At the last minute he decided to donate his body to benefit others. However due to his age, 89, and his cause of death, cancer (love those circulating cancer cells), options were limited. He donated his body to Harvard Medical School for research. They will keep his body for up to two years, but more like 12-18 months and then return his ashes to us.
In the meantime we are having a celebration of life type service at a local Unitarian church this weekend. The service should provide some sense of closure for all of us and help us start to put our grief behind us.
However, in the process of putting together the service, all of our emotions are riding high and we are stressed. There are a lot of opinions and thoughts that create some conflict. But I think we will be able to pull this together and start the process of healing.
One of the reasons I did not discuss my father's health before his death is it was not my story to tell. It was his story. I may have alluded to caring for someone and taking someone to doctor appointments but for the most part I kept it to myself.
I am trying to take care of myself as much as possible. My knee continues to heal. My exhaustion continues to thrive. And when I miss my daily nap, I tend to get cranky and go to bed early.
