Mortality and Morbidity

For the last couple weeks a coworker, I'll just call him KH, has been concerned with the health of his father. His father was diagnosed with some cancer. I don't know the details, and they don't matter. The cancer was quite advanced and he had days, or maybe weeks. He decided to try to get a bit more time with some treatment and underwent "light" (as in relatively mild, not as in photons) therapy. The chemicals hit him pretty hard and didn't seem to be having much positive effect.

Last week, KH took a day or two off to prepare the house for his father's return. Rails were being installed in the bathroom, as an example. Friday he didn't show up, and there was no explanation, but it was understood - spend what little time was left together. KH is also not here today. But today we found out just how little that was. HK's father died sometime Friday morning.

Another fellow, TJ, went through something similar last week when his mother died. Not much to say. Both KH and TJ knew it would happen sometime, but it's always a jolt when it does.

They, however, are probably not enduring the worst of those here. There is another, JO, who is going through a worse hell still. Ever have a birthday that sucked? Not like this one, I hope. JO's son's 21st birthday is being marked by a cancer diagnosis, a cleaned out apartment for a move back to live with his folks, sudden hospitalization, intravenous feeding, and chemotherapy that is decidedly not light. Any visitors he might have must dress in gown and mask. And things have only just started.