Much of Tony's life has been consumed by a continuing skirmish between his Jersey family (the DiMeos) and the New York Lupertazzi Mob. For now, a fragile peace holds, established when Tony visited the Lupertazzi's de facto boss, Phil Leotardo, while Phil was recovering from a heart attack. The attack, perhaps, reminded Tony of his own fragile grip on mortality as he continues to recover from a near-fatal gunshot and prepares to celebrate his 47th birthday. At least when he's feeling anxious, he can still turn to Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), as he has from the start.