I had a friend I met in a MUD I would go to that this poem reminded me of. She was very ill also and suddenly she had stopped showing up, about a month passed and that's when her friend showed up asked her if everything was still alright and heard she was basically on her death bed.
Didn't believe it at first till I saw it, man that was such a sad day. I still have all her letters and photos she sent me, she was a dear friend amazingly 7 years later the sent of the perfume she put on her letters is still on them. Its strange too how when you recall such close friends and your brain tricks your senses and you could swear that scent is all over the place around you.