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Kathryn & Baby, 2000.
Jeff,
1999
Jeff's treatment options dwindled over the years, as his body became resistant to one medication after another. In March of 1999, after experiencing strange jaw and eye pain, he received a diagnosis for a rare lymphoma. He began to treat it immediately.
On his twenty-seventh birthday, April 21, 1999, he came home from a round of chemo to his birthday party, planned and organized by Jeff himself. Determined to live his life, he put on a big green beehive to cover his now bald-head, an eye-patch to cover one eye, and made the best of it despite physical weakness.
Jeff went back into the hospital in June. After more treatment, he felt ready to leave. He talked about going back to his job at Walden House, which they held for him. The doctors wanted to get his red blood cell count higher though before he left. After a few weeks he was discharged, until the next round of chemo. After leaving the hospital he continued to feel worse. On Sunday June 20, 1999 he made the enormous effort to take his mother, Kathryn, to brunch for her birthday. Monday morning, a week later, at his clinic appointment, the doctor informed him that he was relapsing, the chemo didn't work and he would die very soon. He went home, surrounded by the love of family and friends. Jeff went in and out of consciousness over the next few days, the stream of family and friends continued.
On the afternoon of July first, a group of Jeff's friends met at BAY Positives and went to his apartment. They walked up the tall flight of narrow stairs. At the top, a long hallway led to his bedroom. His mother Kathryn was at the end of the hall. When they saw each other, reality arrived for them all.
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