Not for myself, thankfully, but for my friend Fred Wood. He's just had surgery today to amputate his left leg below the knee.

He works on drilling rigs and last week a 40 foot section of drill pipe slipped and fell on him. It crushed hs foot and ankle. Doctors said they could take it off just above the ankle, but that he'd likely walk with a limp and have to use a cane due to the available prosthetics. They opted to take it off higher so he could be fitted with a better prosthetis and be able to walk normally again.

It's been a rough day for all of us, but especially him and his wife, Dawn. Fred is in excruciating pain, both real and phantom (nerve endings that used to go to the foot but are now severed) and Dawn is having to cope with both the emotional trauma of her husband being seriously injured and trying to help Fred cope with the loss of his leg. They've got two kids, oldest is six, who have thankfully been cared for by Grandma for the past week.

I'f you're the praying type, please do so. If not, please send a comforting thought his way.

Thank you.