First, the news about my surgery,........uh, there is no news.  STILL waiting to hear back from Dr. Frezza's office that my file was sent to Presbyterian for approval.  ARGH,   I was notified on the first of November that I got the promotion!!!  I was on cloud nine about that.....then I got a call from my cousin letting me know that someone very close to my heart passed away suddenly on Tuesday,  Alton Bratcher, and his wife Ruth were my first real employers.  I was barely 18 when I started working for them, and stayed with them for 10 years.  Ruth ran the show, and she is an extremely hard worker and sometimes expected the impossible from her employees.  We butted heads a few times, but Alton was always jovial and comforting.  Don't get me wrong, I love Ruth very much, they are both like surrogate parents to me.  Alton was playing golf, which he loved so much....and thenm WHAM, a devastating heart attack,  I don't live in that small town anymore, and traveled yesterday for the funeral services.  It takes about 4 hours to get there.  I was so drained and tired when I made it back up to Rio Rancho.  The services were beautiful, There was a huge crowd that turned out, my son and I estimated about 400 people showed up.  As for my weight loss surgery.....STILL WAITING to hear anything.  UGH!!