Veneziaddicts

Thanks for posting - so sad to read this news, but grateful to have known Egon. Our lives are richer for it. :(

I'm one of so many who have followed this thread since meeting Egon on Poesia in June/July last year. I received the message below from Steve last Thursday, and have been watching to see if it was reposted. I know many people want to know how he is faring, so although it's not very good news, I thought I should share it. Egon is such an amazing person, I think everyone who met him was touched by him.

Hi All, this is Steve (Egon's son) with an update to all of you who have an interest by way of Dad's email group(s).

On Monday I received the results of the CTscan performed on the 17th. These results are not good. The tumor load has increased dramatically and the cancer is deemed very aggressive now. There are presently spots on the liver, bone (primarily spine) and lymph (but not lungs). The largest tumor is over 60x20mm. There has been a change in meds again to alleviate some liver/kidney dysfunction and he is now on synthetic morphine to ease the pain. Dad told me a few days ago that the injections help to alleviate the quick onset of the pain (new development). Egon remains in hospital but continues to weaken. Still, he had strong periods of 10 or 15 minutes at a time before being too tired to interact or even respond. On the 24th (yesterday) he was moved to the Palliative Care ward. Also yesterday I read some 50 emails to him that I had printed out (all from you fine folk reading this) and he is very grateful to all of you. He also was able to read on his own my previous 'report' to you of 10 days ago and was quite coherent and capable of flipping the pages himself as well as asking questions and acknowledging the answers. Yesterday I was still able to feed him soup, orange and milk and even a little roast beef at lunch time, he also ate some fruit salad on his own a few days ago. Today, not so much. A few days ago he was still able to get up and stand (with help) - not today. In fact, today there is no food intake at all and communication has mostly waned.

It appears that I was wrong, for until last weekend I was thinking that Dad still had some six months with us, however today I am less confident about this to be sure. When I pressed the Doctor yesterday (before this further dramatic decline since) we came to agree on two or three months. Perhaps the dramatic change from yesterday is temporary, but I no longer anticipate that he might return to his apartment and so visited at his residence at Marina Point to advise. There is apparently a waiting list.

Thank you all for your caring Love ~ Steve