Makes you think.

This whole thing with Natasha Richardson dying has really bummed me out. I didn't know much about her before she died yesterday; all I really knew was that she was the guest judge in the red dress on last season's Top Chef, and that she was married to Liam Neeson and the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave.

It's not so much her, personally, it's just the fact that she took a seemingly harmless tumble and laughed it off, then ended up brain dead two days later. What the fucking fuck is that all about? I mean, really! How can you be walking around, talking and joking about your fall, and then just die?

Such sadness for her poor family. :(

It's the suddenness of it all that gets me in the gut. The fact that we all get up and go about our business, and anything could happen that day to cause us to just suddenly cease to exist without warning. Just, poof - The End.

Head stuff is so scary, anyway. A little over a year ago, my dad had brain surgery to remove a softball sized benign tumor from the lining of his brain. Thank God they got it all, it wasn't cancer, and removing it basically "fixed" him. Another head story - right after my youngest son was born, my husband's left eye started going all wonky. He couldn't control it anymore, couldn't focus, could barely drive. It was a terrifying time for us; me with my post-baby hormones raging, two little kids to care for, DH wondering if he'd be able to keep doing his job, and of course, Dr. Google telling us it was caused by a stroke, aneurysm, or tumor. Several thousand dollars and a referral to a neurologist told us that basically, something crazy had happened on the third nerve of DH's eye - tiny stroke? Or most likely, a result of a small knock on the temple that jarred something loose. The upswing was, it resolved on its own and now he's fine, but... scary.

Hell, my best friend had a massive stroke in her late 20's. Shit happens, man. I'm not being very eloquent here. I can't seem to wrap my head around how tenuous our grip on this life really is.

My DH is an expert skier, and also a huge proponant for helmets. My oldest son just started skiing this winter, and already has a spankin' new helmet. But, I can't say that this story doesn't scare the bejeebers out of me when I think of my loved ones out there on the mountain.

Protect your noggins. Hug your family. Be safe.