Life gets in the way...

There's so much to blog about, with the US election days away and the Republican clown-car/horror-show drama in the news daily. It's been difficult to decide what to blog about: Republicans purging Democrats from the voter lists, Republicans claiming the misspelling of "Obama" on ballots as "Osama" was a typo, Republican racists using the word "nigger" at McCain rallies...

But I've been short the time or energy to blog.

Three weeks ago, as my family was planning the usual 20-person Thanksgiving weekend dinner, my brother-in-law had a stroke. He had been ill with cancer (terminal), but this was unexpected. He made some good progress in hospital, regaining movement on his right side. But Thursday he took a turn for the worse. He passed away Sunday.

I've spent some time in the hospital over the past few weeks, and although you don't have to look too hard to see the flaws in our health care system, I am grateful, once again, to be living in Canada and not the US. Maybe I'd have forgotten that if McCain wasn't in the headlines daily, claiming the American health care system is the best in the world. When you go to see someone in the hospital, you should be thinking about how to care for that person, not how to pay for the care.

I'm grateful for the kindness of the nurses at the Scarborough Hospital. A friendly face makes all the difference when you and a loved on are dependent on their care.


Now there's a hole in my heart. It's easy to regret not having spent more time with Ian. He was one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

There are no prayers. I came to terms with religion long ago (in another hospital, in fact). What is religion if you only pray when you need something? For myself, I'm ok with the idea that there is no afterlife, that when my time is up, that'll be it. It's more for others that I hope there's something more. Ian deserves more than this.

Taken from us too soon. We love you, Ian.