I sat on the couch feeling about as useful as a snow shovel in July. Andy and Brad were happily putting up the Christmas decorations. Annie was curled up next to me. Jake was busy inspecting all the open storage boxes, hoping to find a cookie or a treat of some kind from the previous year that had been stowed away over the summer. Brad and Andy were struggling to get Claudia, our Christmas tree, put together.
“Here, let me show you how to do that,” I said, starting to rise from my seat.
“Sit! Stay!” Andy gave these commands with a mock sternness. Jake, who thought Andy was speaking to him, obediently sat and looked up expectantly.
Andy walked over to me, rubbed my bald head, and said, “You know what Dr. Graham said: ‘It will be a full six month recovery period, longer if you don’t behav
