Living Past Your Expiry Date

This post is a little unusual. I am sitting here at my computer with the cursor flashing at me quite wondering where to start, because this post is for and about a friend of mine who has chosen to end his suffering and depart us all in four weeks time. “I’m so excited to be going and leaving this body” is what he told me on Friday when I went to say goodbye.

I first met Peter Taylor only a handful of years ago through his first book "Don’t Postpone Joy" and then had the pleasure of meeting him in person through NSA (National Speakers Association) when he decided that he wanted to tell the world about his incredible life story, how he succeeded in getting to the Olympics in 1992, and how he contracted the illness that he has today that he so terribly seeks relief from. All from a simple sandfly bite.

Having both HIV and Leishmania, meant certain death within 20 months, but it’s now 21 years later and he is well past his expiry date. His courage to submit himself to more that 900 bouts of various chemotherapy and similar treatments and become a human experiment in an effort to try and rid himself of the parasite that lives within his bone marrow, is extraordinary but it’s time to say “no more. I’m out of here”. At the end of this month, he will cease his medication and treatment, and let nature take its course, 5 - 10 days.

Getting his second and final book "Past My Expiry Date" finished before he goes has been a mission, but it’s finally available on Amazon. For someone who is nearly blind and deaf, writing 45,000 words with the aid of special software is a mammoth task in itself, and I encourage you to take a copy, it’s well worth the read.

Of recent, Peter has kept the most extraordinary blog, “How’s Your Day?” where he reflects about his illness and where his head is at. This is an excerpt from his penultimate post:

“You probably have not met someone so excited about parting from this world. Being wrapped in love, without fear, happy and excited about my new adventure leaves me in no doubt as to I am ready. So much to do for this trip and no packing.

While at the hospital the other day and in line for a coffee, I met a vague acquaintance.

‘How are you Pete?’

‘I’m off in about 6 weeks,’ I said.

‘Where too?’ he asked.

‘Where it is always sunny.’

‘Oh, you’re off to the tropics. Well have a great time.’

Then he spun on his heel with a fresh coffee as happy as jam on a sandwich.

I smiled to know that was far nicer than saying I’m dying. I guess it is how you look at it all.”

That just sums Pete up, a gentleman on a very important mission, to find a place where the sun shines all the time and I am excited for him. Having said goodbye, something you don’t always get to do before someone departs, I am reminded of his smile and not of his pain.

Pete has had the knowledge that he will be leaving us for a while and has been able to say goodbye to loved ones, tidy his affairs and make his own funeral plans, something I should imagine brings him a sense of calmness, everything is ready to go.

I encourage you do the same, tell those precious to you how you feel about them, create or review your will to make sure your own affairs are in order, and know that everything is as set as it can be for when you yourself eventually leave, perhaps without time to say goodbye.

So just take a moment out of your busy schedule today for yourself, just a moment and pause and think for a while. Are your affairs ready?

Note: Peter has given permission for this post.

Extra Note added 16th September: Peter sadly passed away on Sunday 15th September at 11.11pm.

I do hope you follow my posts in the future.