The fruit trees are blooming this week here in Boston, and while it is beautiful, pollen is the price we pay for it. But thank goodness for that pollen right now, because I'm sitting in my office with the door, that opens onto a main corridor, open, and intermittently sniveling over the comments and eulogies over on WM. Passersby are not batting an eye, because every other person is sniveling from "seasonal allergies."
I'm sure that you (Aesop) and the other medical people had MI, stroke, or trauma (like MVA) at the top of your differential diagnosis given the suddenness of Brendan's initial post. I was insubordinate too and got in touch via email to see if there was anything I could do because Kevin's sort of in my AO. Turned out he was already at the Brigham which is literally one of the top hospitals in the US. I swung by Sunday and in the ICU waiting area met Brendan and Bob who were both gracious, open, obviously highly intelligent and accomplished, and just remarkably class acts, particularly under the circumstances. Having met his brother and father in person, I can say that Hognose was no fluke, but very much the product of his family. At that stage there was some vague talk about "bridge to transplant" and the like, but I think we were all just putting up brave and optimistic faces, because it sounded very very bad even then. Seeing Brendan's note about getting his crying done Saturday, I am sure he knew what was coming as well.
All that is a long way of saying that I wasn't surprised to hear that Kevin had passed away Tuesday, but oh how much he is already missed, by people all over the world. One gets accustomed to people dying in hospital, because that happens every day, plus we are busy taking care of other patients, and someone comes and quietly removes the remains, and someone else cleans the room and soon a new patient is there worry about. We don't often get to hear what the departed meant to the survivors.... Damn that pollen anyway!
Hey Aesop---thanks for telling me how to get to your blog. I am still so devastated by losing Hognose. I have been crying a year already from losing my husband and now this, losing Hognose. I (obviously) have never met the man, but his writing and compassionate heart were obvious. I may come across or sound like I have no life outside of the internet, but I do. WM was one of the few places I went to that really was like a community. anyway, I did also enjoy so many of the commenters on WM, you for one. I will be coming to your blog everyday now.
I just feel so strange and awkward that this is bothering me so much---but it really is---someone I've never met---it is just breaking my heart.
We are close in years, and served in the military at the same time, so there were a lot of shared experiences and points of reference.
I too only interacted with him online, yet I feel like I lost family, because his intelligence, wisdom, decency, and kindness transcended the limitations of mere electrons.
My comments on weaponsman.com always automatically go into moderation (not sure why, I emailed Kevin a while back and he wasn't sure either), so with Kevin gone, nobody will ever read them, except maybe the man himself.
I never met him either, but I felt like I new him.
RIP Hognose Capn Mike
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over
My interface with Kevin was his blog and occasional emails. We were going to meet up once in his AO but it did not materialize. Opportunities lost.
You are one of the reasons that I enjoyed the comments on his site.
Elaine's statement: "I just feel so strange and awkward that this is bothering me so much---but it really is---someone I've never met---it is just breaking my heart." is poignant and accurate. I cannot say why, and yet, there it is.
Whatever needs to be done to keep his site on line, needs to be done. He was a wealth of information, and to let the site go would be akin to burning down the library of congress.
Concur. I feel the same, I think, as all the commentariat does. I offer the following post as the most respectful way I could think of to say how I feel: http://raconteurreport.blogspot.com/2017/04/wednesday-weapons-website-of-week.html
Indeed.
ReplyDeleteI set in my chair and cried for 5 minutes last night when I got the news.
Kevin will be deeply missed.
Shawn Looserounds.com
The fruit trees are blooming this week here in Boston, and while it is beautiful, pollen is the price we pay for it. But thank goodness for that pollen right now, because I'm sitting in my office with the door, that opens onto a main corridor, open, and intermittently sniveling over the comments and eulogies over on WM. Passersby are not batting an eye, because every other person is sniveling from "seasonal allergies."
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you (Aesop) and the other medical people had MI, stroke, or trauma (like MVA) at the top of your differential diagnosis given the suddenness of Brendan's initial post. I was insubordinate too and got in touch via email to see if there was anything I could do because Kevin's sort of in my AO. Turned out he was already at the Brigham which is literally one of the top hospitals in the US. I swung by Sunday and in the ICU waiting area met Brendan and Bob who were both gracious, open, obviously highly intelligent and accomplished, and just remarkably class acts, particularly under the circumstances. Having met his brother and father in person, I can say that Hognose was no fluke, but very much the product of his family. At that stage there was some vague talk about "bridge to transplant" and the like, but I think we were all just putting up brave and optimistic faces, because it sounded very very bad even then. Seeing Brendan's note about getting his crying done Saturday, I am sure he knew what was coming as well.
All that is a long way of saying that I wasn't surprised to hear that Kevin had passed away Tuesday, but oh how much he is already missed, by people all over the world. One gets accustomed to people dying in hospital, because that happens every day, plus we are busy taking care of other patients, and someone comes and quietly removes the remains, and someone else cleans the room and soon a new patient is there worry about. We don't often get to hear what the departed meant to the survivors.... Damn that pollen anyway!
Hey Aesop---thanks for telling me how to get to your blog. I am still so devastated by losing Hognose. I have been crying a year already from losing my husband and now this, losing Hognose. I (obviously) have never met the man, but his writing and compassionate heart were obvious. I may come across or sound like I have no life outside of the internet, but I do. WM was one of the few places I went to that really was like a community. anyway, I did also enjoy so many of the commenters on WM, you for one. I will be coming to your blog everyday now.
ReplyDeleteI just feel so strange and awkward that this is bothering me so much---but it really is---someone I've never met---it is just breaking my heart.
Thank you Aesop
Heartbroken about covers it here too.
ReplyDeleteWe are close in years, and served in the military at the same time, so there were a lot of shared experiences and points of reference.
I too only interacted with him online, yet I feel like I lost family, because his intelligence, wisdom, decency, and kindness transcended the limitations of mere electrons.
My comments on weaponsman.com always automatically go into moderation (not sure why, I emailed Kevin a while back and he wasn't sure either), so with Kevin gone, nobody will ever read them, except maybe the man himself.
ReplyDeleteI never met him either, but I felt like I new him.
RIP Hognose
Capn Mike
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over
Another good one gone. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteAesop,
ReplyDeleteMy interface with Kevin was his blog and occasional emails. We were going to meet up once in his AO but it did not materialize. Opportunities lost.
You are one of the reasons that I enjoyed the comments on his site.
Elaine's statement: "I just feel so strange and awkward that this is bothering me so much---but it really is---someone I've never met---it is just breaking my heart." is poignant and accurate. I cannot say why, and yet, there it is.
Thank you sir for the opportunity to talk.
Gray
Well, I took all my pieces to the range this morning and fired them one after the other as a 12 gun salute in Honor of the man.
ReplyDeleteI'm immensely saddened.
Whatever needs to be done to keep his site on line, needs to be done.
ReplyDeleteHe was a wealth of information, and to let the site go would be akin to burning down the library of congress.
Concur.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same, I think, as all the commentariat does.
I offer the following post as the most respectful way I could think of to say how I feel:
http://raconteurreport.blogspot.com/2017/04/wednesday-weapons-website-of-week.html