One of the things I received around my recent birthday, which was largely responsible for my lack of excitement, was the news that my friend Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Bill was experiencing chronic ear aches, which were eventually accompanied by short-term memory loss. When he went in to have it checked out, the doctors discovered several tumors, and within a week (which was exactly two weeks before Christmas) it was determined that he didn’t have much time - three months if the chemotherapy worked. Bill’s condition changed so drastically, in such a short period of time, that when I went to see him last Monday he was up-beat and lucid. When I saw him on Wednesday, he was on morphine and conscious for very brief moments. Bill is 65 years old, and a KCSB dee-jay.
At some level, I want to wax philosophical about the meaning of life and death. I just don’t have it in me. Bill is a pretty significant part of the KCSB community - his work is literally in the walls of one of our studios, and I learned a great deal from him. Like with Tom Borghi and Mike Petrini, KCSB is a better place with Bill walking through its doors. And along with Tom and Mike, it is hard to remember what KCSB was like before he arrived, and I’ll never quite get over the fact that he will be gone. On a small level, this all serves as a reminder that there’s little you can do to prepare for what is inevitable for all of us. On a larger level, it just plain hurts.
In any case, as the holidays once again come and go, do yourself a favor and hug you loved ones a little bit tighter.
Wow. I am sorry to hear this news.