Tuesday, February 8, 2011

A Love Note from My Little Brother

Brother was the latest in a series of marvelous SuziSitters who have come from far and wide to insure my safety and comfort.  The man hates to fly, never flies, G'ma even remembers that he doesn't fly, but bullet holes in his sister trumped his phobia and he allowed the FBI Victim's Compensation Fund to pay for his air travel.  He spent a week fixing and toting and caring and laughing.  He flew home through Dallas, which airport opened just so that he could make his connection to his girls back in Maryland.  After 5 days of home repairs and buttering toast all the way to the edges and filling G'ma's bowl with Kisses, he sent me this in an email.

Read on...... I think you'll see why I am the luckiest sibling in the world.

What I Learned This Week:

That getting perforated and filleted hurts.  A lot. 

That some nurses are much better than others.
 
That it is good to have “Chief” on your doctor’s name tag.

That you should write thank you notes to everybody.

That after imagining all the cruel and unusual and medically useful things you could do with a  madman, you still, afterwards, have to live with yourself.

That PTSD treatment is helpful for some things and not others.

That exit wounds are uglier than entry wounds.

That nerves regenerate and it is scary to watch..

That cardio exercise, weight bearing exercise, yoga and Pilates can save your life

That scissors are in Aisle 5.

That if you ask for help, people will.

That even the most patient loving person I know has limits.

That it hurts when you reach those limits with your mom.

That even in your 6th decade, you need your mommy.

That some things make no sense.

That it hurts to lose a good friend.

That some people don’t like to fix things and some people do.

That assemble-at-home hospital potties should come with better instructions.

That it’s good to be on a great team.

That some friends are unimaginably wonderful.

That the First Lady has real class and respect for Americans.

That the First Grandmother should write a book so others can learn how to raise a girl with real class.

That the President knows how to make somebody in need feel really good.

That you will have nightmares and you will be very glad each day you see the sun rise.

That it’s wrong that somebody will write Christmas cards to a son while somebody else’s little girl is in the cold ground.

That when visiting in the high desert, you should check your shoes for scorpions.

That you’ll remember the name of the nurse who saved your sister’s life.

That you can drive the little red car if you want.

That nobody really knows what to do with a box of used sharps.

That everybody should take a first aid course.

That 3 years followed by 3 more years of trials is not the main focus of the future.

That some news teams are better than others.

That the Director of the FBI has lousy handwriting.

That a space ship pilot has my sister’s phone number in his cell phone.

That Bonnets and Stems does not sell flowers.

That taking over your mom’s business that’s been in the same location for 23 years is better than a computer job.

That zippy new sports cars are more fun to drive than old compact commuter cars.

That Arizona oranges are beautiful and tasty.

That hugs are good, but I already knew that.

That big sisters are special.  Especially mine.
*******
He's really quite wonderful, isn't he?

11 comments:

  1. I smiled and cried at the same time. So lovely and poignant. What a great brother and family you have.

    Megan xxx

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  2. Brought a tear to my eye. What a sweet brother. And by the length of his list, he sure did learn a lot that week with you, but I'm guessing he always knew the last one.

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  3. He is quite wonderful. Seems that G'ma did a pretty good job of raising her children, too...

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  4. Wonderful, yes! Runs in the family...

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  5. Spectacular! I'm guessing you'll keep this one in your pocket for inspiration. He sounds pretty special.

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  6. Thanks, Girls :)

    We were never a family that said "I Love You" easily. We admired and appreciated one another but love... well, that was always a bit more elusive. But watching him sit in the comfy living room chair, concern dripping from every pore, totally engrossed and absorbed and appalled with what had befallen his Big Sister, well, things were quite different this time.

    Getting shot is probably not the easiest way to extract a love poem from your little brother, but it sure does go a long way toward healing the wounds.
    a/b

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  7. Well, he sure learned some cool and beautiful things because of a horrific tragedy. Lucky you to have such a great guy for a brother! :) And he flew for you. Wow!

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  8. What a treasure - your brothere AND his email.

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  9. As one of the few men who read your blog you are an extremely fortunate women to be graced by so many caring and loving people around you. I truly believe President Obama when he told you that there are more good people in this world than bad ones and when word got out that Christina Taylor would say we live in a great country everyday to her mom and it was not construed as schmaltzy. Both you and Christina Taylor have taught this 54 year old heart transplant recipient the true meaning of life. (True friendship between two people of any age, loyalty, love, and family. ) Thank you Suzi. Sending positive vibes for a speedy recovery. God Bless you and your family.

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  10. Lists... as I said for 9th's post are good things. I should call the brothers I have left while I can.

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  11. He's another awesome member of your very, very awesome family. And a wonder!

    Nerve regeneration. Might as well be re-named nerve nuclearization.

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