Dammit

[Earthling]

Dammit dammit dammit. One of my best friends had his house burn down the other day. He lost all 12 of his cats, and 23 of his chickens. He and his girlfriend ar OK physically, but mentally they're beyond devastated. His crohn's disease is now kicking back into high gear and he's just a mess. Why is it that the worst possible things happen to the best people?

[Bluenose]

So sad about your friend.  Sometimes it really does seem likt the universe is out to get us.  I guess we have to just keep on keeping on.  I hope your friend was properly insured, I know that you never can cover everything, but it does help.  I have a friend with Crohn's and I know it is no joke, hope your friend is back on an even keel soon.

It's probably too early to do much in a practical sense, but let him (or her) know that you're there to do whatever you can to help out, I know from what happened here earlier this year with the Black Saturday bush fires that in the early stages knowing that people were "on their side" helped out many in the immediate aftermath.  Later on practical assistance became much more important.

Has your friend got somewhere to stauy in the immediate period?  What about later as they try to re-build?

[Earthling]

Fortunately they have really good insurance - they are in a hotel right now and the insurance will be setting up a mobile home on their lot for them to live in while their house is rebuilt. All the material losses will be covered - new cars, collection of chess sets, gun collection, furniture, etc. Nothing will replace their lost pets, though. They were their babies. I've told John to tell me whatever he needs done, he's helped me out in the past and I hope I made him understand that all he needs to do is ask and I'll do it. This really sucks.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

That does suck-- I'm a recovering ulcerative colitis victim myself (a sort of wimpy version of crohn's) so I can relate to the flair-up.

Don't wait for him to ask-- he probabily won't.   Go and be there as often as you are able-- just being there often means more than anything else you can do anyway.

[Opsa]

I'm so sorry for your friends. But they are lucky to have a friend like you.

I agree with Bob, you'll probably have to just go and hang. Or better yet, have them over to your place just to chill out and get things off their chests. If they mention anything you can help with, just grab that opportunity. Right now they probably just need an ear. They're in mourning.

[Darlica]

Massive vibes to your friends Earthling.

I can only chime in on what the others have said. Don't wait for them to ask, be there for them so they don't have to. And that they are fortunate to have friends like you.

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

He's very lucky to have you as a friend. And I have to agree with what everyone else has already said, too. Have 'em over for dinner or something.

[Earthling]

It looks like we'll be going over to their pile of charcoal tomorrow. It's probably going to be a rough day.

[Darlica]

((((((((((((VIBES))))))))))))