Despair Brought Them Right Back To Hope

Thirteen Years #46: The story of a friend, and his fight with AIDS

Photo by LoboStudio Hamburg on Unsplash

Except for a brief note to tell him they had arrived home safely, Annie only sat down to write Isaac a long e-mail three days after they had left Cape Town. She wanted to know how he was doing, especially inquiring about the pain in his legs and his cold. In her e-mail she also told Isaac about their holiday plans for the next year: they were already planning to visit Isaac again in February 2000, only seven months from then.

Because they had heard nothing from Isaac since they had left South Africa, Annie sent another e-mail the next day. She was concerned because of Isaac not being well on the last two days of their visit.

They only received a short e-mail from Isaac the next day:

Date: Fri, 1 Jul 1999 10:16:54

Hi there my dear friends,

I did not forget about you. I’m a bit sick. My nose is blocked (not runny) and my stomach is aching again. I am using two morphine patches now. It helps against the pain, meaning that I don’t feel the pain constantly.

I am going to take a shower and then I am going to a colleague to deliver some packages that I have in the back of my car.

Thank you for your e-mail. As soon as I am back, I will reply to that.

Take care for now.
Me
xxx

Both Jacques and Annie wrote Isaac e-mails, wanting to know how he was. They never received a reply.