Rogue VooDoo's blog: "VooDoos' Words"

 O'kay...  I guess that it is about time for me to do my annual blog on the holidays. This holiday season is a bit more meaningful than the past few have been. I always experience a serious bout of depression during the holidays.  I lost my brother in law to cancer and my father and my step mother both passed away within eight months of each other a few years ago. I realise that I have been selfishly begrudging the holidays since and have been a down right SCROOGE. I guess I just handle things poorly. But, I'm doing my best to break out of this cycle. I have a very close friend here on fubar that is going through some difficult and trying times. Her mother's health is declining due to cancer.  I posted a comment onto her profile saying that she needs to spend this holiday season creating memories. Doing so will help her to get through these trying times, but it will also affect those that are closest to her; giving them lasting and cherrished memories of her inner strength. I think I need to practice what I preach...

 I live with two of my brothers in our family home. I've been attempting to care for my older brother. He has end stage emphysema and C.O.P.D.. This disease is a slow killer. But, his health has been declining more rapidly in recent months. On top of that, he has a skin cancer that is centered just under his right eye and is spreading up into his lower eye socket. I took him to see a plastic surgeon last week that is wanting to do a biopsy. I know from past experience that once oxygen reaches the cancer cells, they just seem to explode through out the body. So, I've got this on my mind all of the time. My own health has been on the decline as well. Type 2 diabetes and all of the bells and whistles that go along with it. I've done good in controlling it, though. I was hospitalised last March for pancreatitis. While there I weighed in at a whopping 390 pounds. Well, I've last 40 pounds since just cutting sugar from my diet and watching what I eat. But, damn it, I can't drink my rum any more! 

 Any way, I realise that I need to concentrate more on the impression I am leaving on the younger members of my family. I have two nephews locally that I love dearly and I don't want them remembering their U.B. (Uncle Brian) as a crotchety old Scrooge. 

So, I say to you ~ my fellow fubar-ians: Count your blessings, pray for your loved ones and have a joyful and memorable holiday season. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! A Joyous Kwanza! Feliz Navidad y prospero ano y felicidad!