Some of the UP folks may have noticed that I haven't been around for the past week or so. Unfortunately, my beloved wife, Amara, passed away yesterday from an interstitial lung disease. The lung disease scars the lungs progressively until there's no working lung tissue. It's an insidious, progressive disease, and most victims have a life expectancy of 3-5 years after diagnosis. Amara lived about 4 years after her diagnosis. She passed quietly and with dignity. Wednesday was the hardest day of my life.
I'm fortunate that her son, my stepson, recently immigrated (legally) to the U.S., and we've been consoling each other as we deal with our grief. It's extremely difficult to deal with such a loss, coming home, and having an empty bed as you fall into a restless sleep. So far, we're dealing with it. The funeral is Monday and I know that's going to be a difficult day.
My stepson and I have been fortunate too, because we have a wide support group of friends and family.
The hardest part is dealing with all the legal b.s. We thought we had more time so we didn't address those matters.
My advice is to enjoy every day you can with your loved ones. Life is too short. Don't put off having the difficult conversations. I didn't want to depress Amara with paperwork and legal concerns and now I'm going to pay for that avoidance. Take care of that today!
I know we're going to survive this ordeal, but it does change your perspective. Cherish each day folks!
