How long does grief feel crippling when you have lost someone you were very close to?

My baby brother passed this last May. He was a rock. Always calm. His nick name was Sweet. I'm high strung and a worrier. Anything that bothered me, I could talk to him and within 10 minutes, I was fine. I helped him raise his children from a very young age. I bought a house two doors down to make it easy. He got cancer and it just when into remission and we were celebrating when he went septic and died suddenly. When will the loss feel less crushing? When will the sadness lighten?