Mike -- my condolences on losing your friend to colon cancer. At the risk of
sounding callous, I'd like to suggest that he was very fortunate to pass so
quickly from that disease. My Father lingered for eight months, suffered
through two separate colon surgeries, plus a third surgery for blood clots, and
two
additional *procedures* -- one for a port and one for a pik tube. Like you,
I tried very hard to find alternatives to the medical procedures (which also
included chemotherapy, even though the doctors told us that it wouldn't affect
the outcome) -- but I was battling the *comfort zone* of doctors, hospitals
and medications, and the fears and suspicions of the unknown in my siblings.
My
Father, like your friend, passed relatively peacefully -- and for that I was
grateful. Your friend was fortunate to have you for a friend, and I'm sure he
knew that. Mary Ann
