uncle update

He got to enjoy three days out of the hospital, with actual food. (And complained the whole time: the friends he stayed with didn’t serve him eggs, then when they took him home to his own apartment and was poaching one, same friend called to check how he was “and he had to eat it standing at the stove because the guy wouldn’t take a hint and hang up”. Yeesh. Caring friends are such a trial.) Now he’s back in the hospital. They may remove his gall bladder; however, first they’ve taken out the drain from it to check. If it works well enough on its own, they will put that surgery off and start him on chemo. This cancer is so aggressive that it’s best not to put that off, if possible.

Speaking of caring friends, I was impressed at all the friends of my brothers’ who commented on my uncle’s blog. But I am amazed and gratified and humbled by the people who, having seen links here and in my LJ, have kept going back and commenting again, offering encouragement. I think my uncle is a little bewildered by it; I don’t think he’s familiar enough with the Internet to have seen its best facet of all, the one where strangers come together to offer support when it’s needed, just because it’s needed. But I know what I’m seeing, and I appreciate it.

I see a lot of posts where people say they have the best friends evar. That’s not what I want to say. I’m not particularly good at making friends; I’m good at making acquaintances and sometimes I’m lucky enough to have those ripen into friends. But also, I don’t think the people who are commenting there are doing it out of friendship for me. I think they’re doing it because they see a need, because they (you) are the sort of good, decent and caring people who do what they don’t have to do because they can. And I am honored to be acquainted with or friends with that sort of person.