laboring under a dark and twisted star

Up too early after a fitful night of sweaty half-sleep.
Fortunately, I have a steaming mug of coffee to snap me out of the fog I'm in.
But, wait just a minute...my coffee tastes...strangely foul.
Upon checking the milk, I realize that our brand spanking new fridge - the one
we had to rush out and sell our souls to get after the old one died on one of the hottest
days of the year - is not working. On another of the hottest days of the year.
But while F#@* all annoying, this is not the worst thing that could happen.
And it is not, in fact, the worst thing that has happened today.

My oldest sister called this morning to tell me that my nephew had been having
dizzy spells, possibly related to some hypoglycemic issue.
A few days ago, as he was walking from the street to a friend's house, he fainted.
He fell straight backward, hitting only his head on the concrete curb.
His skull is fractured from the back of his head around to the orbit of his eye,
and there is another fractured area at the base of his brain.
There is bleeding in his brain, and blood and cranial fluid in one of his ears, and he has
lost the majority of his hearing, as well as his sense of smell.
He also has short term memory loss, speech issues,
and they are continuing to test for additional problems...

This is just devastating news for my entire family.
Even though it has been 21 years since my brother J's accident, the words 'brain injury'
still pack an enormous wallop, and bring back memories that are traumatic and sickening.

But, it's still early.
Who knows what the day will bring.


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