tears

Last Friday my Uncle Bobby, aka Dr. Robert E. Reisman, passed after a brief, intense bout with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. Though he was 80, my uncle still worked; he was a very well respected--and well loved--allergist. He was also one of the kindest, gentlest, steadiest and most unfailingly compassionate human beings it's ever been my privelege to know.

A brief obit notice here, with, so far, 19 pages of guest book condolences (which made me cry). 

My aunt and cousins are sitting Shiva this week. My Dad, in a nursing home up in the unfamiliar to him wilds of Downeast Maine, is in shock at this sudden and unexpected loss of his younger brother--who has been a rock for my Dad. I feel so sad for him, and for my aunt and cousins--especially my aunt. She and my uncle had been together since high school.

(This loss has also, predictably I guess, opened the vein of my own failed family issues--my cousins' family is so solid and there for each other--and brought the lovely 'I'm a pointless failure' monologue to the surface. I've pretty well punted that, but the sad, and the crying off and on, continue--which is totally fine and proper.)

To a lovely man who took great care of his family and had compassion for all.