This Mortal Coil.

[mickd1961]

The best friend of a mate of mine ( a person I played football with and against a few years ago ) was at a stag do last weekend.

Early in the day before the drinking started the group went out on a bicycle ride.

This lad fell rather innocuously and bumped his head knocking himself out for a short time but he came around quickly,an ambulance was called just in case.

The ambulance crew were less than happy with what they could see and called the air ambulance.

A few hours later he was pronounced brain dead in hospital and life support was turned off.

This lad was a top corporate lawyer in London and a brilliant sportsman and I knew him through his dad who I dealt with in the sports trade for many years.

All that mental and sporting ability wiped out in his prime in his early 40’s in a simple fall of three or four feet in height.

Life is so tenuous......if you’re not constantly on high alert it can be gone in a second.

[baggieal]

The best friend of a mate of mine ( a person I played football with and against a few years ago ) was at a stag do last weekend.

Early in the day before the drinking started the group went out on a bicycle ride.

This lad fell rather innocuously and bumped his head knocking himself out for a short time but he came around quickly,an ambulance was called just in case.

The ambulance crew were less than happy with what they could see and called the air ambulance.

A few hours later he was pronounced brain dead in hospital and life support was turned off.

This lad was a top corporate lawyer in London and a brilliant sportsman and I knew him through his dad who I dealt with in the sports trade for many years.

All that mental and sporting ability wiped out in his prime in his early 40’s in a simple fall of three or four feet in height.

Life is so tenuous......if you’re not constantly on high alert it can be gone in a second.

I agree!! Know a guy well who was about 40 and a tennis coach who did not drink or smoke and fit as a butchers dog. Went running one day and dropped dead of a heart attack!

Live every day as I was always told and so true. The older you get the more funerals you seem to be attending which is depressing!

[Dubbag]

Life is brilliant......great time to be alive. These stories I see most days....in my work.
Lots of relatives crying at a loved one who went out to work never to return...people who have arguments and presume they shall get the chance to say sorry later. Alas some never do. Carry guilt around for the rest of there life, never to unload it.
Never ever be bitter with anyone...even if it is online.....respect other opinions, even if you cant agree.....and go to bed happy and contented with your lot...

[baggieal]

Life is brilliant......great time to be alive. These stories I see most days....in my work.
Lots of relatives crying at a loved one who went out to work never to return...people who have arguments and presume they shall get the chance to say sorry later. Alas some never do. Carry guilt around for the rest of there life, never to unload it.
Never ever be bitter with anyone...even if it is online.....respect other opinions, even if you cant agree.....and go to bed happy and contented with your lot...

Totally agree Dubbag. Best advice is when you fall out with a family member and both sides are stubborn - make the first move!! If you don’t telephone for a couple of weeks then the weeks turn to months and it gets harder to be back in touch. Been there and one of those - you wish you could turn the clock back but sadly, you can’t!

[Leicesterbaggie]

The best friend of a mate of mine ( a person I played football with and against a few years ago ) was at a stag do last weekend.

Early in the day before the drinking started the group went out on a bicycle ride.

This lad fell rather innocuously and bumped his head knocking himself out for a short time but he came around quickly,an ambulance was called just in case.

The ambulance crew were less than happy with what they could see and called the air ambulance.

A few hours later he was pronounced brain dead in hospital and life support was turned off.

This lad was a top corporate lawyer in London and a brilliant sportsman and I knew him through his dad who I dealt with in the sports trade for many years.

All that mental and sporting ability wiped out in his prime in his early 40’s in a simple fall of three or four feet in height.

Life is so tenuous......if you’re not constantly on high alert it can be gone in a second.

That's very sad. Life is so cruel sometimes!

[soulman101]

So sorry to hear this. It's shock me up up, yesterday I passed out in the bathroom, bang my head and knocked myself out come round after a few minutes. Wife wanted to call an ambulance ,i wouldn't let her. Feel ok today.
When our James was in the Childrens Trust there was 2 lads with permanent brain injuries due to falling off their bikes. One lad was so bad, he just sits there and wouldn't even brink if a firework went off. None of them wore safety helmets. When i see the kids doing wheelies, i think of these lads.

[westcountryvillain]

Absolutely tragic - I lost a good mate of mine from back in the day, fell off the Crib Goch ridge on Snowdon & died instantly. Left behind a partner and two young 'uns. Great post Dubbag, life is short.

[mickd1961]

My mate who lost this mate in the bike incident is in hospital desperately sick with cancer at just 44-45 years of age.

A devastating blow to someone to lose their best mate of 35 years when they themselves may well be terminal.

[Joy_Division]

My wife and I met our friends for coffee the other week as we do on a regular basis. We met outside Costa and his first words to us were: ''I won't beat around the bush, the doctor has given me around six weeks to live and they have already booked me a place in a hospice.'' That was about seven weeks ago and sure enough he is in the hospice and I have probably seen him for the last time last week as he has deteriorated that much since Thursday last that he has managed to indicate to his wife that he no longer wants visitors other than his wife and kids. He has had less than 3 years ''happy retirement'' with his wife. All the plans of holidays etc gone. We are all on borrowed time and you just don't know what is going on inside you till you suddenly start displaying symptoms. Life can seem so unfair sometimes when you see some of the sh*te walking the streets when good decent people are dying of that insidious disease Cancer. Cancer Research having to rely on donated money to fund research. But don't worry because we are sending millions in aid to places like India who have a space programme. Maybe the cure for cancer is in space eh?

[holmleighchris]

Great points JD.