I've just gone through (actually am still going through) the most agonizing week of my life. My uncle suffered a stroke at the age of 54. He was not married, had no kids. My brother and I were like his sons. He didn't have a will, did not assign a health proxy and assigned no one power of attorney.
I live in California but my family is in New York where I grew up. An emergency last minute flight from Southern California to Upstate New York is not cheap, direct or easy in the first place, let alone when you are racing the clock to see your dying uncle.
We've been watching him slowly slipping away day by day as his condition worsened. All while scrambling to figure out how to make decisions, what decisions to make, taking after his dog and his house and his bills and countless other things. Unfurling someone elses day to day obligations all while watching them fight for their life is true misery.
We tried to coax my uncle to make these arrangements for years. He was stubborn, and didn't like taking "orders" from anyone. He would have never knowingly caused us so much anguish. I love my uncle so much. I know it would tear him up to know that this experience is heart-breaking and pure chaos rolled into sadness, anger and absolute befuddlement. His hard-earned money will be dilluted by court fees, attorney fees, late fees and who knows what else.
If you have a relative in this same boat, or you yourself don't have any arrangements, please tell them my story, and tell them there are real consequences to to this neglect.
I loved my uncle and he loved all of us. He never meant to do this to us - I truly believe that. But for God's sake, this has been the most painful week of my life.
Submitted September 29, 2018 at 07:43PM by Snifro https://ift.tt/2DEJTVx
