Well, [obscenities].

My uncle, who I positively adore, is lying unconscious in intensive care. And I can't even go see him or try to help my aunt because he's hospitalized in Mississippi.

They were on vacation in Biloxi when he fell ill, apparently with food poisoning. The vomiting was so severe that his esophagus ruptured; consequently, he started to choke. Doctors operated to repair the rupture and to laparoscopically remove the debris that the rupture allowed into his chest cavity. Now he's in surgical ICU on a ventilator with several tubes in. He is being kept heavily sedated because they don't want him to panic and try to yank out the tubes and IVs. He was running a low-grade fever at first (because of infection resulting from the debris) but as of this morning my aunt reports a normal temperature.

At this point, that's about all my aunt knows. When he can be moved to a private room, when they'll allow him to come out of sedation, when he might be able to come home are all big unknowns at this point.

I want a do-over on this entire year.