r.i.p.

[grindmonkeh]

Virgil, a very good friend and co-worker of mine, lost his year-long battle with pancreatic cancer this morning. It has been a very rough and emotionally taxing day for me. We have been close for over ten years...since I first started as a student here at the University...and as I'm at work this evening (restoring user mailboxes after a major system snafu) I can't help but see his ghost everywhere while trying to hold it together and be productive. I typed up the following journal entry a week ago and then posted it privately because I thought I may have just been worrying too much.

December 22, 2007
I've been tripping a little bit for the first time about Virgil's (a very good friend and co-worker) year long fight with cancer. I went to his house over my lunch hour to spend some time with him and pick up the usb drum kit that he and I picked out for our boss. He's not good. His roommate came home after picking up Virgil's prescriptions and noted that they just quadrupled his prescribed morphine dose. All I know is that alone is completely not good, let alone that he has two more masses on his pancreas that they've deemed inoperable, whether malignant or benign. Virgil gave me a Christmas gift that really caught me off guard...a really nice knife (Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn) since I had made the remark to him once that I can't bring myself to buy a Gerber even though I have a gift card to cover half the price of one ...because it would never leave my drawer....I would lose it...or notch the blade trying to cut something stupid...etc. Anyhow...I just about cried at the gesture in light of his seemingly short time left with us.

Rest peacefully my friend, confidant, and partner in thought-crime.

Comments

[linguafranca.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. *hug*

[jack-the-tyrant.livejournal.com]

Condolences and well-wishes.

[artyste.livejournal.com]

I remember you talking about Virgil quite often, but didn't realize he was in a battle. I'm sorry to hear about this.. I've not lost a good friend yet, so can't really know how one deals with that, but my thoughts are with you, and it's good that you were able to share so many things with him over the years.

[brokn2pieces.livejournal.com]

Very sad. I'm glad to hear you got to spend some time with him though before he passed on. Sad.

[thedabara.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

He sounds like a thoughtful and caring friend. It's totally ok to be seriously, unabashedly sad. And to not hold it together.

[yourbandblows.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm really sorry for your loss. I lost someone close to me from pancreatic cancer also and I know firsthand how tough it is to watch someone go through that battle. It's lovely he gave you that knife because now you can leave it tucked in a drawer and still have a very significant use for it - something that will always remind you of him.

Again, I'm really truly sorry for the loss of your friend.

[daruba.livejournal.com]

my heart goes out to you, bro.

[scendan.livejournal.com]

I know I don't know you that well, but all the same, condolences and a hug. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I'm so sorry.

[charasan.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear it, man. I know you said he wasn't doing so well. If you need anything, you know where to get a hold of me.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

My condolences. I'm glad you guys had a chance to see each other again before his time ran out at least.