It was a cold and cloudy San Francisco Sunday. My wife and I were having lunch with friends at a Korean cafe.

My phone buzzed with a text. It said my mom was in the hospital.

I called to find out more. She had a fever, some pain, and had fainted. The situation was serious, but stable.

Monday was a normal day. No news was good news, right?

Tuesday she had seizures.

Wednesday she was in the ICU. I caught the first flight to Tampa.

Thursday she rested comfortably.

Friday she was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, a rare condition that affects about 3,000 people in the US annually. The doctors had known it was a possibility, so she was already receiving treatment.

We stayed by her side through the weekend. My dad spent every night with her. We made plans for all the fun things we would when she [...]

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