Last night was a painful date with a friend.  If we would not look at his deteriorating situation we would have been dreaming.  It seemed nothing changed at all.  He talked well about life, family, stress, sense of fulfillment and friendship as if breathing was not difficult at all.  However, when he said "I have to go ahead so that I'm already there for our reunion when your turn comes; by then you are all old and uugud ugod"  his jokes were not joke anymore.

    "I am fighting and will not give up yet you see maski water di na dawaton sa ako lawas" was his humble admission.  We knew he is prepared;  being prepared however, was not enough to hide the tears of seeing a dear friend waiting for his own time (as he exactly said it).  His  "good byes"   while  we kept saying "take care, nothing is impossible, fight"  was very painful.