual boost.

Finally -- and sounding like a broken record -- my father is in the hospital again with complications from the reversal of his colostomy. The connection site developed a hole, a fistula, that was not healing. Dad's doctors ordered IV feedings and medications through a PICC line. As of last weekend, he was doing better, and the hole was healing. The challenge will be for the connection site to hold tight when he starts eating solid food. Otherwise, he's headed for another surgery, one to revise the connection. Oh, and he has a huge abdominal hernia that probably won't be addressed because of the surgical damage to the abdominal wall. Please send one up for my parents, too.

I'm going to New Orleans and drown myself in a vat of boiled crawfish for a few days. I'll be back after JazzFest.