I am sitting in an exam room at Baptist Health-Fort Smith with my mother and brother. It is noon; our appointment was at 8 a.m. We left the FFF Ranch before 7 a.m.

Mom had a stroke in 2018. Dr. Clint Wood, the interventional radiologist, placed a stent in her head that un-kinked the problematic blood vessel at that time before it could cause any more trouble. He thought that was a better idea than the neurologist's solution, which was to put her on blood thinner and not do anything else unless she had another one. I know neurologists are smart, and I guess that is standard procedure, but I thought it was the dumbest idea I ever heard.

We all hovered around before and after the stent procedure like we do. When everyone else finally went home, I stayed in the hospital with her and tried to make my dad leave so he could rest. He refused. So, we slept together on a cot about 12 inches wide and laughed the whole time, providing entertainment for my mother once she woke up.

I remember I nearly froze to death during that episode so today I am dressed for winter even though the temperature outside is deadly hot. My brother is in shorts. We are quite the pair.

At my mom's most recent checkup, a CT scan showed some weird spot near the stent, so now she's having an arteriogram to check it out. The three of us are huddled in a beeping cube the size of my closet, waiting for that to happen. Mom and brother Jim are talking about the stock market, of........

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