October 23, 2012
by TRatner
2 Comments
Looking Back Part 2 Clips from a summer journal July 2, 2010 Chemo side-effects: Fatigue Lethargy Bloating Constipation Hiccups throughout day Wednesday evening (11 p.m.) Michael is still constipated. We drive to CVS to pick-up Milk of Magnesia, Miralex, a … Continue reading
August 10, 2012
by TRatner
1 Comment
Let the Sighs Begin You might feel a gradual welling up of pleasure, or boredom, or misery. Whatever the emotion, it’s more abundant than you ever dreamed. You can no more contain it than your hands can cup a … Continue reading
August 10, 2012
by TRatner
0 comments
The man in the house across the street is dying. I began to notice it two years ago when he suddenly stopped coming around to do chores such as raking, fixing electrical outlets that weren’t in working order, painting rotted … Continue reading
April 9, 2012
by TRatner
4 Comments
THEN Early on in our marriage, Sunday became a day of contention, mainly because my husband, Michael, preferred his cycling pleasures over spending morning hours with me. He’d set the alarm for 8:00 am, slip out of bed and head … Continue reading
February 6, 2012
by TRatner
3 Comments
A Study in Morbidity The Last Photo My husband died November of 2010, at 2:04 p.m.—one week before Thanksgiving. I know the time because when he took his last breath, for some reason, I glanced up at the clock. … Continue reading
January 6, 2012
by TRatner
2 Comments
Looking Back Part II The beginning of the end Two weeks before my husband was admitted to inpatient hospice, he experienced an increase in bone pain. His daily medications were no longer easing his discomfort. I remember the initial comment … Continue reading
December 11, 2011
by TRatner
2 Comments
October 31, 2011 Looking Back It’s Halloween night, but the outside lights are turned off. I don’t expect any ghosts or ghouls ringing my door bell in hopes of a treat. I’m upstairs in the study clicking away on the … Continue reading
November 12, 2011
by TRatner
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One Year Later November \ 2011 On a Monday afternoon, November 8, 2010, an ambulance attendant pulled into the circular driveway to bring my husband, Michael, to the Coronado House, an inpatient facility for end-of-life comfort measures. I knew when … Continue reading
November 2, 2011
by TRatner
5 Comments
October 5, 2011 The Last Dance It’s not for me to say you love me; It’s not for me to say you’ll always care. Oh, but here for the moment, I can hold you fast And press your lips … Continue reading
October 23, 2011
by TRatner
1 Comment
The Unveiling October 23, 2011 Referring to the “stone” sounds funny. It’s not just a stone, it’s granite, hard, natural, igneous rock essentially formed of quartz. The word ‘granite’ comes from the Latin word which means grain, in reference to … Continue reading