Folks, this was one of the hardest weeks of my life. Val was incredibly, terrifyingly sick all week and we both just barely made it through. She was especially sick on the day of Betty’s funeral, which was lovely and moving and sad and celebratory. The Garrison family has lived in this valley for over 80 years, and the church was overflowing with supportive friends and community. Family had also gathered from near and far, and filled several rows of pews. Val is the baby of the family, and I could see that it was heartbreaking for everyone there to see how ill she is, as her father brought her slowly down the aisle in a borrowed wheelchair. It was beautiful to watch the two of them support each other during the service.
What I remember best from the service was when Betty’s oldest daughter, Val’s sister Sandy, shared a letter Betty wrote in the late 60’s to her own sister Lois, full of wonderful tiny details about life with small children on the ranch she loved. That lady sure knew how to relish daily life and the splendor of the natural world surrounding her, which is one of the many reasons I loved her.
Sunday was cold and rainy so I was thankful when Monday, the day of the funeral, turned out briskly sunny, which meant we were able to take Val (oxygen unit slung over the wheelchair handles) to the cemetery for her mother’s burial.
The week was all pretty hectic, and I was fully (and rather harrowingly) occupied with Val’s health, but there was lots of family around and both Val and I found a few moments to connect meaningfully with people we love.
The over-the-top addition to the week was that Val’s other sister, Jane, became very ill on the day of the funeral, and after the burial she wound up being taken by ambulance to the hospital an hour away, where the next morning they operated on her ruptured appendix. So there was no respite from crisis until they released Jane from the hospital five days later and until Brad and I finally got Val home for medical care.
Here’s a glimpse of Lake Koocanusa from the rattly rented RV as we started the long trip back:
My heart to Val for this loss, an unbearable one at any time, and how much more so, now? May your mother’s memory be a blessing to you. Without knowing, I know you must have been a blessing in her life. To both of you, deepest wishes for a good day, and then another and another…. a long line of good days.
Thank you, Rita.
Holy cannoli. Ruptured appendix? So many things going on.