The numbness returns

Wednesday 7th February & Thursday 8th February

Yeah what can I say, its been one hell of a time for my family over the past 2 years, your just getting up from the last blow and then you steady yourself only to be hit again then again....

And well its happened again, another dose of bad news, my sister in law, Glenda, her brother David was found dead in his house in Hokitika on the west coast of NZ. He was 39 years old and died of a ruptured stomach ulcer, something in this day and age you would think is curable.

Many will remember meeting Dave at John and Glenda's wedding or at the lads christening. Dave was a friendly jolly guy, but was suffering badly from depression. he died of ailments that could of been treated and that saddens me to no end. He was a good brother, will be sadly missed in his home town who are still in shock, and will be missed by his sister, brother in law, nephews and me. Ill miss his visit to Oz every April that he made and we all looked forward to.

Depression is something that affects so many people and i think everyone in some way will experience varying degrees of depression at different times. But how do you ask for help? Especially if you are unaware that your suffering depression or if your not sure how depressed you actually are?? And even if you do ask for help, what sort of help is it? I recently picked up a postcard that had some tips to help with stress and depression, 'have a cup of tea', 'go for a walk' 'read a book', these must of replaced the postcards from the 50's that said 'take a bex and have a good lie down'. Seriously if you seen the picture and the rest of the coping methods no wonder people don't know how to cope when they are suffering from deep depression.

I don't have the answers, Its an illness that affects so many and I'm sad that David could not see past the depression he was in...

Some sites that tackle depression and are worth a look at include...

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/

http://www.reachout.com.au/

So yeah that was the news on Wednesday and as Johnny and Glenda rushed around trying to get passports for the twins more bad news arrived on Thursday.

My aunt in Chelsea, London, Dads sister Bridgie died after complications from major surgery that she had on the previous Monday. My aunt was a fighter, she had been fighting for years, after she had a failed kidney transplant years earlier (having had only been born with one kidney).

She had been undergoing dialysis for many years in the hope that she would be once again strong enough to try again for another kidney transplant. My aunt was a strong women in her day, many people liken me to her, she was my Dads younger and only sister. She never gave up hope that she would once again be strong enough to have another operation and live a healthy strong life.

Whenever any of us would travel to Ireland we would always stop off in London, stay with my aunt in Chelsea and spend time with her. She was great craic and she will be sadly missed by her three children and by all her family and friends. London is simply not the same without first the death of my uncle Pat and now my aunt.

So on Friday, my Dad flew to London to bury his sister in what can only be described as the longest journey to make under such cirrcumstances and my brother, Glenda and the twins flew to NZ. I'm so over death, I'm just numb at the thought of all the death in our family over the past couple of years, that brings the total to 6, and the scary thing is, most of been under tragic circumstances and not one of them was over 64. Makes you wonder!

So get out, be healthy, live your life to fulfil your dreams and desires, take chances and be happy with who you are... that's what Ive got planned.