praying

As the last hour of Thanksgiving Day ticks, I feel myself being more thankful for my family now, more than ever. 

Last Fall my brother underwent brain surgery to remove a benign tumor on his pituitary.  It was in the smack-dab middle of his brain and they had to go up through his nose to remove the tumor.  At the same time, he was diagnosed with diabetes and vertigo, making his health now even worse.  His tumor came back about six months ago, so they put him on anti-tumor pills, but his sinus infections seem to trigger his vertigo, making most days unbearable for him to even get out of bed.

I'm not religious, but I find myself praying for my brother with every day that passes.

Today, I'm going to pray even harder.

My brother called to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving and update me on his life.  We don't really talk much over the phone (mainly because he's too sick to talk for extended periods of time), so any communication we have is via text message or email.  It was nice to hear his voice though.  I haven't seen him since last Christmas, and I really missed him at Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

Anyway, tonight as he was updating me on school, work and health, he mentioned he will be getting another surgery in late January.  This time it's to help alleviate his meniere's disease.  While the surgery has a 70% success rate, it could also permanently make him deaf. 

It's all overwhelming and I'm barely processing all of it.  Mainly because I don't want to process any of it.  I hate seeing my brother so sick.  He's supposed to be the strong one in the family.

Today, I'm thankful that my brother's are still with me.  I'm thankful for quality time together, for laughing with them, for making jokes (and being the butt of them) and for all of our childhood memories that I'll carry with me to my grave.  Today, more than every, I'm thankful that I have the two best brothers in the world, even if we don't have the best relationship, even if we aren't that close.

Be thankful for your family, your friends and everything you've experienced in your life ... because you never know when it will be taken away from you.