10 Comments

• 1. Suzie&hellip  |  December 28th, 2007 at 12:19 am

  Oh, Julie,

  I’m so sorry to hear about your Uncle Chuck’s passing. Please don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m sure your uncle understands, we have all been there. I wish I could take away your pain. It looks as if you and your uncle were close. Again, I’m sorry for your loss.

  Suzie

• 2. Cel&hellip  |  December 28th, 2007 at 6:03 am

  I’m so sorry for your loss. I’m sure millions of us have done this very thing, unfortunately. As was said, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s already hard to deal with pain of losing someone-guilt makes it worse!

  2 things to remember:
  1) You are the owner of a VERY successful business that I’m SURE he was proud of you for.
  2) He certainly wouldn’t want you beating yourself up.

  Thank you for all you do….and for posting this tender part of your heart AND the wonderful pictures!

• 3. Pat Moore&hellip  |  December 28th, 2007 at 10:12 am

  Julie, so sorry to hear of your Uncle’s passing. I agree with the other posts. We have all done this, my uncle passed last year and it was the very same thing. I didn’t call because what do you say; I didn’t visit because there’s always tomorrow. I was torn with guilt (and almost didn’t attend the funeral since I was so ashamed), but after the funeral I spent the night with his wife and learned that he often spoke highly of me and was so sick he wouldn’t have known I was even there. Hopefully your pics and writing will give you comfort.

• 4. Gina&hellip  |  December 28th, 2007 at 10:22 am

  I am very sorry for your loss, I have been there 3 years ago Dec 5th my Dad lost his battle with Cnacer it’s a diease I hate and I don’t like to use the word hate because of it being a very strong word My dad battled for 6 years but we traveled and we did alot with Dad I miss him every day and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of him and wish he was here.
  Christmas is not the same anymore.

  I am sure your Uncle knew you loved him very much you can see that you were very close to him.
  keep him close to your heart and he will always be with you no matter what.

  I am very sorry for your loss
  G.

• 5. Terri Brewster&hellip  |  December 28th, 2007 at 11:51 pm

  Julie,
  I am so sorry to hear about your Uncle. Like everyone else has mentioned, I too have been in that position. Don’t be so hard on yourself, and try not to let the guilt get in the way of feeling the sadness and mourning for your Uncle. Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and we let the little things stop us from doing what we need to do. I had this same situation with my grandmother, except she died unexpectedly. I still wish, when I had the gut feeling I needed to call her I would have. I have learned a lesson from that choice I made, and I try to stop, and realize that I need to take time for the important people in my life, the dishes can wait. Take comfort in knowing that your Uncle knew you loved him, and he knew that you cared.

  Again, I’m sorry for your loss,
  Terri

• 6. Jane Lyon&hellip  |  December 29th, 2007 at 5:29 pm

  Julie,

  I’m sorry to hear of your uncle’s passing. Don’t feel quilty just know that he is not suffering anymore. He would not want you to continue your life with regrets but with happiness. Be there for you mom she will need you in the next few weeks. My uncle passed this summer and it has been hard on my mom. Tons of hugs to you all thru email.

  Jane Lyon/family

• 7. Angela / The Netherlands&hellip  |  January 2nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm

  Hi Julie,
  Cancer is a terrible disease. I lost my uncle 20 months ago after a battle of two years. I visited my aunt and uncle, living in Belgium, several times. The last visit was postponed because he was recovering from another chemo treatment. But then within 2 months he was gone and left his wife (72) after a marriage of 44 years behind. He was more like a father to me than my own father was. But I know he was not blaming me for not contacting him every week. He asked for me, but my aunt thought they had plenty of time left. Unfortunately that was not the case. Don’t blame yourself, he knows why!!
  Take care!
  Angela

• 8. Justine dombkowski&hellip  |  January 2nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm

  Dear Julie –
  I was moved by your story of your uncle. I know how you feel. I lost my Uncle Teddy, the youngest of my mother’s 10 siblings at 62. He was 12 years older than me but we somehow grew up together. I idolized him my whole life through. I never had a big or small brother, so it was him all the way. He was as handsome as they get and he was the first one to go to college in our enormous family. When he died, I could not afford a big floral piece so, i got 6 roses wrapped in a satin bow that simpky said “Uncle Teddy.” A lot of my more affluent cousins laughed at it. I felt bad. At the funeral, it was my little six roses that were placed on top of his coffin at burial. Made me feel like a million bucks.
  Remmber your uncle fondly. He will always be with you. Every Christmas put a star ornament on your tree and say “I love you” to him. Good luck and happy new year.

  Justine Dombkowski

• 9. Patti from Long Island&hellip  |  January 2nd, 2008 at 2:48 pm

  “Goodbye Uncle Chuck” is something ALL of us can relate to. I have leardned (the hard way) to JUST DO IT !!!! If somewone dear is on your mind and you “think about them often”… then CALL them ! Some phone calls are so HARD to make, but in the end (unfortunately a bit selfishly) YOU are the one who feels better and hopefull you made the person you called happy as well. When a person is sick, lonely, etc. NO ONE WANTS to make that call, but WE MUST ! Just do it. We all win in the end. I am sorry for your loss, but other people will benefit from you current feelings. Remember; MAKE THE CALL.

• 10. Virginia&hellip  |  January 9th, 2008 at 10:21 pm

  Oh I can so totally relate to your story. Almost the same thing happened to me. In July of 1987 my Grandfather had a Birthday, my dad had called to tell me he had just spoken to him to wish him a happy Birthday and asked if I was going to call him. Money was really tight as I wasn’t working at the time as I had just had my son 6 months before so I decided that I would wait and call him the next month trying to break up the long distance calls a bit. Well I never got the chance to talk with him again. My Dad called me the next afternoon/evening to tell me that my Grandfather had dies that morning of a massive Heart attack that morning at work ………. To this day I still feel remorse for not calling him. I know he would understand…… And I know I should have never felt bad about it but we all do those things. Mostly I feel bad for me for not having the opportunity to talk to him one last time.

  I am so sorry for your loss. May your memories one day be a comfort to you, not the longing and heartache they are today ……..
  Hugs