So, as mentioned above, today's session was difficult and painful, but it did have one moment of levity (and embarrassment, on my end).

In his email, he had said that he thought anything short of "full-throated approval" of my emailing him to update him on my H's surgery would have left me feeling disappointed. I referenced that, but instead of "full," I said, "deep," and didn't realize it until he started laughing and pointed it out. Then I was laughing awkwardly. And he was laughing. Didn't help that, before he pointed it out, in my giving an example of "deep-throated approval," I said, "Oh, yes, please! Definitely give me an update!"

Sigh...