Steve Jobs’ sister, Mona Simpson wrote a beautiful eulogy for her brother.  It brought tears to my eyes.  She chose to be a writer so she could give him this gift, a send off, a tribute to a very special man, father, husband and a visionary and dreamer whose last words expressed his entire life: Oh Wow, Oh Wow, Oh Wow.  I hope we all get to see the same thing you saw, Steve.  Thank you Mona.

A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs – NYTimes.com

In this morning at 7:30 and in recovery by 9. Everything went fine, no complications. Home at 5. Tired, shoulder hurts, but i’m eating and coping with no shower for one week!

Thanks for the well wishes. Typing with one hand!

I certainly did, right after the blood stopped.

Coming home from picking up my son at school. I had my cell phone, my wallet, my purse, two sets of keys in my hands and I’m trying to get it all together in order to unlock the front door of the house. We had two sets of storms, one after the other and my front area is damp and covered with bits of greenery from the trees and the wind.

My family has a long line of less then graceful people, we fall down when chewing gum and walking. I wasn’t even chewing gum. But my feet went out from under me. I see the next few seconds of my life flash in front of me. I see me falling head first into the large fountain, the two dolphins on it flying into the air and hitting the front door, making a dent, shattering the fountain and the dolphins. I have a rich imagination. No dolphins or fountains or doors were injured. I can’t say that for me.

I brace my fall, and save my iPhone by putting it into the dirt, my weight falling on my knees, elbows, wrists on the concrete. Ouch. I pull up my pant leg and look at my right knee, scraped free of skin. Lifting up the other pant leg, I notice a lump the size of a small lemon developing above my knee. Funny, I don’t remember that looking like that before.

After a short call to my Dr., he agrees to see me in his office. Nothing dangerous aside from my ego, the swollen knee, the bruises that will develop tomorrow, both arms ache, my wrist hurts, my scraped knee oozing. My blood pressure is 180 over 130. Evaluated for a stroke, but no, I’m just graceful. Go home with Naproxin and ice and a promise that I will feel much worse tomorrow.

Ok, you can stop laughing now.

For me, this song has such a deep meaning.  Its something I remind myself of all the time.

The next time life gets you down, remember – This Too Shall Pass.

I may order their entire album.

I’ve had diabetes for four years and my insulin pump for three. I spot other insulin pump users every now and then. If I catch their eye, I might wave my pump at them as a sort of salute “Me too”, I’m telling them. I battle the demon diabetes too.

Today I spotted a little boy two tables across from me at a picnic. He’s very carefully trying to shield others from spying his blue pump as he enters his carbs that he has in front of him for lunch. I decide not to flag him with my “pump wave”.

My grandson spots him too and looks up at me for recognition. Later the two of them are playing. The boy hangs upside down on the monkey bars and holds his t-shirt over his stomach to shield his pump, he plays alone. My grandson, a good four years younger, approaches him. Oh, no. My grandson points at the boy’s pump and back at me, he’s outed me.

The boy ambles slowly over, pretending to be busy at other activities. But I’m on to him. I’m a Grandma type, 52, and he’s only 10. It would be so uncool to talk to me, wouldn’t it?

He sits with his mom, sitting across from me. I give him a wave with my pump. We have the same pump I tell him. His eyes brighten and he displays the hidden pump, same one as me, different color. Suddenly, we have the world in common. He asks when I was diagnosed, I smile and tell him. He tells me he was diagnosed a long time ago, when he was nine. I tell him the pump is a whole lot better then needles and he agrees. We have a quiet discussion about the pump. I don’t feel so good he says, I think I’m low, and his parents pop out a juice pack for him.

HIs mom begins to discuss various diabetes related topics and he drinks his juice. I have to go, I give him another wave with my pump and he waves with his. We are diabetes buddies, forty years apart. I hope he finds another buddy closer to his age, although I’m pretty cool with all my body gadgets, I’m still a grandma type. I know very little about the embarrassment and isolation he feels. I’m way past that, I don’t care who sees my pump, I test my blood without regard for anyone looking, I don’t hang upside down and I don’t have a spiderman sticker on my supply case. But we’re still buddies, aren’t we?

Back in 2000, I spent a week on Kauai. We had a great time until the day before we were scheduled to leave. That was the day it all went to hell and my heart problem reared its head again. I haven’t been separated from my 11 year old son since then.

This morning, we sent him off to 6th grade camp for a week. You’d think he was headed off to college by the way we’re acting. But the past year and a half has been such a living hell for us that this is just one more person to miss. I must come to terms with each of my children flying the nest, temporarily or permanently. I’m just not ready to let this one go yet.

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I like paper and ribbons.

Real tree or Artificial?
Always real. I love the smell and consider it part of our Christmas tradition to pick one out.

When do you put up the tree?
Two weeks before Christmas. Usually on a weekend.

When do you take the tree down?
The week after Christmas.

Do you like eggnog?
Yes, the real stuff. Egg yolks, creme, bourbon.

Favorite gift received as a child?
My own tv set when I was 9. I was always fighting with my Dad about
who could watch what and I was sick of football.

Hardest person to buy for?
My husband.

Easiest person to buy for?
My youngest son. A video game and he’s all set.

Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope. They look nice, but I’ve never bought one.

Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail if I do it.

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A re-gift of old lady perfume.

Favorite Christmas Movie?
Its a Wonderful Life

When do you start shopping for Christmas?
As late as I can possibly get away with

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
See above.

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Chex mix

Lights on the tree?
Yes, always.

Favorite Christmas song?
Jingle Bells

Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home

Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Yes

Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel, she’s been there for years.

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
One on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning.

Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
Decorating before Thanksgiving.

Favorite ornament theme or color?
Victorian or old fashioned

Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Roast Beef

What do you want for Christmas this year?
Peace on earth, a financially stable country. Oh, a CGMS system and a years
supply of One touch ultra test strips. An Amazon Kindle would be nice. I like
Christmas baskets (with different goodies).

What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
Having all the kids, mom and anyone else who wants to tag along over for Christmas
dinner.