All for nothing

A 48 year old man I've taken care of for nearly 20 years. He is 250 pounds, but works out a lot, lifting weights. He suffered a right calf DVT years ago with significant pulmonary embolism, and has been on coumadin since. Works at the local "factory", raised a couple of kids, and didn't always get to the office every month to get his INR checked. Basically a good, well-meaning guy. Biggest problem has been struggling with his weight (he likes to eat) and not enough aerobic exercise.

During his annual physical he reflected on the fact that several people he knew from work had dropped dead during the past year. One, a c0-worker, father-husband with no symptoms had supper, retired to his Lazy Boy and dropped dead. 28 years at the factory, struggling to raise the family, hoping one day he'd catch a break, and now-nothing. "It was all for nothing", he said. "He'll never get time to relax. He'll never get to watch his kids, see or hold his grandchildren. Nothing."

I choked up a bit. My father dropped dead from an MI at 57 years old while I was a second year medical student. Was it all for nothing? Do the moments "count"? And what is the point of life, anyway? Somehow, after that "pleasant" mid-afternoon exchange, I still had to put a warm smile on and attend to the rest of the patients that afternoon.