We lost my little brother this morning

He had flu like symptoms for days and he was just staying in his room and waiting it out. He had been on anti-seizure medication for a year and might have been on other medications. He quit antidepressants a few years ago.

Youth brought him dyslexia and epilepsy. He was bullied. His learning disabilities and social phobia made his work prospects poor, but he toughed it out at jobs earning barely over minimum wage. Living with family helped. There was no money in the budget for good medicine. His orthopedic surgery three years ago was paid by hospital "foundation" funds; that's a bad way to run a health care system. I don't recall where he got treated when he did get treated. There certainly weren't a lot of doctors who had a lot of time for him, so he didn't go in. I suspect a drug interaction killed him.

Gone at 51. My mother grieves.

I am the one in ten
A number on a list
I am the one in ten
Even though I don`t exist
Nobody knows me
Though I`m always there
A statistic, a reminder
Of a world that doesn`t care
--UB40

I know the people on this forum care, though. I've seen it on "the threads". Thanks for your thoughts.