Sadness

Jed and I

I love this picture of my brother Jed, and I. We were in North Carolina celebrating my Dad's 65th birthday. This was back in April 2006 and we both look happy. Fast forward to June 2014, Jed has not been feeling well. Turns out he has been suffering from headaches and had a seizure at work. The diagnosis was a brain tumor, but they did not know what type.  Living so far apart made it really hard as we had to wait for people to call with news. The day of the surgery was stressful on everyone. I spent most of the day waiting with my sister Kate. We both instinctively knew that the news would not be good, the surgery took too long. We were told that he has stage 4 Glioblastoma. I hate that I know that word now and can spell it correctly. I have watched my brother over the last year fight this terrible illness and suffer from seizures. My once healthy, vibrant brother has now had to change his life to fight this disease that lives inside him.

 

Anyone who has met my brother cannot help but like him. He has that rare quality that draws people to him. His sense of humour and storytelling abilities are second to none. Jed has an extended family who loves him, and a very tightknit group of friends who he has known since high school who would do anything for him. The news of his cancer has been devastating to all. For me, I cannot accept that this is happening to such a fine person. It's funny, you go through life hearing about acquaintances and friends of friends who have become ill of died too young and you know you are lucky, but you don't stop to be truly thankful for what you have. Well, now I am one of those acquaintances or a friend of a friend. It's not a good place to be. I guess I am trying to say that you need to be thankful everyday for what you have. Take the time to be kind to others because you never know what someone else could be going through. I called this sadness as I have never felt the degree of sadness in my life. I only have one brother, and I do not know what I will do if I lose him.