Maura's Mom,

  Hi, my name is Kim and I have Buster. I can relate to what you are going through... Buster has been doing well up until his lung mets diagnoses before Xmas, and my brother in law has just passed away on 12/31 rather tragically at the age of 39 and leaves behind children. My mother is living with my sister, since she is no longer capable of living on her on. I can truly say 08 has been one of the darkest years in my life. Ever since Busters cancer diagnoses in March and my mother being hospitalized in Aug...now my little nephew , without  a father.

When things like this happen you do have to ask yourself, " Why"? I don't know what type of faith you believe in and in times like these you wonder what type of God or higher being would cause all this pain in our lives? However, it is precisely why you have to stay hopeful and keep the faith. I know all this compounded can cause depression and a why bother attitude, at least from my perspective. At my brother in laws funeral mass, the priest states you have to remain hopeful even when you are surrounded by all this pain. This is the only true thing we can control in this life, is our outlook.

Buster is still here, I cherish every single day & minute with him. He is just happy being outside. Breathing in the fresh air and basking in the sun. If anying good comes of this, I can honestly say I know his end was near and am making it the best final chapter ever. Unlike my brother in law, I never got to say Goodbye or tell him how much I loved him.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, please know there is support here. You are not alone. It is always darkest before the dawn...

Kim & Buster