"This morning, as I write this, I am eating biscotti in bed. Close at hand is my warm mug of hazelnut-crème-flavored coffee. Hubby is already at work and summer’s pace still has the teenagers sleeping in. I am hiding out from my fears for a little while as I contemplate my forthcoming hip-replacement surgery only days away. Call it escapism or denial, but for me, little moments like this do a lot to bolster my immune system."