Back from the brink


This weekend I came face to face with a friend I had never expected to meet again in this life.

A couple of months ago the friend concerned, who I shall call David (because that's his name) had been very ill indeed. He was not responding well to chemotherapy, and took the brave decision to ask his doctors to cease further treatment so that he could spend what were expected to be his last few days in more comfort. He was transferred to a hospice and his son - who is a doctor, indeed a hospital consultant - emailed his friends that the prognosis was not good and that we might want to send David a final message.

But he had barely arrived in the hospice when David began a remarkable recovery. He was duly discharged from this hospital, was able to attend a meeting yesterday and looked better than I had seen him for years.

Obviously I was very pleased by this: two things I learn from it

1)  Never give up hope: it is a cliche but it's true

2)  The human body is more complex than any of us can understand.

Comments

Jim said…
nice story, Wishing David a long and happy future.

His story reminds me a lot of my own grandmother. My father, his brother and 4 sisters were called to go to her hospital bedside, as the doctors were sure she would not the night.

Sadly my Grandmother did die. But it was in the home at the top of new road hill, 14 years later.

I think there is a lot to be said for human spirit and the will to live.
2:47 pm
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