So after all the various scheduling and rescheduling, my surgery is now set for tomorrow, Wednesday, August 24, and 12:15 eastern time. Prayers, good thoughts, and good intentions are all welcome.

If candles are your thing, I’m a huge fan of lighting prayer candles — the symbolism has always called to me. I’m also a huge fan of the prayer for generosity and the rosary. What can I say? I was raised Catholic with a heavy Jesuit influence. I might be Episcopalianish, but I kept the aspects of Catholicism that spoke to me. I’ll be asking Mary, Mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene, best friend of Jesus, to intercede for me. I’ll ask my beloved dad, Michael Meissner, to be with me and to sit with my husband while he waits for me to come out of surgery. I’ll pray that my Confirmation saint, Saint Cecilia, intercede for me, and that Lazarus, Mary, and Martha of the town of Bethany add their prayers to mine that my surgeons’ hands are steady and that the surgery is successful.

Today is 24 hours of a clear liquid diet (yes, alcohol counts as a clear liquid diet, however, I’m not allowed to have any within 24 hours of surgery). I get a bit of a hangry temper when I don’t eat enough, so I’m a bit pre-emptively worried about losing my temper. Hopefully vegetarian broth and vegetarian gelatin keep me full. I guess I can think of it as a holy fast rather than the pain and annoyance of surgery starting a day before I’m even at the hospital.

Thankfully, before today there have been wonderful meals and drinks with my loving husband and friends (see our date-night feast from The Classics).I didn’t get a picture Sunday night, but friends gathered with us at our favorite Mexican restaurant and it lifted my spirits. My friends are like earthly saints in their compassion and kindness. I can do anything with that much love at my side.