I won't pretend to enjoy having a window into this black little chapter of your life, but as much as I wish it wasn't happening to you I certainly can't and won't look away and pretend that it's not there. Nothing quite like the sledgehammer-like blow between the eyes, the ultimate reality-check that comes when you compare your drama to someone else's drama that eclipses yours so completely. The sum total of every bad thing that's ever happened in my life up to this point is about as sigificant as a fart in a hurricane compared to the last fifteen minutes of consciousness you've choked back.

There's nothing to say about something like this. Nothing to make it go away, nothing to make it better or to blunt the edge of reality. Concentrate on the fact that whatever decision you make when the chips are down is going to be the right one, I think that's fairly certain at least.

Stay tough, and in the meantime have someone give you a footrub.