Blood is Blood

Family is an important thing. Without family, some people wouldn't be who they are today.

I have a brother. One Brother, at thirty three years of age.
He has estranged from the family from a huge debacle years ago that I'm still very unsure on details about, all I really know was that trust was broken and he left.

One thing he did was stay in touch with me and my little sister, T.
We don't judge him. Sure he's made bad choices, but that doesn't stop him from being our brother. He knows where he stands with us.

For years we would hardly hear from him (at least, I would) and we'd catch up and have a bit of fun but it would still be a few months before word would come from him again.
That's my only problem with him. Not much of a problem, because I'm not one to miss people. I know they'll come back one way or another, or that they'll be fine where they are.

He's made some bad decisions as I mentioned. Drugs are a big thing. They've played a big part of his life for quite a long time.
Last time I saw him, he was hitting them pretty hard.
But he had his head on straight. He knew his place. He looked after those he saw in a good view, which was a lot of people, and especially his family.
When his son came around, he tried to keep in contact. He wanted to have something to do with him. He tried and tried, but the mother wouldn't have a bar of it at all.
He even tried to contact him the other week when he started cleaning up. He contacted the grandmother and said "Look, if you don't want to give me a number, then fine. But I'd really like to see him."
Unfortunately, some people are subborn asses.

He called me tonight.
We had a good chat for about 2 hours.
He's currently in hospital.

Two years ago a few accidents happened with his ankle, such as rolling it on a wrecked gutter and having a pallette mover ram into it. Since then, he has had pain shooting up his leg. For the past week he hasn't been able to sleep because the pain is so unbearable.
Within those two years, he has had to invoke all sources of money he had available to him, along with his superannuation and selling most of his prized possessions, because work cover continually fucked him around.
The hospital had a look at it and believe it's nerve damage.

Unrelated yet still importantly, a few weeks ago he stopped smoking. Weeks before that he stopped doing drugs.
About a week ago, he started coughing up blood. By his estimation, he would expell about 2 cups of blood every morning from coughing.
He went in to see the doctors and was there for 3 days, having liquids pumped into his lungs, cameras threaded through and other various tests and experiments put towards him.
Doctors aren't sure what's he has, but they know that it's not Cancer. They also believe that Blood Clots may form in his lungs.

He discharged himself under the arrogance of "I don't give a fuck".
Eventually, he worked his way to a friends place. Police pulled him over and wanted to collect his car. He was unaware of his licence being revoked and the Police were forcing the issue.
With the lack of sleep, consistant and nagging pain from his leg, and plenty of stress built up in him, he blacked out after one of the officers caught him very off guard.

My brother was trained in martial arts. Ju-jitsu when he was younger. Anything else he has learnt is unknown to me.
He was also a body builder. He's not a big man. He's smaller than I am in just about every way. His muscle build is what makes him different.

So when my brother came to, he wasn't in a good position and neither was the policeman.

He told everyone that he had medical problems and gave information for his Psychologist who was promptly called.
His medical information was also forwarded on to the Psychologist and his Psychiatrist as well, who placed him in a private mental hospital under medical surveillance.

So he called me tonight to tell me this, and to catch up. He isn't sure of whether or not he'll survive the next three weeks that he's in hospital or not. Unfortunately, nobody is sure.

I love my brother.
Although I hardly see him, and through all his bad mistakes, he's still my brother.
It'll be sad if he goes.