Funeral

richlevy · 01-16-2006, 07:40 PM

My wife's cousin died this weekend from brain cancer. He was recovering from his second operation, which was peformed two weeks ago on the day that his father was buried.

He was a nice guy, but I didn't get a chance to know him very well. We saw him and his family last summer at a birthday party. We had already decided to get back in touch after that, but when we went to call noone was ever home.

It turned out that about this time he was readmitted to the hospital. We didn't find out about it until a few weeks before his father passed.

I'm glad I did have an opportunity to see him at the party. It just goes to show that life is a collection of missed opportunities.

One of his children is pre-teen. The other is about 3 years old. At the party I handed my Nikon 8700 to the younger daughter and she ran around shooting pictures. It was probably a crazy thing to do, but thinking back on it now and remembering how much fun she was having, I'm glad I did it.

I don't know how you tell children that young about something like this. Since it has been at least two months since he was home, I'm trying to guess how she remembers him, and if she saw him in the hospital. She didn't seem affected by her grandfather's death, but it can't be too long before she understands that her daddy is gone.

Another odd thing is that the cemetary where the funeral will take place is one where I recently got funeral plots. These belonged to a family member who didn't want them and were transferred to us. My wife has not seen them yet and while we are there I will probably show them to her.

Between kidney stones and funerals, these past two weeks have really sucked.

wolf · 01-17-2006, 12:57 AM

My condolences on your wife's family's recent losses.

Griff · 01-17-2006, 05:49 AM

Sorry Man.

Undertoad · 01-17-2006, 06:04 AM

Quote:

I don't know how you tell children that young about something like this. Since it has been at least two months since he was home, I'm trying to guess how she remembers him, and if she saw him in the hospital. She didn't seem affected by her grandfather's death, but it can't be too long before she understands that her daddy is gone.

My father died when I was exactly that age, and I really only remember him from pictures. There are one or two very hazy memories. I was not "affected" by his death except that I think I knew something was very wrong because my mom cried for so long.

laebedahs · 01-17-2006, 08:05 AM

My cousins' father was killed a few years ago in a motorcycle accident. He has 3 daughters of different ages (can't remember their ages now). The young ones don't really seem affected (0-4/5), even around 9 it didn't seem to have much of an effect; however, the oldest one, who was about 15 at the time, you could definitely tell.

Clodfobble · 01-17-2006, 06:00 PM

My father-in-law died almost three years ago of brain cancer. What was absolutely astounding was how fast the whole thing happened. One day he was having trouble coming up with words, a few days later a nurse friend of the family suggested he see a neurologist, a few days after that he went in for surgery. Surgery actually makes things quite a lot worse for a while because of the swelling, but the theory is then they recover and bounce back. He never did. He didn't die however until a year later, from complications and unexplainable infections.

I'm really sorry for you and your wife, Rich, as well as his children.

xoxoxoBruce · 01-17-2006, 07:53 PM

Remember folks, hug your children often.
Sorry, Rich.

01-16-2006, 07:40 PM	#1
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Funeral My wife's cousin died this weekend from brain cancer. He was recovering from his second operation, which was peformed two weeks ago on the day that his father was buried. He was a nice guy, but I didn't get a chance to know him very well. We saw him and his family last summer at a birthday party. We had already decided to get back in touch after that, but when we went to call noone was ever home. It turned out that about this time he was readmitted to the hospital. We didn't find out about it until a few weeks before his father passed. I'm glad I did have an opportunity to see him at the party. It just goes to show that life is a collection of missed opportunities. One of his children is pre-teen. The other is about 3 years old. At the party I handed my Nikon 8700 to the younger daughter and she ran around shooting pictures. It was probably a crazy thing to do, but thinking back on it now and remembering how much fun she was having, I'm glad I did it. I don't know how you tell children that young about something like this. Since it has been at least two months since he was home, I'm trying to guess how she remembers him, and if she saw him in the hospital. She didn't seem affected by her grandfather's death, but it can't be too long before she understands that her daddy is gone. Another odd thing is that the cemetary where the funeral will take place is one where I recently got funeral plots. These belonged to a family member who didn't want them and were transferred to us. My wife has not seen them yet and while we are there I will probably show them to her. Between kidney stones and funerals, these past two weeks have really sucked. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

01-17-2006, 12:57 AM	#2
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	My condolences on your wife's family's recent losses. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

01-17-2006, 05:49 AM	#3
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Sorry Man. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

01-17-2006, 07:53 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Remember folks, hug your children often. Sorry, Rich. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

01-17-2006, 08:05 AM	#5
laebedahs Abecedarian Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 172	My cousins' father was killed a few years ago in a motorcycle accident. He has 3 daughters of different ages (can't remember their ages now). The young ones don't really seem affected (0-4/5), even around 9 it didn't seem to have much of an effect; however, the oldest one, who was about 15 at the time, you could definitely tell.

01-17-2006, 06:00 PM	#6
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	My father-in-law died almost three years ago of brain cancer. What was absolutely astounding was how fast the whole thing happened. One day he was having trouble coming up with words, a few days later a nurse friend of the family suggested he see a neurologist, a few days after that he went in for surgery. Surgery actually makes things quite a lot worse for a while because of the swelling, but the theory is then they recover and bounce back. He never did. He didn't die however until a year later, from complications and unexplainable infections. I'm really sorry for you and your wife, Rich, as well as his children.

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