My friend Francois

Sometime last year I decided to trace an old friend who I had not seen for 27 years but had been in contact from time to time. He and I served in Vietnam in the late 70s and early 80s. Since then his work with the International Red Cross had taken him all over the world whenever there was a humanitarian crisis. I heard that he took an early retirement for health reasons.

I found his telephone number in the Internet and called him. He was actually living about one and half hour from where I am. Sometime later I went to visit him. He was a picture of a distinguished gentleman, snowy hair now, still trim and sporty but heavier than 27 years ago.His voice though had become rather weak and quivering. He had been fighting cancer for a few years now. I admired his bravery and positive attitude. And I felt very sad and remorse at how life could suddenly change for anyone without us having control of it. I know this too well from my own experience some years back.

Francois a most active and energetic person I knew, ravelling everywhere at the drop of a hat, sporty, cultured and articulate, and extremely good at his job. His huge apartment was a testimony of the many countries he had lived in, adorned with interesting things from them.

He told me he was diagnosed with cancer after a colons copy which he undertook after a long period of unexplained tiredness. That bit of information got me rather worried as I was myself due for a colons copy in a month's time from then at a doctor's friend recommendation as I had for over two years suffered from chronic indigestion. Thank God my colons copy result was fine, the doctor removed a small benign polyp and my indigestion is now history!

Three weeks ago I called Francois thinking he had returned from Washington where he was supposed to conduct some courses in his expertise (I was surprised when he told me about that and wondered if he could manage all that long travel but he said he needed to keep himself occupied and useful). He told me he did not go after all as he was suffering from a bout of depression resulting from the long period of his battle for his health. He had got over it and was planning to take a holiday in Thailand, a familiar ground for him. I promised we would get together when he returned.

I hope my friend had had a good a trouble-free holiday.

My reunion with Francois was again a wake-up call of sorts. Not that I have not appreciated my good fortune in life but it is a reawakening that there is no certainty in life and I should count my blessings every day. My dear friend in Holland had just had an ICD implanted in his body to monitor and assist his heartbeat. My good friend Fadzil in Malaysia will go into hospital on 22 February to have an open-heart operation to replace a damaged valve in his heart. I will pray for his successful surgery. Another friend now goes around with a portable oxygen tank to help with his breathing.

When you hear about one friend after another undergoing difficult development with their health, it makes you realise how fortunate you are to be spared - thus far!

I thank Allah for his blessings on me and I wish everyone good health and blessings always...