Anniverseries
They say time heals all.
Who are they? I would like to meet them.
We are coming up to the anniversery of my brother’s stomachache and subsequent cancer diagnosis.
This time last year he was all pumped up for summer.
“Thank God summer is here! Josh’s wedding. Nice weather. BBQing. Lis, everything will be better.” I was a little stressed about a new job. Joe was so excited you could feel it radiating off his face. It made me excited too.
A few days after that conversation, the sky caved in for our family.
But Joe never complained and he acted with grace, always.
After the meeting with the doctors I had to take the train back to New York. My face must have looked shattered. Joe grabbed me in a bear hug and said “Oh, Lis.” I think he was more worried about how his diagnosis would affect me.
Through all the treatments and apointments, Joe held open the hospital doors for me and my mom until he was too weak to do so. We would try to hold the doors for him, but he would insist on us going first.
His favorite song last summer was ‘We are Young’ by Fun. He knew it was a bit cheesy, it wasn’t Jay afterall. But he loved pumping it and smiling as he listened to it with his friends. Always smiling. He loved it when his guests stopped by. His friends were like his brothers and they never missed a thing. Through the pain and all the hurt, Joe never lost his smile.
xx
Joe’s Sister
