Rick

My brother Rick was diagnosed with melanoma 16 months ago. He had a piece cut off his shoulder and was doing pretty good. This past summer he was getting headaches and the diagnosis was brain tumors. He fought really hard and suffered so much. Last Saturday night he had my mom and dad take him to the hospital because his stomach was hurting so bad. He had a hole in his intestine caused by the cancer and when they opened him up to operate, it was in his liver and lungs. My biggest regret through all of this is that on Sunday night I left the hospital and he was alone that night. He had a very restless night and when we found that out, he was not left alone after that. The nurse was in the room most of the night comforting him, but I wish I would have been there. Rick was a bachelor and had three brothers and three sisters and 19 nieces and nephews (that is with only three of his siblings with kids!). He was strong and independant and it was very difficult to see him unable to help himself. He would moan and say "turn" so we would turn him on his back and give him a back rub. Very seldom was there not at least two or three people with him, usually many more. By the last couple of days, his speech was not understandable. But, the day he died, I was holding one hand and my sister was on the other side of the bed and my nephew was beside me. He looked at my sister and said something (I can't remember) clearly, then at my nephew and said "hey Buddy". He looked at me and I said "I love you Rick" and he looked right back and clear as a bell said "I love you too". It was such a horrible time, but there were many wonderful things happening also. We were blessed that he had an incredible group of nurses and doctors who went out of their way to make Rick comfortable, and his family too. Also, and this is the best part, he came back to the Sacraments after a long absence. This was the most difficult thing I have ever been through and I cannot imagine how hard this is on my parents to lose a child.