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Monday, September 6, 2010

On Watching Death Slowly Encroach

There are times when life seems so unfair! I have a good friend who is at the moment fighting a battle with AIDS and over the last 12 months has been on a decline with AIDS Dementia Complex that has been noticeable even from where I am 600+ kms away. The strange part of this whole situation is that He and I went to school together 20 something years ago. We were not really close friends at the time and had no contact for 20 years, but after my separation last year we came into contact on Facebook and so evolved a great friendship, from smartarsed comments on Status Updates, to text messages, to long phone conversations. We have for the last twelve months been planning a reunion, but we still had not seen each other and my fear was that we may not before his health declined to the point that made it impossible. I consider this man one of the best friends I have. He has been one of my greatest supporters over the last year and although he has been going through some incredibly hard periods of reflection and adjustment in his own life he has been there for me through my now seemingly small highs and lows.
Several weeks ago he sent me an email intended for all of his close friends detailing his illness and it's progression. I was asked to proofread this incredibly powerful, courageous and confronting piece of writing and it really touched me. I was able to read between the lines and see that he saw the end. What he spoke of had been known to many but never actually verbalised. For the first time I fully understood. What we had spoken of in the past regarding his health problems was suddenly all bought onto focus. This email has for him been a very brave step and been received by the recipients with varying responses.
I am lucky enough that this wonderful man thinks me important enough in his life, that in his declining health, he has made a 9 hour bus trip to spend a week with me in person. There must be so many others who are so much more deserving of this honour.
So I now find myself at 4:30am sitting in my living room across from this great man, and my mind is spinning with the gravity of the things he has shared with me. I am completely humbled by the knowledge that he has bared his soul to me in so many ways. There is so much more I want to get off my chest but to do so would I feel break the trust he has given me by sharing so much.
I truly am honoured to have a small part in his story and hope that that story continues on for some time yet.
Thanks for listening.
Stay safe - Nurse Wannabe BlogBooster-The most productive way for mobile blogging. BlogBooster is a multi-service blog editor for iPhone, Android, WebOs and your desktop

1 comment:

  1. beautifully put my dear Nurse Wannabe - he is a great man and I don't know him half as much as I would like to know him - stay strong

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