Teddy died from complications brought on by pancreatic cancer.
I never thought much about the pancreas before. I mean I knew about the blood sugar connection. Insulin. Sure. Weighs about 3 ounces or so. I know that now. I even read up on Herophilus.
I thought I wanted to know everything about the pancreas.
I didn't.
Hospice came in when Teddy made the decision to stay home no matter what.
Now I can tell you about Dame Cicely Saunders. And Florence Wald. And Elisabeth Kubler Ross. And Senators Frank Church and Frank E. Ross.
Senator Church died from a pancreatic tumor. He was the last Democratic senator from Idaho.
Teddy and I had been married for three years when Senator Church died. We watched his funeral on t.v.
Jilly--across the street Jill--her sister Beth came to see us and talk to us about hospice care. Teddy asked about Medicare but was mostly quiet.
Beth had a funny accent. I didn't ask about that.
When we moved here people asked me where I was from all the time. Huntsville, I would say. Huntsville, they would ask. Alabama, I would say. Oh, they would say.
Sometimes I would mention the rocket science center. Wasn't important after awhile as more folks got to know me. Teddy would just laugh when I fussed about. You married a Yankee, he said, what did you expect.
It hit home when he stopped eating. Beth said that would come soon enough.
Then it clicked. Of course. Jilly told me they were from Montreal and Beth just moved here last year.
Beth's husband is an orthopedic surgeon. The college football coach met him at some conference and sold him on the idea of moving here.
Not that our team is special. But it's something I guess.
Teddy liked going to the games. He never asked me to go. He liked the basketball and baseball games. I think the baseball team won the conference a few times.
I'm not up on all that much on sports.
Johnny and Lindsey were flying in from Chicago the day Teddy died.
Beth noted time of death as 9:47 am, October 12th, 2024.
Johnny and Lindsey left the kids with her sister Karen. Karen didn't have children so that was going to be interesting.
Teddy opened his eyes and looked right at me and I squeezed his hand. His mouth opened slightly and he exhaled. His eyes closed and Beth said he's gone now.
And now he's gone.
Lyman 2024
