I was astonished yesterday when Amos conveyed the news that Nancy had died, at the violence of my emotion. We knew she had been sick. I had even talked with her at length about the option to elect no more surgeries, versus fighting to the end. But when she did elect to have no more surgeries and just slipped into hospice care, I loved her so much I still harbored some irrational feeling that she would come out of it. When she didn't, I could hardly stand it.

She was grace, patience, realism, presence, humility, talent, humor, courage, hope, generosity, gratitude, and so much more. She was one in a million.

I'm old enough that I should be realistic about losing friends, but her death made me feel like a baby, and I just howled.

I truly believe and hope that she is present in a better way that does not include cancer. I hope this dying experience taught her that dying is not the end of life.

Daly