You've read it before.
So many deaths in a year
Jack Chrisman, June 23rd 2022
Gwen Sears, August 12th 2022
My sister Elizabeth, Jan 3rd 2023
Barbara Dunne, June 16th 2023
My sister Jean, June 17th 2023
So much sadness. So much loss.
It's evidently not enough.
My very dear friend Ben Matlock has chosen to move towards death with the grace and mercy of his husband Ted; of superb medical treatment in NYC, and soon of Hospice.
Ben has been treated for a vicious cancer (behind his right eye) since Oct/Nov 2022.
So many hopes are mutating into sadness.
Ted writes as follows
Yesterday, Ben reached a watershed moment. He said something along the lines of, “If this is buying time, what’s the point.” He was clearly ready to terminate curative treatment. We spoke with our favorite nurse at the place of his chemo and with his Nurse Practitioner, who was in close contact with his oncologist. We were all on the same page, which was to say, there did not seem to be much point to continue treatment.
And thus to Hospice for palliative care, or “comfort care” as it is sometimes called. Everything was already in place. Ben’s PCP is the one to continue care for Ben in coordination with Hospice. Ben’s intake interview is scheduled for this Saturday (the 24th), and I believe the wheels will start rolling after that.
Ben will remain at home which is where he very much wants to die when the time comes. No hospital or ER visits.
(They live at yesterday, Ben reached a watershed moment. He said something along the lines of, “If this is buying time, what’s the point.” He was clearly ready to terminate curative treatment. We spoke with our favorite nurse at the place of his chemo and with his Nurse Practitioner, who was in close contact with his oncologist. We were all on the same page, which was to say, there did not seem to be much point to continue treatment.
And thus to Hospice for palliative care, or “comfort care” as it is sometimes called. Everything was already in place. Ben’s PCP is the one to continue care for Ben in coordination with Hospice. Ben’s intake interview is scheduled for this Saturday (the 24th), and I believe the wheels will start rolling after that.
Ben will remain at home which is where he very much wants to die when the time comes. No hospital or ER visits.
Ben, Ted and I had dinner in Lee, MA on May 14th 2022 during my whistle stop visit to Western Mass. On that same visit I'd had tea and cookies with my beloved Gwen Sears in Lenox MA.
Gwen has gone. Ben will go. I feel beaten up. "Who will be the next?"
I find comfort in an old gospel hymn.\ as arranged by Aaron Copeland.
https://youtu.be/_9dIIySeaxs
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