I take Swayze's death kinda personally... [View All]

[Bicoastal]

...because my own Grandfather died of Pancreatic Cancer.

At the age of 11, it shocked me to my core when I learned that there was a disease with practically NO hope of cure or recovery. Even among Cancers, PC is a monster--off the top of my head, it kills something like 97% of those its diagnosed in, and it almost doesn't matter how early it's detected. You get the diagnosis, and your months are numbered.

My Grandfather was no Patrick Swayze, but he was an extraordinarily active, healthy man who went to the gym daily even in his 70's. It shocked all of us, him most of all, that he would be the first grandparent, the first member of our family's GI Generation to die. There was nothing anyone could do about it. I clearly remember saying to my mother, "But, he could get better, right? If we all help him and he works hard at getting well..." And I trailed off as my mom shook her head and started to cry.

Some day, somewhere, some smart person will find a cure for this awful disease. For now, we can only watch its victims, among them strong, vibrant people like Patrick Swayze and my Grandfather, accept their mortality and come to grips with their final days on this planet in a way that makes them happy, comfortable, and at peace.

RIP Patrick.