That's a wonderful thing, amyth. ETA: That she has family everywhere, engaged and willing to support. So many vibes for you and her and the nephew for strength and courage.

((((amyth))))

And tell your middle brother, "If you can't be upset when your husband is in a coma and almost certainly dying, when can you be?"

Oh, man. {{{{{amyth}}}}} I'm glad to see an update from you, but I'm so sorry the news is so bleak.

Kate said this beautifully.

I am really glad she has family that is close in terms of miles and in terms of emotions. Really, that is so helpful during times like this.

My thoughts are with them and with you, my dear. And I am really glad you are posting, even with sad news.

Oh, amyth. (((amyth))) VERY MUCH ~ma for your entire family. And I hope the surgery goes well for you next week.

{{{amyth}}}

amyth, I am so, so sorry to hear all of this. Much strength to you and your SIL and family.

And I will HAPPILY thwap your middle brother with a large skillet for you. Major compassion FAIL.

What Erin said. And Ima line up behind her for a turn with the skillet.

I mean, I'm sure he's feeling lost, too, but he doesn't have to be an asshole about it. wrod.

Wishing you and your family strength, amyth.

Book~ma, Barb, and happy launch day.

Shir, you're such a star! Let us know how it goes. I hope they make real changes as a result of your campaigning.

Tel Aviv city council member just emailed me about Hollaback Israel, asking to meet with me and talk about how to make the streets of Tel Aviv-Yafo safer to women. With laws and whatnot.

This is excellent. It's great to feel you're making a difference.

Thanks, y'all. So much.

Ah, my middle brother. So funny, so charming, so smart, and by far one of the most self-involved people I have ever met. He's amaaaaayzing. I've learned not to expect anything from him over the years, but he still manages to surprise me.

I'm know that he's in a lot of pain over this. He and my other brother grew up together, whereas there's a seventeen-year gap between me and them. Just his way of dealing with it is so foreign to me. It's like he only perceives it through the lens of how it will affect him: his own mortality and how he has planned for retirement, whether or not S. will come out of the coma and be able to interact with him and make the trip somehow "worth it," how the phone conversations with my SiL are stressing him out because she gets upset. It never even occurs to him that there is an entire family in pain that might benefit from him going to New York, or that there is a tiny part of our brother that might perceive him coming to visit, even in the depths of his coma. (Or even that he himself would get something out of seeing S. one more time even if he isn't conscious; I know I did.)

As always with him, I just gotta let it go. Let. It. Go.