When October 6th rolled around and Brad hadn't heard anything from the doctor, I had him call them. We knew they had sent off numerous vials for testing for numerous things but I really expected to know something by this time. The only news he received was that he was negative for Hepatitis but his liver levels were elevated. The doctor who saw him wanted him to avoid any alcohol consumption and to not take any ibuprofen over the weekend and come back in for labs on Monday (the 9th).
Those of you who know Brad knew how he liked his Bud Lite and while he enjoyed one or two in the evenings, his alcohol consumption wasn't considered high or extreme and he never took ibuprofen. So this didn't really seem like abstaining from those two things would make a difference but they were simply enough things to do to eliminate possibilities on what was going on. If not drinking a few beers was all it was going to take from things to calm down then bring out the water!
A few days before we had received word that Lawrence Gillespie passed away and his memorial service was on Saturday, October 7th. Lance came home for the service with all four of us attending the service at Minnis Chapel together. Little did we know at the time that in six short months all four of us would once again be under the roof of the chapel but under much different circumstances. The Gillespie family played a song during the service that played on repeating loop in my head for several days after the service. It's one that came back to me several times six months later. I remember sitting a few rows back from the family at Lawrence's service, with a unobscured view of Todd and Jeff. My heart literally broke for them as their emotions rolled over them while the lyrics filled the room. I remember looking away, grabbing Lance's hand who was sitting next to me, looking at him, then at Kaleb, before my eyes locked with Brad's. We didn't know the Monster that was hiding in the shadows getting ready to wreck our lives in just a few short days but a sign was already there in the color of Brad's eyes. The whites had already started to take on a yellow tint that would only grow worse over the next few days.
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