A couple special visits in ND...

We went to the Veterans Cemetery where my brother, Christopher, is buried. We brought him flowers and spent some time with him. It was a very hard day for me, but I am so glad we went. I miss him terribly...His birthday was last week. He would have been 26 years old. I cannot believe it. It still feel like a bad dream most days, a cruel reality others. He passed away after fighting leukemia for nine months. He is my baby brother. I have felt him with me in many ways and on several occasions, as real as if he were standing next to me. He has been in my dreams, my thoughts, and he is still a big part of my life. I hated "visiting him" and yet not being able to see him. Being reminded that he is indeed gone from this life.




Before leaving Bismarck we stopped in and visited with my dear friends, the Schwarz family. I went to school with their daughters, Jessica and Stephanie. They both have MS, Jessica has other medical complications as well. I volunteered in Junior High to help Jessica during my free period and lunch. I fell in love with the "special needs" kids and soon had a job being an in-home health care attendant. Jessica was of course one of my first patients. A few of us volunteers went with the special ed class to Glacier National Park in High School. That was a trip I'll never forget! I also lived with her sister, Stephanie, for a while as her roommate. Stephanie was higher functioning and only needed a little assistance preparing meals and keeping house. Stephanie died a couple years ago. Jessica is doing well. It was very good to see her and her parents. You simply cannot work so closely with people like them and not become friends, and you simply cannot become friends with people like them and not have your life changed forever.