
From Alex’s Family - zoeysaurusrex
https://alex.blog/2019/02/27/from-alexs-family/
======
bane
Feb 3, 2019: "My oncologist did mention that if at any point I want to just
stop treatment and make myself comfortable, that I should let them know as
they won’t keep asking. I have zero intention of going that route, but it’s a
scary situation to think about. It kind of makes it very real."

Feb 18, 2019: "Despite my best efforts over the past two and a half years, the
leukemia has won."

Feb 27, 2019: "Alex was with his family when he passed peacefully earlier
today, Wednesday, February 27th."

Man, it goes so fast. I think on the 3rd of this month I was looking at
bicycles that were on sale and trying to figure out what groceries to buy for
dinner.

I didn't know Alex, or really about him until his blog showed up earlier this
month. But I was really moved by his grace and sharing and how many people his
work touched and made better. A beautiful life and mind, lost now to the fire
of time.

I decided to read his last couple years of blog posts just to really try to
grok him...just...really amazed. I wish I had half the maturity he did when he
was facing such shitty shitty dice roles in life.

The post where I just lost it.

July 28th, 2018: "Today marked the completion of my 34th trip around the sun.

I spent the day at home due to fatigue and just generally not feeling great
due to this latest IV medication I’m on. One of my sisters was able to make it
down from near Seattle though which was a cool surprise!

Here’s hoping my health issues are behind me when 35 rolls around. I certainly
didn’t expect to still be dealing with this crap at this point."

~~~
b3lvedere
\-- edited. was a rather dumb comment of me --

~~~
ar7hur
OP was quoting Alex.

~~~
b3lvedere
my bad

------
Dangeranger
What strikes me most clearly about Alex is how quickly his disease progressed
from managed, to life ending. He posted on February 3rd about his bone marrow
samples coming back with a 20% cancer indicator, and sounded cautious but
determined to defeat the disease. Unfortunately he did not.

Within two weeks his liver had failed due to graft-versus-host disease and he
would not survive.

Life is a precious flame, it takes little to blow it out. Live each moment
deeply. Tell your family you love them.

------
yingw787
I never knew Alex, but I'm saddened to hear of his passing. I hope his loved
ones cherish the good memories, and he lives on through their memories for
years to come.

If anybody is interested in a leukemia charity to donate to, the Leukemia
Research Foundation has four stars on Charity Navigator:
[https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summar...](https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=8070)

Direct donation link:
[https://www.allbloodcancers.org/donate](https://www.allbloodcancers.org/donate)

~~~
kenneth
You can also sign up to be a bone marrow donor in the national registry at
[https://bethematch.org/](https://bethematch.org/). It's unlikely you'll ever
be called on, but if you are a match, you might be one of the few people in
the world with the ability to save someone's life.

A good friend in college had leukemia and was saved by a donation. She said
that it's especially hard to find a match for people of Asian descent and
other minorities.

------
devoply
His last commits, coding till the very end:
[https://github.com/Viper007Bond/vipers-video-quicktags-
migra...](https://github.com/Viper007Bond/vipers-video-quicktags-
migrator/commits/master)

------
agumonkey
10 days between two blog entries, heartbreaking

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flocial
I feel this link would be more informative with context (I leave it to mods).

[https://wptavern.com/alex-mills-ends-his-battle-with-
leukemi...](https://wptavern.com/alex-mills-ends-his-battle-with-leukemia)

~~~
dawnerd
Why not his own site: [https://alex.blog/2019/02/18/leukemia-has-
won/](https://alex.blog/2019/02/18/leukemia-has-won/) which was previously on
HN.

Your link is from the 19th and doesn't from what I can tell have the latest.
:(

~~~
flocial
True. I wasn't aware of Alex's contributions and while the passing is sad
there was no context.

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ripvanwinkle
Quite a lesson in facing adversity with grace both from Alex and his family.

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herostratus101
Just read all of the cancer posts on his blog. Very sad.

