Hi all, sorry I haven't been around in a while. I've been ridiculously busy.

I need your kind thoughts and prayers. This past weekend I had to rush to Arizona to visit my grandmother, who is in the hospital with pneumonia and a bad heart, and will not be with us much longer.

I got back and my week got worse... much worse.

As some of you may know, my mother has been battling alcoholism for a long time, and has not responded to rehab, interventions, hospital visits, losing her job, losing her car... Her health has been getting progressively worse over the last few months, too.

My brother and I were going to go over to see her on Wednesday to see her and try to help her one more time, to at least make sure her health problems were being dealt with, if nothing else.

Wednesday afternoon, about an hour before we were supposed to meet at her house, I got a phone call... A call I've been afraid was coming for a long time.

My mom lost the battle. She died some time Wednesday morning. My brother's friend, who was renting a room from her, found her when he got up that morning.

I'm glad she's finally at peace. I'm glad she's not suffering any more. This still sucks. This still hurts like hell.

Please keep her, me, and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

May her memory be eternal.