Greetings all:
I don't know if this is the appropriate spot, but I wanted to pass on that my younger brother passed away on 2 July of 2014. He had cancer but had suffered a fall at his house on 26 June that he shared with our mother. He was rushed to a local hospital, cognizant and conversant. Whilst in the local hospital he fell again and sustained traumatic, catastrophic brain damage and was flown to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis on 27 June where he was put on life support. The neurologists told us that he would never regain consciousness, never open his eyes, never speak and be relegated to a feeding tube and sustained life support. My sister came in from Olympia WA, and on 2 July we decided, as painful as it was, to take him off life support. He passed later that day. My brother and I weren't close and had had an adversarial relationship most of our lives, but the last seven years he had made strides to right the many wrongs. I saw him on memorial day and he wasn't doing well with the cancer. We had a pleasant visit and had many phone calls in the preceding and ensuing months establishing a good relationship. We went on several motorcycle rides together during the past several years and always had a good time. He was our mothers care giver and now our family is in the process of getting her in assisted living. They had many friends and thankfully they are assisting with her care. They lived in Mora Minnesota, about 85 miles from where I live in New Richmond WI. I work two jobs and every Saturday, so thank God for the folks in Mora who are assisting. Any loss of a family member is traumatic but to loose ones younger brother was especially difficult for me for some reason that I am slowly processing and coming to grips with his passing. He was laid to rest with our maternal grandmother on 14 July with several of his friends and an especially good childhood friend who made a lengthy trip to be there.
The Forum and all of you on this Forum, although not knowing this, have been a major help, the hobby and seeing your work and enjoying the camaraderie of the Forum has been a major source of comfort and motivation for me. Blessings and many thanks to all of you.
Best
Mark
