Losing my hiking buddy

[trailangelbronco]

My good friend and hiking buddy was coughing up some blood the past few days. Went to the Doctor last week and got the results Friday.

Terminal Cancer, four -five months to live, if he is lucky. too late for Chemo, un operable. Just like that, he is faced with leaving his wife and four kids without a husband and father. Came over to my house this morning with a box of his hiking stuff, broke the news and asked me to take his kids hiking once in a while.

I lost it, just freakin lost it right there. He has accepted it and is just serious about spending all the time he can with his family. He is telling his boss tomorrow, and is afraid that he could lose his job and life insurance when he becomes too sick to work.

Hug your family, love em for who they really are inside and make sure that they know it. Got a dream hike? Go do it now, you never know when it will be too late.

[HiKen2011]

Wow that's sad news. I lost my best friend this past yr to lung cancer, 50 yrs. old. Like u said we never know when our time is up, live life to it's fullest, love your family and do the things you want to do. Life is short, even if we live to the ripe old age of 70 or so, the end creeps up on us. Condolances to you and your friend.

[4shot]

Don't really know what to say other than I am sorry to hear about your friend and especially sad for his wife and children. A prayer for strength and comfort will be said on his and their behalf tonight in our home.

[napster]

Will pray for him & his family & friends during these hard times.Be as strong as you can for him.I know they are some prayer warriors on this site.

[hontassquirt]

Oh my God. That made me cry just reading it. The reality you feel has to be a trillion times worse. My heart breaks for you, your friend, and his family. God bless.

[mweinstone]

reporting as ordered sir. my prayer is that the wife and kids have dads best friend forever and ever. and that they all go on a hike now with dad and take pictures and be strong enough to laugh and play and love. and that dads best friend and all of dads family are awstruck by dads strength.

[N9ZSY]

He and his family have been added to the prayer list...

[restlesss]

So sorry to hear that. Prayers sent your and his way!

[little bear]

man sorry to hear that...will pray for him and his family

[Del Q]

Super sad!!!!

For all of us, "clock out" day is coming we just don't know when or how. We almost lost our son a few times in the past 5+ years, most recently from cancer, stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma, he is the toughest person I ever met...........he is now 16. He has pulled me up a LOT of steep mountains on the AT.

The best advice I got was to CHANNEL this horrible news into positive energy in your (our) lives. That helped me a lot. We were all lucky to have ever been born, he will be leaving a great legacy, 4 children.

How much life insurance? How much are the premiums? Cannot let that policy lapse. Feel free to reach out to me privately.

Del Q

[Lyle]

So sorry to hear this. Please encourage him to get a second and third opinion, preferably from non-associated medical centers. I'm not encouraging a never-ending quest for quack treatments, but something of this magnitude deserves more than one opinion. Medicine, after all is an art as equally as it is a science. Opinions may vary.

Best of wishes.

[Don H]

SO sorry. I know you'll make his final wishes come true and take the kids hiking.

[Driver8]

I'm very sorry to hear this awful news, Bronco. Thoughts and prayers to you and to him and his family. One can always hope and pray for miracles. At least I hope he can enjoy his remaining time with his dear ones as much as possible.

[johnnybgood]

Just last week an old work acquaintance lost a 5 month battle with cancer and I was reminded at how fragile one's life really is.
The best thing you can do for your friend is be strong for him even if it's tearing you up inside. This is likely going to be one of the hardest thing you'll ever have to do.

Sounds like he is at peace with himself and now his family and friends must find the resolve to do the same.

Thoughts and prayers for your friend and his family.

[Hutch]

Sorry, there are no words, but we all know. Prayers and strength to you both.

[medicjimr]

My heart goes out to your friend and family prayers sent

[Blissful]

Oh my word I am so, so sorry!!! My heart breaks.

[Mrs Baggins]

I'm so very sorry. This past October we lost 3 friends, one after the other, all to cancer. They were 72, 65, and 53 - brain cancer, bone cancer, and lung cancer. I'll keep you, him and his family in my prayers.

[grayfox]

So hard to know what to say-prayers sent to all.

But I know how it feels to have a doctor tell you you have weeks left to live. It can be strangely calm and clarifying. Priorities line up real quick. In my case he was, happily, wrong. But we all have ony so much time here on earth and, believe me, no matter how long your life is, your life is short. Use it well.

[Rocket Jones]

A sad reminder of our own mortality. Prayers and good wishes to him, his family, and you.