I am sorry. I hope he does not suffer and that you and your family find a rope of comfort upon which to hold during this devastating time.The last picture I took of my brother and probably the last I ever will take. This was taken on Tuesday evening at a good seafood restaurant on the South Shore of Boston. Saturday, at 4AM, he was rushed to the hospital bleeding internally and vomiting volumes of blood from esophageal varices. They managed to stop that eventually, but he has been in ICU since. His liver tumor has grown and spread faster than anyone anticipated. The liver is failing; the kidneys are failing, and tomorrow we talk about making a transition to palliative care with his medical team. It is heart-breaking. I came east for what I thought would be a visit before things started to fall apart, since we knew his situation was terminal. But we thought we had time. I thought I would post this now, as a remembrance and farewell. Once the life support comes off, we will probably be camping outside the ICU at Lahey hospital until it is over. Does this look like the image of a sick man? Life is short. Appearances are can be deceiving. Cherish those you love every minute you have them. View attachment 27527
Agreed. I hope you can find peace at this time.I am sorry. I hope he does not suffer and that you and your family find a rope of comfort upon which to hold during this devastating time.
Peace to him and your familyThanks for the good wishes concerning my brother, who passed peacefully at 11PM Saturday night. We were with him. It was as peaceful as could be after the previous struggle. He took a breath and then he simply did not take the next one -- no struggle, no sign of anything. If, as some say, the name of God is one breath in and one breath out, then my brother's last day was an unceasingly invocation of God's name. That would please him.
The photo below is the last picture taken of him, my sister and me. Bless the waitress who took it with my X1, of which she was a little afraid.
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Thanks for the good wishes concerning my brother, who passed peacefully at 11PM Saturday night. We were with him. It was as peaceful as could be after the previous struggle. He took a breath and then he simply did not take the next one -- no struggle, no sign of anything. If, as some say, the name of God is one breath in and one breath out, then my brother's last day was an unceasingly invocation of God's name. That would please him.
The photo below is the last picture taken of him, my sister and me. Bless the waitress who took it with my X1, of which she was a little afraid.
View attachment 27568
The last picture I took of my brother and probably the last I ever will take. This was taken on Tuesday evening at a good seafood restaurant on the South Shore of Boston. Saturday, at 4AM, he was rushed to the hospital bleeding internally and vomiting volumes of blood from esophageal varices. They managed to stop that eventually, but he has been in ICU since. His liver tumor has grown and spread faster than anyone anticipated. The liver is failing; the kidneys are failing, and tomorrow we talk about making a transition to palliative care with his medical team. It is heart-breaking. I came east for what I thought would be a visit before things started to fall apart, since we knew his situation was terminal. But we thought we had time. I thought I would post this now, as a remembrance and farewell. Once the life support comes off, we will probably be camping outside the ICU at Lahey hospital until it is over. Does this look like the image of a sick man? Life is short. Appearances are can be deceiving. Cherish those you love every minute you have them.
My sister and I were walking across the Boston Common on our way to the subway after planning my brother's funeral with the wonderful rector of Emmanuel Church. So we were felt weighted down, to say the least. This man was was exuberantly singing, to his own made up tune, "Anybody have any change? Anybody have any change?" There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye, and he was obviously having a lot of fun -- and it was infectious. Both my sister and I stuffed some dollars in his cup and I then asked to take his picture, which he gladly agreed to. Whoever he is, he gave us a much needed boost and got us smiling. Though I should have included more at the bottom, I'm posting it as a tribute to a helpful stranger who didn't let his own hard times get him down.
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My older brother passed away recently, Lawrence. He went in for a hip replacement and made it through the operation fine. Then a blood clot put him in a coma and we had to make the decision to turn off life support. My mother had other issues a decade ago but it ended with her also in a coma and a decision to put her in hospice care.
Life doesn't prepare us for these kinds of things and those who haven't been through such an episode may struggle to understand. But you should know that others DO understand, Lawrence. I am sorry for the pain that you and your family are experiencing now. I sincerely hope you'll find the strength to sustain you and find comfort in the memories you have of your brother.