Confronting Imminent Death

[arminnie]

Gene O'Kelley was a classmate of mine who died in September 2005 after having been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in May 2005. Before his death he wrote a book about his experiences.

Chasing Daylight by Eugene O'Kelly

“I was blessed.

I was told I had three months to live.”

On May 24, 2005, Eugene O'Kelly stepped into his doctor's office with a full calendar and a lifetime of plans on his mind. Six days later he would resign as CEO of KPMG. His lifetime of plans dwindled to 100 days, leaving him just enough time to say goodbye.

Chasing Daylight is O'Kelly's honest, touching, and ultimately inspirational memoir completed in the three-and-a-half months between his diagnosis with brain cancer and his death in September 2005. Its haunting yet extraordinarily hopeful voice reminds us to embrace the fragile, fleeting moments of our lives-the time we have with our family, our friends, and even ourselves.

It is an eloquent confirmation that our lives and the people in them are temporary joys, but the time we spend enjoying them is never lost. And if we conquer our fears-even the fear of facing the end of our lives and leaving behind those we love-we can conquer anything.

Gene was a very nice, smart, handsome successful man with a lovely family. He was Chairman of KPMG - a really big deal, but he was still so down to earth and nice.

I used to run into him at work in San Francisco before he was promoted to NY. He was always so friendly and kind.

I thought some of you might be interested in this book. It has gotten great reviews - even from the New York Times.

I have 4 friends right now with advanced cancer (liver, pancreatic, ovarian and leukemia). I am going to share this with them.

 

[mtblujeans]

Is this book out in the 'regular' bookstores?

 

[VSL]

People like this always astound me. How do they do it? Where do they get that strength?

It's just amazing (and, in so many ways, inspiring).

arminnie, not to get OT, but your friends may also be interested in Jane Tomlinson.

 

[Deb in IA]

One of my colleagues just lost her father earlier today from lung cancer that was diagnosed only last November.


Thanks for sharing this, arminnie. I'll look for this for my friend.

 

[NCRedding]

I am sure it is a very interesting book. Unfortunately, I don't think I would be able to read it, as it hits too close to home. In 2004, my brother was given a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer on the Friday before Memorial Day. He passed away 36 days later on July 3. How he dealt with his imminent death continues to amaze me. My brother drew alot of his strength from humor--in fact, his last words were in the form of a joke.

I wish I believed I would have the strength that my brother, and Gene O'Kelly appeared to have.

 

[bsnyder]

I'd be very interesting in the book also. Please, please let us know where to find it.

My mother lived 7 months after she was diagnosed, last September, with lung cancer. She was told, at that time, that without treatment she had 2 to 4 weeks left.

I'm still processing the events of the last year, but one thing that stands out so clearly to me already is the final lesson my mother was able to teach me in those 7 months and that is - how to live and die with faith, dignity, courage, and thankfulness.

 

[arminnie]

The book is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. I'm not sure about in the physical B&N stores. It was just published in December so it's still relatively new.

I'm sorry for all of your losses. Thanks for the Jane Tomlinson reference.

Most of my classmates (Stanford MBA '77) are between 50 and 60 now. There were only 300 of us, and we've remained pretty close. It seems like we are losing 1 or 2 a year now. Very sad.

I retired in 2001 after some major (but not life threatening) health problems. I decided that I'd rather have less money and not use up what life span I had left on a career.

I have lived with my soon to be 85 year old father for the past 5 years. I feel really blessed to have had this time with him.

 

[mtblujeans]

The book is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. I'm not sure about in the physical B&N stores. It was just published in December so it's still relatively new.

I'm sorry for all of your losses. Thanks for the Jane Tomlinson reference.

Most of my classmates (Stanford MBA '77) are between 50 and 60 now. There were only 300 of us, and we've remained pretty close. It seems like we are losing 1 or 2 a year now. Very sad.

I retired in 2001 after some major (but not life threatening) health problems. I decided that I'd rather have less money and not use up what life span I had left on a career.

I have lived with my soon to be 85 year old father for the past 5 years. I feel really blessed to have had this time with him.