Story by Donna Swagerty Shreve
Dad was the first sibling to go. He was diagnosed in 1981 with prostate cancer. The doctor wasn’t expecting him to last more than six months. Dad made himself available to all treatments possible at the time. He put up a gallant fight but after 4 ½ years he lost the battle.
After a few years, it became apparent that Dad was slowly fading away. Time was running out and the siblings and spouses wanted to get together one more time. Having Dad travel would be asking too much so everyone agreed to come to him. Jeanne organized the get together because she was aware that Jack was leaving the country soon for Egypt and would not be around when Dad died.
I can’t remember the details of the lunch such as if they brought it in or if Mom insisted on making it. I was teaching that day but I hurried over as soon as I could to take pictures and help in any way I could. I had taken Dad to the doctor a week before for a blood transfusion as it would give him temporarily more energy in time for the day’s event. Dad was having a “good” day for him but, in retrospect, he was in terrible shape and very weak.
I took the group shot and thought at the time how good Dad was doing. It was only after I picked up the developed film several months after Dad died that I realized how bad he really looked. Clem installed some handicap bars in Dad’s bathroom to help out. Those bars stayed in that bathroom until I remodeled years later when I moved into the condo.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 