Dear So and So

[indysteel]

Dear Facebook,

Thank you for helping my extended family communicate so much more easily during this difficult time. It's terrible to lose a family member under any circumstances, but at least we can all "virtually" be together and share our sadness and love from wherever we are with greater ease now. Technology can indeed bring people together.

I'm not sure of the details, Emily, but you and your family have my sympathy.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm not sure of the details, Emily, but you and your family have my sympathy.

Thanks Indy. It's my uncle, my father's brother. He's been in the ICU for two weeks with multiple organ failure, and his immediate family decided yesterday to withdraw life support. He's still alive, but unconscious and receiving only a morphine drip. They don't expect him to live another week. I was holding out hope for a slow recovery for him until just recently, so this is very sad news.

It's been heart-wrenching for his family and even though I hadn't seen him much in recent years, very sad for me as well. He was a good man, and having lost my own dad, I so feel for his son, my cousin; and of course my uncle's wife and siblings (my other uncle and aunt) as well. It has really helped me to be able to keep in touch with them all via Facebook since I am so far away and telephoning is difficult.

It's so awful when things like this happen at the holidays.

[channlluv]

It's really sad when the first sibling of a generation passes, especially if they are close to their brothers and sisters. My thoughts are with your family.

Roxy

[indysteel]

So sorry, Emily. What a gut wrenching decision it must have been to withdraw life support. My prayers are with you and your family.

[Crankin]

Sorry, Emily. It must be hard not to be there.

[spokewench]

(((Emily))) - Sorry to hear about your uncle.

[ultraviolet]

Thanks for the concern, Beth and Roxy.

I set up a folder to route her email into, so at least it's not pinging my phone any longer. Part of why I was so disturbed was that she dug around online enough to unearth an email address that I only use for one very specific purpose (communication with recruiters), and it's not an address that I've given to any of my friends. To get this one, she would have had to do some pretty deep Google searching. (She continued sending me emails after the ones that prompted me to post here. 14 total so far, though nothing since yesterday morning, so maybe she's given up since I refuse to engage.)

I have told my ex, and apparently he's been getting a barrage of emails from her as well. He's cut off communication, now that he realizes she's obsessed in an unhealthy way. And neither one of us is frequenting any of the neighborhoods where he would occasionally meet her for coffee...just in case. I was actually with him reviewing some upcoming project work heading our way when I received her first email. I just didn't know at the time that her initial bizarre communication had anything to with him. We now meet for our working sessions in a neighborhood where neither of us live.

I just don't understand the crazy, obsessive thing. I know women who have done some silly things where men are concerned, but tracking down ex-girlfriends and telling them you want to befriend them? Really?

[emily_in_nc]

It's really sad when the first sibling of a generation passes, especially if they are close to their brothers and sisters. My thoughts are with your family.

Roxy

Thanks Roxy. Actually, my uncle is the second sibling of four in his generation to pass away. My dad was the first, back in 2005. It was a very difficult time on all of us, but it did bring our family closer together. This is the second brother of three, and the one sister. So for the two left, they've lost two brothers now. So sad for them!

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.

[azfiddle]

Emily, just sending another virtual hug. Even when it is the right thing to do, being given the responsibility to decide to end life support Canberra heart-wrenching.

[OakLeaf]

(((((Emily))))) Thinking of you - such a tough time.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, just sending another virtual hug. Even when it is the right thing to do, being given the responsibility to decide to end life support Canberra heart-wrenching.

Thanks -- but if I made it sound like I had any part in this decision, I didn't mean to. It was my uncle's wife and son who made the decision together. I am on the sidelines but feeling their pain, and of course the sadness over losing an uncle I loved.

[azfiddle]

I understood you were not part of the decision- was just thinking about the big picture.

[Owlie]

(((Emily and family)))

Dear ibuprofen:
Can you actually kick so that I can sleep? That would be nice.

[bmccasland]

Dear blood vessels in my head,
Why today of all days did you decide to freak out? I'm sure you know that when you do, you cause a migraine. I had plans early this morning - really, getting up before dawn to join a group listening for owls is fun. You would have liked morning fresh air. But noooo, you decide to freak out. We don't like migraines.

Dear rest of body - don't worry, we have nice warm flannel lined jeans to test this afternoon and we'll head down to the beach in the late afternoon for a private bird watching walk.

[indysteel]

Feel better soon, Beth!!!