The Ugly
Again, this year wasn’t ALL bad, but the ugly really seemed to outweigh everything else in the end.
- While at my first trip since my failed vaca/conference in 2022, I lost a young cousin this year, likely due to a combination of possibly Covid and heart troubles. We haven’t spoken in some time due to life, but I certainly had good times in the past with them. Gone way too soon at the age of 40. This hit me hard, as I grew up with them and it just wasn’t expected that someone so young could be lost. At Funeral #2. RIP Joseph.
- As the year progressed, things seemed like they were finally calming down, until August. One day I woke up, and still half asleep, opened up the email on my phone. On great, a silent key announcement from the ham club. Sadly, this isn’t unusual for the ham hobby due to the demographics, but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when the email should have been FROM Jim AJ3DI, our club president, yet was ANNOUNCING that indeed, Jim Fisher, AJ3DI, had passed. How can someone so full of life, energy, and piss and vinegar go?? This event seemed to set the stage for the rest of the year, and I was truly devastated. I reflected on his passing several times since, and realized that it hit me hard as he was really the first close friend that I’ve lost to death in my life. Funeral #3 was hard.
- Family Health issues: While I don’t want to dive into too much detail, just a few short weeks later, my family suddenly experienced a rash of major health problems, somehow excluding myself (not entirely, but AGAIN – BLESSED) What originally was thought to be minor issues turned into a 3 month nightmare. While I was super busy at work and just trying to keep up with life, I suddenly found myself having to deal with extreme grief and anxiety, the possibility of losing a parent, having to drive people to doctors appointments, hospital visits, dealing with ERs, doctors, insurance, rehabs, and everything in between. A planned vacation was cancelled, a work conference was cancelled. Holidays came and went, and ongoing visits to see my dad seemed that each one could be the last. Notable moments included an ER front desk that was too busy refreshing Facebook on their phone to tell me where my dad was, to having the nurses and doctors insist it was time to bring in hospice.
In the end, I’m BLESSED. The day after Christmas, I got to drive my dad HOME for the first time since September, and he seems to be doing well and recovering. I can’t even type this without getting emotional. I BROUGHT MY DAD HOME.
In Closing
I know many people have had life way harder than I have, especially over the last few years. I’m thankful for what I have; my house, the people around me, and my health, but this year has certainly done a doozy on me. I know 2024 will continue to be a challenge, as while my dad did come home, he will continue to need help, and other family members are still struggling. I’m looking forward to possibly getting back into my hobbies a bit more, and taking more time for myself in 2024. At least I hope.
I hope everyone that reads this has the best in love, luck, and life in 2024, and hope you have great health and prosperity.