What is the most tragic thing you've ever had to deal with

[Big Bend]

Life can be very cruel at times. So many people take for granted all the good things they have, never knowing that it can be taken away at an instant.

For me, growing up my mother had brain cancer in the 70s. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation took their toll and she slowly got more and more frail. My father, raising 3 children, working full time, etc., did a great job taking care of his ailing wife.

But then 2 weeks after I got married, my father had a MASSIVE stroke (age 49) that left him with intense brain damage, half paralyzed, unable to speak ever again (aphasia), just totally ruined his life. Unfortunately, he would live 20 more years in nursing homes (would have been MUCH better if the stoke had killed him, oh the horror of it all). A few months after the stroke our mom died. Then my sister went into a tailspin with eating disorders that nearly killed her. That was a lot to deal with, to say the least.

Somehow my brother, sister and I got thru it all and today we're very healthy and close. But wow those days were quite horrific. We learned tho how important family is in dealing with tough times like these. And we also know that other people have problems even worse.

So, what huge scars do you have from past tragic events? How did you get thru it all? Any lessons learned?

L8r.. BB