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Understanding the Unthinkable

by ConnieK

Entries 38

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April 09, 2020

Five Years Today

Today marks 5 years that Nick has been absent from our lives. Every June 20th goes by without a birthday celebration. There are no calls and there never will be again. Just a deafening silence th...


May 05, 2017

The Rough Draft

I’ve been asked to speak at my brother’s memorial. Writing the tribute has been tough, but here’s the rough draft: “Brother and sister relationships are unique. In many ways, [Brother] and I were...


No idea what happened. I’ve been so wrapped up in my brother’s death that just keeping up with the notes of well-wishers on FB and PB has been about all I can handle. Right now, I’m working on wh...


May 01, 2017

He's Gone

My brother passed away this morning. Last night was rough.


April 30, 2017

In the Waiting

My brother was restless this morning, becoming agitated when they moved him from ICU to the pallative care floor. The noisy machines are off. He is on a saline drip and morphine. I don’t think he...


My brother’s night was not good. He tried to get up unassisted and was restless in the early morning hours. The doctor instructed SIL to call family in for a last visit. A Chaplin is coming at 1....


April 24, 2017

A One-Track Life

We went to Tampa to see my brother last week. He had a bad night on Friday and was still struggling when we arrived Saturday. His breathing was rapid and shallow, he had a lot of pain in the ribc...


April 23, 2017

Going Downhill

My brother will be on a ventilator today. His situation is much worse. Prayers appreciated. We’re headed to Tampa.


They are still waiting for results but the doctors are pretty sure its esophageal cancer. SIL said my brother needs surgery asap or he won’t make it, so she’s hoping surgery on Friday but that’s ...


April 16, 2017

Quick Update

Just a quick note to let you all know that my brother is not out of the woods (lung biopsy tomorrow, endoscopy on Wednesday) but the “super oxygen” and “super antibiotics” (vico-something) has he...


April 13, 2017

The Part Left Unspoken

I wrote this e-mail to family and friends who want updates on my brother’s condition: “My [SIL] called and she’s pretty discouraged, enough that she’s finally agreed to a second opinion at Mayo i...


February 28, 2017

Chasing the Dragon

There’s a reason it’s called “Chasing the Dragon”. Heroin has surged once again in our community. The first hint came last night when I called to follow up on a client, who told me he’d been aske...


…when all through the house, the a/c was running…‘cause we live in the south! :) (Gotcha!) Christmas preparations are done. I have some pre-holiday cooking each day for the Christmas meal, but no...


December 09, 2016

Putting My House in Order

I’ve neglected Prosebox, but I doubt I’ll improve until after the holidays. Just a few more gifties to buy. Costco has a neat thing for my gardening friends: a rosemary plant that is trimmed in t...


August 16, 2016

Just a Quickie!

A quick entry, but thought you’d enjoy seeing my eldest son’s latest. His client asked for a dresser that was rustic yet sophisticated. He made this and the client was thrilled. She was ecstatic ...


I’ve been busy picking pineapples. I’ve pulled 22 so far (given away about 7 or 8) and all that is left are 6 small pineapples, but we have more plants that will probably be producing baby pineap...


Well, you’ve seen the “before” and “during”, so here is the “after” (flooring man and electrician not quite done, but our part, other than getting final inspection and getting that attractive dum...


But we’re fixing it. :) While I’ve often posted “before” and “after” pictures, I’m breaking with tradition by posting “before” and “during” shots. Usually I like to wait until the end of the job,...


March 25, 2016

Catching Up is Hard to Do

Sorry to be lax in writing. We’ve had a bit of an Easter uprising with a few people at church eye roll so I’m doing extra volunteer stuff on top of the new ministry of reaching out in concrete wa...


March 08, 2016

Ch-ch-ch-Changes…

Well, as most of you know, we’re going to do the work on kitchen remodel. To be honest, I never expected to get it. I was more concerned about making sure she didn’t get cheated, so I suggested ...


February 23, 2016

Gossip? Again?

Okay. I get it. From time to time, we ALL gossip to one degree or another. But sometimes, it just hurts. As most of you know, my son died of hyperthyroidism, possibly inherited, possibly triggere...


I come from an eclectic background. My father, a northeastern Italian, became quite successful in the 1950s and 60s. My mother, a third generation Florida Cracker, was born beautiful and dirt poo...


Just watched Downton Abbey and can only say the dinner table scene made me jump in my seat! I’m disappointed in the weak resolutions to storylines (Lady Mary’s blackmailer, Baxter’s non-confronta...


January 13, 2016

Lightening the Load

Not much happening in my life right now. I picked up a few SEO pages, but nothing much on the horizon. Instead, I am back on a downsize wagon. I swear we spend our first 50 years accumulating and...


December 31, 2015

2016? Already?

Hard to believe, but here it comes. I won’t be sorry to say good-bye to 2015 and the heartbreaks it delivered, first as we fought the devil for Nick’s addiction and then losing him to thyroid dis...


Book Description

The loss of a child, no matter what age, is devastating. It seems an insult to nature’s natural laws. This is my story of losing my son, Nicholas, at age 30 and the insights gained from the experience. It is written mostly for me, to try to make sense and put order to the chaos death leaves in its wake, but also written for others, that they might find healing in some of my perspectives. Grab a box of tissue. You’ll need it.