P.S. NIAGARA
Are Blue Jeans at a Wedding Okay? By Janice Opie
Be at my bedside tomorrow! I’m getting married! Well, that just wasn’t possible, Richard was already married and in palliative care at Douglas Memorial Hospital in Fort Erie. It had been five years since his Stage IV cancer diagnosis. We felt it was a request for last goodbyes and hugs all around. He always did have a sense of humor. At the appropriate time, I squeezed into my skinny jeans and being makeup weary, I sported a pair of sunglasses. Last, but not least, I chose my old, white, very comfortable sandals and off we went. “Open the car windows honey and let the wind rip! It’s a beautiful day out there!” In between hair whipping in my face and eating the odd strand, I listened to the husband unit reminisce of high school days he had shared with his dying friend of 63 years. 88
Inspire Niagara & Beyond
I stood by the hospital entrance door watching my husband beat up the ticket box. It never spit out the ticket he needed. A draw it was. A minor stream of people passed me by as they entered the hospital and they were looking pretty spiffy, I may say. Very clean white shoes, fresh lipstick, hair combed. I think it was about five seconds before a terrible thought kicked my head. They look good enough to go to a wedding. My husband collected me and in we went. Great timing as a man was pushing Richard down the hall in a wheelchair… Richard indicating with his finger which way we were to continue going and like rock fans, we followed. Out of a doorway appeared Nancy, Richard’s wife of 25 years… with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Sit me down! Give me water! There really is a wedding! I quickly removed my
