Hello, followers. And by followers I mean the five of you that seem to like what I have to say.

I’m going to come out and be honest with you – I’m a wee bit inebriated. I’m not much of a drinker anymore, so a generous half glass of wine has me seeing sounds and hearing colors.

Loss, or rather, impending loss, is a funny thing. I see loss of pets (which to some people, are family members) every single day. But the impending loss of a human family member is something completely different. It is a whoooooole ‘nother ball game. An in-law of mine is dying – cancer is a nasty thing. I have helped diagnose pets with cancer… that is hard enough in itself. I have never really been close to the loss of a human life. I have been “lucky” in that sense. I lost my grandfather on my mom’s side 20 years ago and that is pretty much it. My husband is so devastated by this impending loss and I don’t quite know what to do for him. I always know what to do for people with the loss of their pet, their “fur baby”, but I do not know what to do for my husband.

The outcome of this cancer is bleak – a month left to live would be generous. It’s more like weeks to live. How does one support someone who is watching their loved one die? I know what to do when it’s a dog, cat, or horse that’s dying. I do not know what to do when it is a human.

I give huge props to human nurses. It takes a special kind of person to support someone that is dying. It takes a special kind of person to be there, to be the liason between doctor, patient and family of the patient. I couldn’t do it. People often compare human nurses to vet techs and quite frankly, they’re not the same thing. Not even remotely close.

Human nurses, I salute you. I dread the day that I have to suffer a close family loss. Losing an in-law will be hard enough.