Lots to catch up on with readers!
You may remember that I met Rich in 2008 and brought him along in my blogging journey. In 2014, we left San Francisco and moved to Sacramento where I commuted back and forth to my job in San Francisco until the pandemic.
When lockdown started, Rich hadn’t been feeling well for several months. He was having difficulty eating, which meant he was losing weight, and his doctor continued to diagnose him with chronic acid reflux syndrome or something similar. While it was great to be at home full time, but I did see how little he was eating as a result. We expected that it was something worse.
In early April 2020, Rich was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer.
The diagnosis was bleak. The cancer had spread into a lung, his stomach, and lymph nodes. He was immediately prescribed a feeding machine as the tumor completely blocked his esophagus. He started radiation and chemo immediately as his 80-something parents took a flight early in the pandemic to come be with us. It was an awful time.
The bright spot was that we decided to get married to celebrate our 12 years and, quite frankly, to simplify decision making around his healthcare. Our vows were really special and one of the best moments of my life.
As his condition worsened in the following months, it was clear that the end was near and I felt empty. The pandemic was a locking cloak over the entire experience.
After just under two weeks in hospice (at home), Rich passed on a sunny Sunday morning in November 2020.
Miss you, sweetheart.
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