knowledgeofthefragilityofhislifenarrowedhisfocus
and altered his desires, just as Laura Carstensen’s
researchonperspectivesuggesteditwould.Itmadehim
visitwithhisgrandchildrenmoreoften,put inanextra
trip to see his family in India, and tamp down new
ventures.Hetalkedabouthiswillwithmysisterandme
andabouthisplansforsustainingbeyondhimthecollege
he’d built near his village. One’s sense of time can
change, though. As the months passed without his
symptoms worsening, my father’s fear of the future
softened.Hishorizonoftimebegantolift—itmightbe
years before anything concerning happened, we all
thought—and as it did, his ambitions returned. He
launched a new construction project forthecollege in
India.HeranfordistrictgovernorofRotaryforsouthern
Ohio,apositionthatwouldn’tevenstartforanotheryear,
and won the office.
Then, in early 2009, two and a half years after his
diagnosis,hissymptomsbegantochange.Hedeveloped
troublewithhisrighthand.Itstartedwiththetinglingand
numbnessinthetipsofhisfingers.Hisgripstrengthgave
out.Onthetenniscourt,theracketbeganflyingoutofhis
hand.Hedroppeddrinkingglasses.Atwork,tyingknots
and handling cathetersgrew difficult.Withboth limbs
nowdeveloping signsofparalysis,itseemedlike he’d
come to his line in the sand.
We talked. Wasn’t it time for him to stop practicing
surgery? And wasn’t it time to see Dr. Benzel about
surgery for himself?
No,he said. Hewasn’treadyfor either. Afewweeks
later,however,he announcedthathe wouldretirefrom