she’dstartedwearingapad.She’dalsohadsurgeryfor
coloncancerand,bytheway,shenowhadalungnodule
thattheradiology reportsaidcouldbe ametastasis—a
biopsy was recommended.
Bludau asked her to tell him about her life, and it
remindedmeofthelifeAlicelivedwhenIfirstmetherat
myin-laws’. Gavrillessaidthatshelivedalone,except
forherYorkshireterrier,inasingle-familyhouseinthe
WestRoxburysection ofBoston.Her husbanddiedof
lung cancer twenty-threeyears ago.She did notdrive.
Shehada sonlivingintheareawhodidhershopping
onceaweekandcheckedonhereachday—“justtoseeif
I’mstillalive,”shejoked.Anothersonandtwodaughters
livedfartheraway, buttheyhelpedaswell.Otherwise,
shetookcareofherselfquitecapably.Shedidherown
cookingand cleaning.She managedher medicinesand
her bills.
“I have a system,” she said.
Shehadahighschooleducation,andduringWorldWar
II she’d workedas a riveter atthe CharlestownNavy
Yard.Shealso workedfora timeattheJordanMarsh
department store in downtownBoston. But thatwas a
longtimeago.Shestucktohomenow,withheryardand
her terrier and her family when they visited.
Thedoctoraskedheraboutherdayingreatdetail.She
usuallywokearoundfiveorsixo’clock,shesaid—she
didn’tseemtoneedmuchsleepanymore.Shewouldget
outofbedasthebackpainallowed,takeashower,and
getdressed.Downstairs,she’dtakehermedicines,feed
thedog,andeatbreakfast.Bludauaskedwhatshehadfor