Hilary Rebecca Sehring, 11, is a fifth-grader at Mariemont Elementary School. Her parents are Alison and Christopher Sehring. Her little brother Griffin, 5, has recovered from surgery.

        You have to love your brother a whole ton to worry about him. But, I guess my love measures up because I was scared out of my wits. He was going to have surgery. And to make it worse, he had not yet been told. It happened this way...

        The usual evening was occurring. Mom making dinner, Dad was upstairs wrestling with my little 5-year-old brother, Griffin, and I was setting the dinner table. I went to go get the top to the lemonade container on the kitchen island when I saw a slip of paper saying, “Helping Your Child Through Surgery.”

        I've seen many books for my mom like, Dealing With Your Preteen(me!) or Doctor Mom, but I had never laid eyes on anything like this before. Mom looked at me with that same “I knew this time would come” look she used many times before.

        “Sometimes I forget she can read,” Mom murmurred under her breath. I smiled sheepishly. “The surgery is not for you,” mom said. “But I did not want you to worry about Griffin.”

        She explained how his sinuses were clogged (or as Griffin said “his brain hurts”) and how he could not breathe clearly. The doctors would need to put a “window” in his sinuses.

        Mom made me swear not to tell anyone about it until Griffin was told. I waited nervously for three days. Mom picked me up from school and we took Griffin for his pre-op physical. The doctor was very kind and explained to Griffin what was going to happen. He sat up straight and took the pain for a minute, letting the information sink in before he broke out in tears.

        Inside, I was screaming as well. I stopped it by taking two tongue depressors and drawing silly faces on them. Griffin laughed and we spent the rest of our way to P.F. Chang's tossing them around.

        We met my father and ate like pigs (at least I did) nervously. We waited there until it was time to go for his preliminary orientation. That meant you go to Children's Hospital and the nurse shows you around with a group of other families.

        He took it pretty well for a 5-year-old and it wasn't bad at all. They showed us their tempting big-screen TV, their tools and other stuff. I must say, it was a great program.

        We left, driving away in our Jeep. Griffin fell fast asleep. I listened to music, Dad kept his eyes on the road (I hope), and Mom just sat there, reading Vogue.

        In all, I think our family is prepared for a lot more than surgery.

        Share recent moments in your life. Fax 768-8330; e-mail: mfuqua@enquirer.com. Columns submitted to the Enquirer may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.

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