She had been emailing me off and on to see how I was doing with the divorce, my Mom being in the hospital, my Dad passing away, etc. all the while going through tough times herself.
Here's an email from April 2008 she sent me:
I didn't want to make you cry. I'm sorry!!! You need a vacation - something fun. I need one too. Even tho we did go 4wheeling in the Everglades a few weeks ago. That was a blast! We rode 22 miles on trails, saw some deer and got swooped by an owl.
Some days I am pretty sore. Just achy. My husband is a trooper for putting up with me. My boss is too! What gets me mad is I am not able to do what I used to do. But everyday I think what a beautiful day and do what I can. Mostly just try to keep my customers happy and my house clean. For the most part they are really great guys = and they always act so
happy to see me. I can't believe I've been here almost 4 years. And we just finished unpacking last week. A lot of stuff went to Goodwill - and there's more to go.
I must go be busy now.
-Peggy
Some days I am pretty sore. Just achy. My husband is a trooper for putting up with me. My boss is too! What gets me mad is I am not able to do what I used to do. But everyday I think what a beautiful day and do what I can. Mostly just try to keep my customers happy and my house clean. For the most part they are really great guys = and they always act so
happy to see me. I can't believe I've been here almost 4 years. And we just finished unpacking last week. A lot of stuff went to Goodwill - and there's more to go.
I must go be busy now.
-Peggy
I heard from her again in June, then July. Then September 2nd comes and I get a call from her boss who sends me this email she sent him:
A week later, I get a Thank You card from her:
Hello Rusty,
Its time you know that my condition has taken a terrible turn for the worse. I have been advised to get my affairs in order and to call in hospice. Even with all of the treatments, the cancer has suddenly recurred with a vengeance and is shutting down my body. I had one course of chemo option left available but weighing the odds have opted not to go that route.
I have some sick leave which I will use up, then my annual leave. I would like to talk to someone about my retirement and need a point of contact.
My customers are pretty much self sufficient. Steve (husband) will take me to the
office to tidy up and fasten up loose ends. I pretty much have a SOP done for office routine and a contact list that will be essential for my replacement.
I know you've been through this before, and I am counting on you and your secretary to help Steve with the paperwork process. Hes always been really bad with paperwork...
I wanted to tell you this in person, but a drive to Miami is too much for me now.
There is no cure for cancer, treatment only prolongs the agonizing pain that accompanies it.
-Peggy
Its time you know that my condition has taken a terrible turn for the worse. I have been advised to get my affairs in order and to call in hospice. Even with all of the treatments, the cancer has suddenly recurred with a vengeance and is shutting down my body. I had one course of chemo option left available but weighing the odds have opted not to go that route.
I have some sick leave which I will use up, then my annual leave. I would like to talk to someone about my retirement and need a point of contact.
My customers are pretty much self sufficient. Steve (husband) will take me to the
office to tidy up and fasten up loose ends. I pretty much have a SOP done for office routine and a contact list that will be essential for my replacement.
I know you've been through this before, and I am counting on you and your secretary to help Steve with the paperwork process. Hes always been really bad with paperwork...
I wanted to tell you this in person, but a drive to Miami is too much for me now.
There is no cure for cancer, treatment only prolongs the agonizing pain that accompanies it.
-Peggy
To hear the news was brutal, to read her words, worse. To read the last sentence, heartbreaking.
A week later, I get a Thank You card from her:
Melinda,
Rusty told me you had nominated me for the Improvement Award. That was REALLY nice of you - I was totally surprised - thank you!
It's great that someone noticed (you) that I'd been trying really hard to increase the numbers. I think I built a bit of camaraderie with quite a few customers. and I hope that that continues on.
Rusty told me you had nominated me for the Improvement Award. That was REALLY nice of you - I was totally surprised - thank you!
It's great that someone noticed (you) that I'd been trying really hard to increase the numbers. I think I built a bit of camaraderie with quite a few customers. and I hope that that continues on.
On September 9th, we get this email from her boss:
I know with Hurricane Ike apparently headed for Texas somewhere you are extremely busy but I wanted to send an update on Peggy. She is at home still, but extremely swollen because her liver cannot do its function for her body, and hospital people must come to drain the fluids. She is not mobile at present, I do not expect her to return to work, at least not anytime soon. She has about 10 weeks of sick leave/annual leave combined, but I am working on getting her on the leave donor program.
I spoke to her on September 10th - she wasn't very talkative but trying...and she assured me she was on lots of pain medicine.
On September 12th, I came in to work, a year ago that my Dad passed, and read in an email that Peggy had passed earlier that morning.
To say I was shocked is an understatement. One Sept 2nd she told us her doctors told her to get her affairs in order. In less than two weeks, she was gone.
What hit home even worse was when they sent a photo around that would accompany her bio. I have never met Peggy in person. Tell me her death doesn't hit home when you see this photo of her; it makes it more real:
BTW, Peggy had a grandson born on September 23rd. Their first grandchild! Peggy was 50 years old when she passed.
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