My 35 year old brother was in very good health, happy and handsome. In 2006, the doctor advised that he had discovered a brain tumor. That same year, the physicians removed the tumor.

We assumed that all was well and that life would go on as usual. My brother was happy and he married his life-long girlfriend, who is the mother of his three beautiful children. In February 2008, another brain tumor was discovered and also was removed. However, this time, the doctor had expressed some concern. Therefore, this had caused a great deal of sadness and anxiety within our family.

We are a very close-knit family. We try to support one another as best as possible, but it has been very difficult to see such a wonderful, hardworking, loving son, father; husband and brother go through this ordeal. Sometimes, I think our family does not know how to best cope with the situation, but we try to comfort one another as best as we know how- with words of wisdom and hope. More specifically, we try to remain positive and hopeful that he will live to see his children grow up and get married. In hopes of making every second and minute count, we asked the doctor to estimate his prognosis. Asking the dreaded and horrifying question, "how long" was extremely difficult for all of us to do.

I am not sure if there is one "real" or "right" way to cope, but one can learn to deal with it. The biggest help has been the communication between our family and the support and love we have for one another. Gaining knowledge is also very important. Be strong, be brave, someone has to keep it together, be that someone.