He drove to Montreal with Lucy and Therese to visit at her family's cottage. When I saw him last Thursday, he didn't seem quite right. Michael was sort of distant, and didn't respond when I spoke to him. He merely sat in front of his stereo listening to music and stared at me. I assumed that he was just tired.
Terminal illness is an emotionally grueling experience both for patients and family members.
Michael Lloyd was only 33 at the time of his death, but the sequence of AIDS is several life-times' worth of suffering pain and indignity. Maria Lloyd is a woman of decided courage, and her book is commendably free of bitterness. It is difficult to criticize a book dealing with such a painful subject, but Not a Total Waste was not easy to read, and not just because of the subject matter. Simply put, the book needs editing. Following the actual story itself is a listing of tables of statistics about AIDS, music sources, organizations and support groups, a glossary, a listing of tasks to be completed after an individual's death.