________ ________ ________
2019-07-01 / \/ \/ / \
/ __/ /_ _/
My uncle passed away last night. It was a / _/ / /
long time coming, he'd struggled with \_______/_\___/____/\___/____/_
alcoholism most of his life and it caught up / \/ \/ / \
with him a few years back, manifesting as / _/ /_ _/
dementia and who knows what else. My /- / _/ /
grandmother took him in and my sister and \________/\________/\___/____/
brother-in-law went to great lengths to make
sure they both had everything they need.
My extended family is small, you can count the good ones on one hand and
it's only ever those good ones we seem to lose.
When I was a teenager and dad had drifted away after the divorce, I was
left with no father-figure and it was around that time he came to stay with us
a while. I forget the circumstances, I know he went through a pretty horrible
divorce too so it might have been around then, it doesn't matter I suppose;
all I know is he stayed with us for a while and we grew pretty close.
Afterwards we grew more distant but that's mostly my doing, keeping everyone
at arm's length.
I'm sad he's gone but also glad, he was trapped in a prison of his own
making and, regardless of whether you believe he's gone to a better place or
just stopped living, now he's set free.
My grandmother has been in bad health the last few years, too. We almost
lost her earlier this year but she pulled through, now it's looking grim again
but caring for my uncle gave her purpose and kept a family member close.
Now with his passing she's alone and that's what I'm struggling to carry.
She has other kids that drift in and out, she has my sister and brother-in-
law who will keep close, but in those moments when they aren't around she has
no reason to fight and one to fight for her when she won't fight for herself.
I feel like I'm mourning two deaths today, one just hasn't happened yet.
