Story Told by Lucy Aldrich Moorhead Rowland, 1992
Abe Aldrich had an operation for his stomach cancer in San Francisco at St. Mary’s hospital. They opened him up to removed the cancer and put in a temporary side opening to be removed several months later. When they opened him up they realized that his cancer was too far gone so they put in the side opening and just sewed him up. Lucy and Clarence were the only children that had the right blood type to use for transfusions. They were waiting to give blood. The doctor came out to talk to the family and Lucy asked if they were ready for them to give blood. All of the children were there at the hospital except Ethel because she was teaching up in Eureka. The doctor then said the cancer had gone too far and there was no hope. The children all heard this but not Ida as she was hard of hearing. They were then all going out to lunch. The children talked among themselves and decided to tell her after lunch. She knew something was up and finally asked them to tell her. She was mad at them for not telling her right away. The doctors were giving him six months and he lasted only four months.
The doctors didn’t tell him the cancer was too far gone. Abe returned to Hughson expecting to go back to San Francisco in three months to reverse his side opening. When no mention of the trip to San Francisco was mentioned Abe started asking when he was scheduled for his reversal operation. Ida kept putting him off and suffering because she just couldn’t tell him the truth. Lucy watched as both of her parents were failing. Lucy went down to the family doctor and asked him to tell her father the truth. Even after three pleas by Lucy the doctor refused saying he would be condemning him to a quicker death. Finally she asked her mother if she wanted her to tell her father the truth. Her mother gladly gave her consent for Lucy to have the chat with Abe about his real condition. Abe had always said he wanted to know the truth so Lucy told him. After she told him he thanked her and then started making arrangements to get his financial affairs in order. He gave most of his property to Wilbur but he asked Ida not to change anything as far as the finances went. He wanted her in charge of the money because she had a better head for the money than Wilbur did. He instructed her to leave everything as was as it was successful. Young Wilbur was in line to take over the ranch after his father. She kept up the agreement for awhile then she gave it up and Wilbur had complete control.
Swagerty-Aldrich Family Web Site 