Been an odd time in my life. Personally, work, and marriage-wise, things are pretty great. Can’t really complain.
But in terms of extended friends & family, it’s been quite a whirlwind. As I posted a few months ago, a good friend of mine recently passed away from a brain tumor he didn’t know he had until 2-3 weeks before dying from it. Another, separate, friend of mine was unbelievably also diagnosed with a brain tumor… although fortunately, his story has a happier ending of it now in remission. But obviously still scary for a while. And yet another friend of mine (female) has breast cancer–which, luckily, is also now in remission after some radiation treatments.
In newer developments, I also semi-recently had an extended family member pass away. They had been sick, frail, elderly, and suffering from dementia for nearly 5 years, so it wasn’t too much of an emotional shock. But it was still sad to see the family, who still took it hard. As if that weren’t enough, on the day of the funeral, one of my own parents was sent to the hospital. Luckily, it was only severe arthritic pain, but still scary at the time.
But guess what? Not done yet. Yet another extended family member (another elderly one) also just got diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. And in her elderly state, it may not even be worth it to do chemo. So we’re still seeing what’s going to happen with that one. As if that weren’t enough, a good (female) friend of mine, while traveling abroad, had to have emergency life-saving surgery in a county whose language she didn’t understand. Can you imagine? Fortunately she ended up having amazing doctors, and after a few days delay, is now back in the states, recovering, and doing relatively well. But still scary.
I guess it makes me feel fortunate for all the positive things in my own direct life, and appreciate what I do have.
