The Mellotron Group

We've been very quiet recently dealing with the health issues of Greg
Amov. But there's not much point in keeping a lid on it any more. Greg
is in the ICU at County General hospital in Los Angeles. He has
systemic cancer that at best would have given him a few months to get
things in order and maybe if he had time do some more music.

But that isn't going to happen. We're counting out time for him now.
Due to the rapid advance of the brain cancer -- which we still thought
might be fightable with radiation treatment until this week -- he has
been having loss of memory and "looping" spells. Also the fiercest
migraines you can imagine. He was readmitted to the hospital on
Friday. I was just leaving for the airport on business when his wife
Diane called me to ask if I would come and take him to USC where he
might been seen by doctors already familiar with his case rather than
wherever the paramedics felt they could get him seen.

Diane and I sat with him all Friday while two CTs wer done and he was
on morphine for pain and a steroid to reduce swelling in his head. She
stayed with him overnight and I resumed the watch Saturday. Greg's
parents came up from San Diego with his sister on Sat afternoon. Greg
responded well enough to the steroids that he became lucid and
conversational later in the afternoon. His family was with him until
8pm. He and I talked until 9pm.

He slept all night, which is good. I am going back to the hospital
right now to sit with him and talk whenever he's up for it. There is a
thread on PE, and I have a thread on my FB page if anyone wants to
express well-wishes etc. I will use mobiule web to check in
periodically and will read everyone of them to him if anyone has a
message.

Just so it's clear, barring a miracle Greg is on the way out. While
there is always hope (stranger things have happened), we should all do
what Greg has finally done and get our heads around this time being
his coda. Friday afternoon his family and I genuinely expected him to
pass away on Saturday. And it still could be in the next few days.
Even if he rallies and goes home it will be in the next few weeks (at
best).

While I'd like my best friend to see his 50th birthday in November I
don't want him lingering on in a daily hell bereft of dignity just
because those that love him can't let go and say goodbye. So, if you
are a praying person, you might ask for mercy. I believe that is what
Greg would want, not supplication for recovery.

I will post again if and when there is something meaningful to say, or
when it is time to tell of his exit from this play, stage right.
-- 
Thanks for your consideration, SDM -- a 21st Century Schizoid Man
Systems Theory music project: <www.systemstheory.net>
on MySpace: <www.myspace.com/systemstheory>
on GarageBand: <www.garageband.com/systemstheory>
on Last FM: <www.last.fm/music/Systems+Theory>
on CDBaby: CDBaby <www.cdbaby.com/all/systemstheory>
get "Codetalkers" *free* at <www.mikedickson.org.uk/codetalkers>
NP: nowt