It started with the Dentist.

Do you have times when you remember exactly why you picked someone out who you wanted to be with? Today I remembered why I want to be with Bob. Sadly, after 14 years of marriage, those moments can be sparse. Today they were abundant, starting with the dentist.

We were doing some health-care errands and along the way, Bob decided that he wanted to stop in and say hello to his dentist. Didn't have an appointment. Just wanted to let her know why he hasn't been around lately, to inform her that his liver is healed. And that it was injured. This is right after having just reassured our optometrist that the liver is now fully functioning.

"How about if we also stop to let the Buick people know that your liver is back?" I suggested as we passed by a parent dealership of our car.

Bob didn't immediately get my sarcasm. He genuinely wanted to check in with his dentist, since we were in the neighborhood and all. Just wanted to connect. And, yes, friends, that's what he did. I studied the fish aquarium in the waiting room as he, in between the doorway and patients, told her how sick he was. She gave him a-lotta antibiotic sympathy and a-little dental advise. Bob left with a smile. It was a genuine interaction. That's why I love Bob! He relates to everyone, even his dentist, on a truly human level. It's the Brooklyn in him.

It was a Brooklyn day today, I guess, because as we chatted about our respective forthcoming surgeries over Chinese food -- You just go to sleep and wake up and that's it, right? Right. -- Bob remembered 30 years ago how he got into a really bad bicycle accident on 5th Avenue in Sunset Park, his home neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. If you have a friend named Ivan Forehead and another named Oscar's Ivan, who would you want to smash head-on into? Exactly. That's why it was really bad when Ivan Forehead's forehead rammed into Bob's head, sending him into facial plastic surgery. Resulting in a big 'ol head bandage as though he had just come back from the Revolutionary War with a couple guys playing the fife and drums. Bob had to go to a Mets game with an unusually large baseball hat after that. By the way, Oscar of Oscar's Ivan was actually referred to as the Mayor of Sunset Park.

Oh my goodness we laughed. Friends, that is but one of the thousands of stories you would hear if you ever spent time with Bob or anyone of his brothers or sisters or friends or neighbors from Brooklyn.

And then, to top it off, today while at the optometrist we both came back to the counter to show the lady the frames we picked out for our new eye glasses and -- I kid you not -- we picked out identical frames. We're matching!! Isn't that the corniest thing you ever heard? Just a variation of color. I'll post a picture when we get them.

So, well, then there's the two surgeons who are doing my throat surgery. I think I hit the jackpot on doctors in this deal. Dr. Cutest-Personality-in-the-World and Dr. Mensa-Barbie. Dr. C-P-W had just returned from eating cake at his nurse's retirement party. When I asked him about his thyroid surgery experience, he said he'll never forget when he was 7-years-old and his dad did this procedure on someone reclined in their living room. "He was way over his head," he said. I thought it was interesting that he was thinking of the doctor, while I was wondering about the patient. Anyway, looks like I get a team of surgeons who gave Bob and me complete confidence in their abilities to cut my throat. May 8 is the date.

Back at home, while making dinner, our dear, dear neighbors (How many dear neighbors can we have? Many.) came over to apologize for the Virginia Tech tragedy. Why? Because they are from South Korea. My heart sank. "You owe us no apology. What happened there has nothing to do with you. You are our friends and we have great respect and love for you and your family." That's what Bob told our neighbor. Oh dear, so, I guess I would say, if you have neighbors or friends or co-workers from Korea, maybe you could give them a card, a cake, or something to tell them how grateful you are to have them for friends. Just a little reassurance for people who may be feeling unduly responsible right now.

Anyway, not just one moment, but a whole bunch of them came to me today. The ones that remind me why I picked to be with Bob. The only person I've ever met who stops in unannounced to his dental office to say hi.

Thanks so much for coming over to the liver blog.

Peace and joy to you, friends.

With love, T