I debated sharing this but because this place is like an expanded family I decided to. You may or may not have noticed that over the last few months I've been less active here. It's with great sadness today that I share the passing of my brother Barry. Back in late September I took him to the ER in Willard for some stomach pain and GI issues. We never dreamed it was a very aggressive advanced stage gall bladder and liver cancer. 35 days at Mercy St Vincent, 30 at Gaymont skilled nursing and he finally got home for just a month. He did complete 2 chemo sessions and we got to share Christmas together. New Years Day after multiple days of vomiting I had to take him back to the ER. His tumor had closed off the stomach where it empties to the small intestine. Back to St Vincents we went for another 30 days. He didn't make it though the duodenal stent procedure and had to be intubated. He never recovered and passed last night during transport to hospice closer to home. Barry wasn't just my brother he was my best friend. Not a day passed that we didn't talk or see each other. He was my little and only brother so I did my best to look after him. The entire four months was brutal as the cancer consumed him. He lost over 60 lbs and wasn't able essentially to eat or drink for well over a month. It still blows my mind that someone can keep up with annual physical and blood work yet still be diagnosed with advanced stage cancer out of the blue. I'm doing my best to be happy for him to no longer be suffering but I have to admit I'm angry too. He was the most kind and generous person and it sucks that he had to suffer with such a horrible disease. Barry was my only remaining blood relative. The sense of loss of him along with my divorce a couple years ago has me feeling the most alone I've ever felt. Thanks goodness I have several good friends to lean on.
