My father is dying, I've known that for almost half a year. Yes he was diagnosed with a form of cancer that that usually can't be fought back into remission, but all the doctors told my family he probably had a year or two left. All along I've known they were wrong, because for the past half a year my father has reeked of death. You could smell death on him and around him, even his sweat smelled like Death. I've known he didn't have nearly as long as the doctors said. And I've avoided telling anyone in my family, partly because it was his place to tell them and not mine, partly because I wanted to spare my mother the pain as long as I could. She was already taking things so hard.
But today after taking him to the ER with some breathing problems the doctors finally found what they'd been missing all along, what's been making him smell like death. His cancer had spread into his lungs from his neck unnoticed by the doctors and he has two very large, very malignant tumors. I don't expect him to live much longer. I accept this, death isn't a stranger to me, what matters is how we spent the time we had.

I don't really post here much anymore, just lurk a bit. But don't expect to see me around here for a while. Things are going to be rough, and arrangements will need to be made. What I really feel I need to say is this could be any one of you. You're family could find itself right where I am. Don't waste a single moment, never look back, never regret. Just live and do not hesitate to let your loved ones know they are loved. They could be gone just like that and leave you without a chance to say or do the things you should have.

HeavenShallBurn

I'm going to be vague because this is something that could be taken and preempted by the ethically challenged. But there is a reason I haven't been appearing much around here or EN World. I've been assisting the Dean of my College with a certain project, and this is what happened today when my part of it reached the preliminary working model stage

You see apparently in applying a few simple ideas from another area I have just forged totally new ground in my field of study. He flat out said I had the basis of a doctoral dissertation right there if cleaned up and extended. Pointed out that it was a tool with great promise that could have professionals paying me to consult in its use if properly developed. In short that the idea was marketable and textbook worthy.

HeavenShallBurn