Letters to the Editor
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Define "giving up"?
What a wonderful spirited angry letter!
It's human nature to treat big scary possibilities with the simplest of platitudes, such as saying to a close friend slowly dying from a disease that is, to an unknowing friend, seeming curable, "keep on fighting" or "don't give up". Why do we say such things? It's basically well-intentioned stupidity that stems from a lack of knowledge of what it means to truly suffer and our human fear of death.
At first glance it would appear that the LW is suffering from a depression and has given up. But I see the LW's perspective as very life-affirming. He or she wants to use the time left to live, not to fight this giant.
Chronic illness saps the spirit because oftentimes it's a battle that can't be won. I admire the LW for her honest HEALTHY reaction, to accept that instead of trying to be the superhero survivor who battled death and won, that oftentimes the nobler course is to accept one's fate and then turn one's gaze to the beauty of the time that's left. If every single day is devoted to monitoring glucose levels and thinking about your health, where is the time for great conversations over brunch? For watching HBO? For relationships? For reading and enjoying books?
All that said, my fingers and toes are crossed that the surgery corrects her wonky liver and that good health returns to her. But in the meantime, keep having brunch with your understanding friend, enjoy the days. Live as if you are going to die.