How are you supposed to do this? - Bracing for the Wave

A couple of weeks ago I shared my cancer and lack of healthcare coverage rant; two situations about which I became passionate and livid once my brother got a heaping helping of both.  I think one can only process so much at a time and then the soul has to rest and brace for the next wave of reality.   

This evening a dear friend of the family posted information on facebook announcing a fund our cousin established to receive donations that will assist with Thom's care.  He began the post with
"As many people know, Thomas Metcalf is dying..." and another wave of reality - the cold, hard, painful kind, hit me. 

I had worked through the cancer part but was not ready to face the dying part.  How are you supposed to do this?  How do you acknowledge that someone is dying when that someone
- signed your 8th birthday card "Lov MOT" (so proud that he was learning to spell his name)
- begrudgingly let his G.I. Joe date your Barbie (until you got a mod-haired Ken)
- promised to turn around, walk out of the church and drive you far away if you didn't want to really get married (that would be the starter marriage)
- shared an apartment with you when the starter marriage ended

How do you do this? I don't know...any suggestions?

First National Bank, Scottsboro Alabama under Gifford's Home Improvement for Thomas Metcalf