Someinherposition,offered“deathwithdignity,”might
havetakenitastheonlychanceforcontrolwhennoother
optionsseemedapparent.MartinandIpersuadedPegto
try hospice.It’d at least lether get home,I said, and
might help her morethan she knew. I explainedhow
hospice’saim,atleastintheory,wastogivepeopletheir
bestpossibleday,howevertheymightdefineitunderthe
circumstances.Itseemedlikeithadbeenawhilesince
she’d had a good day, I said.
“Yes, it has—a long while,” she said.
That seemed worth hoping for, I said—just one good day.
Shewenthomeonhospicewithinforty-eighthours.We
brokethenewstoHunterthatPegwouldnotbeableto
giveherlessonsanymore,thatshewasdying.Hunterwas
strucklow.SheadoredPeg.Shewantedtoknowifshe
couldseeheronemoretime.Wehadtotellherthatwe
didn’t think so.
Afewdayslater,wegotasurprisingcall.ItwasPeg.If
Hunter was willing, she said, she’d like to resume
teachingher.She’dunderstandifHunterdidn’twantto
come.Shedidn’tknowhowmanymorelessonsshecould
manage, but she wanted to try.
Thathospicecouldmakeitpossibleforhertoteachagain
wasmore thanI’d everimagined,certainly morethan
she’dimagined.But whenher hospicenurse,Deborah,
arrived,theybegantalking aboutwhatPeg caredmost
aboutinherlife,whathavingthebestdaypossiblewould
reallymeantoher.Thentheyworkedtogethertomakeit
happen.