Dr. Stankey put Terry in the hospital to run some tests. He must have known something wasn't right. He gave Terry the bad news. It was cancer. The oncologist felt that it had started in her intestine and spread to her liver. Surgery wasn't an option because it had spread throughout her abdomen. He did say she could start chemo and try to shrink it and prolong her life. After the first round of chemo she was weak, but said she felt fine. One afternoon while she was still in hospital Matt and I and Frank and Midge were visiting. A doctor showed up and asked Frank and Midge if they were family. I was about to speak up, but Midge beat me to it. "Yes, yes, we're family." she proclaimed loudly and assuredly. I was slightly annoyed at her forwardness, but we were still grateful that she was taking care of Frank, so now we're family.
Terry was in and out of the hospital alot that summer and she came to the harsh realization that she was going to have to cancel the cruise. She wasn't in pain so much but the weakness made it almost impossible for her to get out of bed. She eventually felt better going to a nursing home to try to regain some strength. The sad fact was that she wasn't going to get any better. One day I said to Matt, "I think you should be prepared. Tracey said your mom's cancer is pretty bad. She said she'll be gone by Christmas." Tracey was a good friend and a nurse who told me the plain truth that she probably only had a couple months after this diagnosis. I thought Matt should know, but he got quite angry at Tracey and me. "Why would she say that, how would she know?" "Matt, she's a nurse, she knows." I explained gently. "She doesn't know shit and she should mind her own business." Matt said angrily.
Sadly, Tracey's prediction was correct, she only lasted about three months after diagnosis. After Matt's brother's traveled to town for one last visit, Terry passed away.
This was also the end of Frank and Midge's relationship. For some unexplained reason, Midge felt that she was in competition with Frank's brothers for his attention. He spent Terry's final weekend with his brothers at the hospital or at our house. It was a sad time, but they seemed to enjoy being together. The day after Terry died Midge called our house to speak to Frank and began screaming at him for not spending time with her. I could hear her yelling but I couldn't hear what she was saying. I picked up the extension with the intention of helping Frank out. "Midge, what's up?" I asked. "Susie . . . " Midge was crying. Not for Terry or for Frank's loss, but for herself. "I just need him here. I didn't know where he was." "Midge, he's with his brothers. Their mother just passed away. What's wrong with you?" I heard sobbing sounds but continued. "Frank was spending time with his brother's, there's nothing wrong with that. Their mother just died and all you can think of is yourself." I was angry and probably went a little too far. I meant well, but couldn't help myself at her absurdity. She hung up on me. The next day she broke up with Frank and handed Matt a bill for about two thousand dollars worth of his share of gas bills, groceries and McDonald's meals.
No comments:
Post a Comment