Tuesday Talk

Happy Tuesday Girls!

 

It is ROUGH getting back into the groove of things after a two week spring break! 

 

 

The last few days I have been feeling pretty sad and heartbroken.  One of my dearest friends lost her husband over the weekend, and I am just completely heartbroken. 

 

When I moved to Charlotte 10 years ago, I was excited about what it was going to be like for our family, but I worried about making new friends, adjusting to a new place, you know all those things.  Well shortly after we moved into our house in Charlotte we got some new neighbors.  I remember peering through the windows checking them out, hoping it was a family with kids moving in.  I remember going outside, they were unloading their moving truck, and I introduced myself and I knew instantly Talia and I would become fast friends.  They had just moved from New York (I always love a fellow northerner)!  Her and her husband Brad were great people, and they had two children, and Brooke and her daughter were the same age and became fast friends also!  We eventually moved from that house, I went through a divorce, and our friendship never changed.  We would talk and text all the time, met for lunch, I could vent to her about what was going on in my life, and she was just always there for me.  She never judged, she was just my friend.  She was the first real, true friend I met in Charlotte and 10 years later, she is still one of my DEAREST friends.

 

I remember getting a phone call from her about 5 years ago, and she told me Brad was diagnosed with a very rare, terminal cancer, Myelofibrosis.  She was of course devastated, but she remained so positive and upbeat, they were going to fight this and win.  Over the last year or so, things got a little tougher, lots of doctor visits, ER visits, visits with specialists, and with that brought lots of stress, lots of medical bills, and even on the really tough days, she was still her witty, sarcastic self.  Her attitude, even when times were BAD, was so inspiring to me.  She always remained strong for Brad and her children. 

 

They were looking forward to leaving Charlotte early this summer and moving to Florida, they had always wanted to live here, (they are some pretty big Disney lovers)  and well I was super excited that we would share the same state again! 

 

Last week, like any other day, we were just texting like we pretty much do everyday, and she told me that Brad was having some headaches, bad ones, and they were heading to the ER, and she would keep me posted.  I really wasn't too worried for her, he had been to the ER a few times, and always was OK, so I just assumed that would be the case again, they would run a few tests, he would come home and all would be good....Oh God how I wish that is what happened.  She sent me a text saying he had a sub dural hematoma and was being transported to a different hospital...a procedure would be done within the next two days to drain and relieve the pressure.  It sounded bad, I was scared for her, but truly believed they would do this procedure and he would be OK.  They did the procedure, she once again texted me that it went well.  She was tired, worried and exhausted, but still kept her wittiness about her.  She really is a strong woman!  On Friday she told me there was more bleeding and it was pretty serious, a miracle was needed.  Saturday morning he was non responsive and taken to surgery, the bleed got worse.  I spoke with her after the surgery, and she told me their opinion was the surgery went well, they cleaned everything out, and they were just waiting for him to wake up.  Later that afternoon I received a text message from her that the bleeding didn't stop, and there was no more they could do, it was time to let him go.  I just stared at my phone, tears streaming down my face, why is life so unfair, and why do such horrible things happen to the best people?  My heart broke for her, I cannot even begin to imagine how she was feeling, having to say goodbye to her husband, her sweet children having to say goodbye to their father, I mean it sucks, it just really freaking sucks.  I spent the rest of the day feeling mad, angry, sad, such a mix of emotions.  Talia is strong, and I know she is going to get through this and be ok...that is just who she is.  The days are hard right now for her, her and her husband truly had an amazing love, they had a marriage and commitment to each other and to their children, that sadly you just don't see enough of these days.  I wish I could take some of her pain away, but I know that I can't. 

 

His cancer was terminal, but they never expected to lose him this soon.  With illness always comes huge expenses, and it truly does make me sick everything that is going on with healthcare these days (that rant can't wait for another day), and its awful that families have to worry about all this during such a trying time.  A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with the funeral costs for Brad, feel free to share it if you would like, you can find it here . 

 

Please keep Talia, and her children, Angie and Matt in your prayers over the next few days as they prepare to say their final good byes to the man they loved with all they had. 

 

Life is really so short, and tomorrow is never guaranteed for any of us.  I remember back when my mother in law was battling cancer, she had a sign in her kitchen that simply read "live for today...hope for tomorrow"...and that is really all we can do.  Make every day count, make sure your loved ones know you love them...never get too busy to forget to say I love you.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!