Comments on: The Circle of Life

By: sarah

sarah — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:35:18 +0000

you are so brave, Farokh and Janet
It's hard to imagine what it's like to look death in the eye, and yet you are doing so with such grace and honesty.
I'm looking forward to seeing both of you on sunday

By: Shahla Stee

Shahla Stee — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 03:47:49 +0000

Farokh Jan,
I have Ron on the line with me as I write to you.
Shoushou told me yesterday.
She did not want me to hear it just like that.
I wanted to call Foad's but could not do it yesterday.
It was too new.
I called Foad tonight.
I can't stop the tears but I will by the morning.
I want to call you tomorrow if I may.
I will not upset you.
I promise.
It feels like yesterday Ron MSed your wedding and I made the dress for Janet.
I am sitting in the same house where I made the dress.
I want to say give my love to your Mom and Dad pretending that you are going on a journey.
But you are going on a journey and I want to say all my love until we meet again.
Some how this passing is harder for me to take than other loved ones.
It must be that I have a hard time seeing you of an age that brings with it time to pass on.
Having said it all I am still hopping and praying that you fool them all and stick around for a very long time.
You are in my heat and my prayers.
Ron sends you his love and prayers as well.
I have not told the boys as yet.
Shahla

By: Ignacio

Ignacio — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 20:13:28 +0000

Your words are gold to the ones of us left behind. Even when you are gone you will continue to change those of us that struggle every day with remembering that life is short and that we must enjoy everything we have.

By: Taravat

Taravat — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 01:15:36 +0000

Farookh joonam, I love reading your writings and feel so close to you. how wonderful to let us share such privat and precisous feelings.
have you seen Renee Pasarow's talk about her near death experence. well that is how I imagine it to be , though I dont know how I would feel when my turn comes .hope I will be as real as you are. please be there to greet me upon my arrival. Abdu'lBaha says to look forward to death as we would to an upcoming exciting journey. like a bird freed from the cage. wow,how wonderful it must feel? yet how attached I am to this cage knowing it is my prison . see you soon here or there.
love you dearly

By: Jane B

Jane B — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:33:19 +0000

Dear Farokh your post made me cry, it truly is surreal. I try and think of myself in that position and imagination fails me. As you know John and I have just fought colo-rectal cancer together, he had the same side effects you described for the chemo. They were bad but not too intolerable (if you do go that route). But then again, chemo affects everybody differently. It is amazing what a difference metastasis makes to the prognosis. John goes for his final CAT scan soon and we expect it to be clear but once again cancer is such a squirrelly disease, you can never be certain. I sense that you might be erring on the side of nature taking it's course, and this is going to sound very, very flippant have you tried Tahibo (P'au Darco) tea? I got some for John from Herbie's Herbs on Queen St West (just east of Bathurst on the north side). I thought it couldn't hurt but he couldn't have it as I read online that it interferes with chemo. It comes with a 'snake oil' pamphlet about its medicinal fx against cancer (all blown up claims), but 'auntie Irene' who is about a billion years old (and from the Old Country) swears that it cured her and her daughter's lymphoma (her daughter's was untreatable with modern medicines for some reason). She bugged me and bugged me until I got John some. Anyway that's my 'peanut' of an idea – just channelling 'auntie Irene' who lives in my townhouse complex. Online they say that it's been properly clinically studied (and trialled) as an alternative to chemo, but in high doses (high enough for to be a chemo alternative) it has side effects. Anyway, that's enough hocus-pocus for today. Farokh I hope we can see you and Janet in the near future (once you stop reeling). If you're not too busy and feeling up to it. If there's anything we can do, let us know. Don't know what else to say except peace and wellness (whatever form that may come in) to the three of you….. and remember, it ain't over until it's over… cancer is a weird disease and you can't always predict its outcome…and there's still plenty of life in you yet my friend!

By: Anne Godfrey

Anne Godfrey — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:16:12 +0000

Farokh, I am so sorry and so is Harry who remembers you well. Your blog is heart-wrenching, fascinating, and funny – just like life. You have provided such a gift to all your followers with your wonderful photos and your insights. This is an important part of your legacy to the world. Thank you for using your precious energy to give this to us. Big hugs and much love. Anne

By: roya

roya — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 03:22:34 +0000

i will try to get myself to toronto in time to give you a big hug…i remember how we laughed at the coffee shop at starbucks..frankly, i thought there would be more time…you are so brave …and i am sad…am crying my eyes out here…on the other side they must be anxious to have you..your mom and dad, my grandmother tajmah..i am sure they are looking forward to it, whilst the one's here will be missing you terribly, until we see each other again there…lots of love- roya

By: gita

gita — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:29:37 +0000

how wonderfully sensible, brave, thoughtful and funny you are farokh. i hope i have exactly your attitude in the face of such news.

By: Sohayla

Sohayla — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:26:49 +0000

It was wonderful to see you again yesterday (even though you didn't share your Mars bar, it is OK, I will get over it!!!). I am thinking this is just a bad dream and the doctors are wrong (as always). See you soon my friend!

By: Sharon

Sharon — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 21:32:33 +0000

I know this was a very tough entry to write while you were absorbing such devastating and disappointing news. you've done a phenomenal job of this one Farokh, gathering so many pieces, so many huge feelings, and landing them into coherency. thank you for your presence and for including so many of us in this terrible beauty of being real, whatever is going on. I look forward to our next visit and in the meantime, hold you in my thoughts and heart with tremendous tenderness. may you be buoyed by the love that surrounds you.