Well, good news on the family front, Mama Ticky had her angioplasty already (sooner than anticipated -- she started having chest pains again this morning) and they're working to fix the issue, which is a 99% blockage in her ascending aorta. The blockage is NOT good news, of course, but it's being taken care of and she's probably going home on Thursday.
So, yay for that! Lucky will probably stay the night down there, so we've commissioned him to Bring Her Flowers. And he sounded a lot less strained on the phone. It's always good to know what the problem is, and of course he has zillions of siblings and in-laws and cousins and stuff down there as support network.
OMG his older brother's wife has the LOUDEST PHONE VOICE EVAR. *holds phone away from ear, gingerly*