The Final Posting

I’m sorry to report that in the end, my Grandpa did not have the opportunity to choose between chemo and nature. At 1:30 on the morning of October 17, with my Grandma holding his hand and clinging to his arm, he peacefully succumbed to complications from the disease that has plagued him for nearly a year and half.

On his final Saturday, Grandpa went mushroom hunting in the forest that he loved with Grandma and their friend Don Shaffer. The next day on the way back to Seattle, he enjoyed a bowl of chili at one of his favorite restaurants, the Ranch House Barbeque in Olympia. Don suggested that they go directly to the hospital from there but Grandpa wanted to give it one more night. Late Monday morning, Grandma and daughter Leah took him to the ER (with a requested stop by the chiropractor’s for an adjustment) and he was admitted on Monday afternoon. The diagnosis was another stroke, this time affecting his right side. On Tuesday his left lung had collapsed and his strokes continued, but he was still able to answer his own phone. By Wednesday, the heart that has fought tachycardia for more than a year finally began to give in and he began to suffer the symptoms of a heart attack. That evening, he could no longer see or speak. By Thursday, Grandpa was communicating in a “yes,” “no” fashion by moving one of his feet and began to actually suffer heart attacks that afternoon. He had his daughters, Leah and Alicia, there to sooth him with the very songs he sang to them when they were young. Dr. West told Grandma and my cousin Conor that the strokes had become overwhelming, and while we could hope for a miracle, it was time to make him comfortable. Dr. West also reminded them that the one thing he had learned from Grandpa was that quality of life was the most important thing to him. As his final Friday dawned, John Musgrave, Renaissance man, loving husband, father of five, grandfather of twelve, great grandfather of seven, and friend of many passed away surrounded in presence and in spirit by those who loved him.

It is not surprising to me that my grandfather was able to fight cancer with such a positive attitude. My Grandpa passionately loved living and was a very competitive man, and he was also blessed by a team of doctors that we are sure is unparalleled. From my Grandma (and all of us), “Our family would like to thank all of the staff at Swedish Medical Center and Swedish Cancer Institute, his primary care physician Timothy Johnson, his cardiologist Matthew Voorsanger, his caregiver Carrington, the doctors and nurses at Swedish/Providence Cherry Hill Hospital who cared for him during his last few days and hours, and especially his oncologist Dr. Howard (Jack) West, and Ruth and Bernadine. John was proud to call Dr. West his oncologist and thought the world of him. Dr. West helped guide us through the last year and a half with just the right touch of humor and advice.” Personally I would like to thank Doctor West for permitting Grandpa to come to my wedding immediately after a chemo treatment – risky, but thankfully along the lines of what grandpa considered to be living, rather that merely life. I would also like to thank the staff at St. Mary’s in San Francisco where Grandpa was initially treated for his first stroke – thank you for helping him to heal and for keeping him there long enough that Conor, Alison, Balazs and I were able to spend time with him and give him ice cream in the final stretch.

A memorial service will be held on November 8 from 1-4pm at Hotel Andra in Belltown, just north of downtown Seattle. Anyone who was touched by my Grandpa is welcome to celebrate his life with us, and to help us remember him as he was – a profound and amazing man who all of us are better for having known. In lieu of flowers we will be making a contribution to the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Park on Alki to honor Grandpa and to provide funds for the current renovation and future maintenance of the park. Please email johnmusgravememorial@gmail.com if you would like to contribute memories or funds for this project.

On to the next journey…