Image 116 of Theo Brown Diaries, 1947

Brown, Theophilus

Generic Work

Image 116 of Theo Brown Diaries, 1947

Public Deposited

SUNDAY MARCH 30 1947 Lee and I left for Chicago on 553 Rocket this morning. Then took the 935 train for Worcester. A pleasant day on the train together. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ continued from page opposite April 1. Then I tried for places on the plane for Raleigh, through the help one of Mark's friends here, first ascertaining that oxygen equipment was available on the plane. Roger could not have flown without it but [??] stood ready to fly a tank and mask down to us in necessary. All day I waited for word from the airfield, only to learn at last that no places were available - which was very fortunate after all since Roger became worse during the day. I got a doctor in about five oclock, a Dr Lynn Fort who had worked at the Brigham, and he told me, - what my heart had already shown me - that Roger was desperately ill and could be moved only on a stretcher. Fortunately he got a room for us at the Good Samaritan Hospital and Roger was soon there under an oxygen tent. We spoke a few words together before the tent was adjusted, but after that he went into a coma from which he did not awake. THe doctor assured me that he was suffering no pain or even discomfort. The end came very very gradually at ten minutes past ten, on March 27th. The thing I want to stress most of all is Roger's belief that he would get better in spite of it all. Even the prospect of a prostate gland operation did not depress him, on the contrary he almost welcomed it as a possible relief to one of his troubles. The last few days his kidneys gave out and there was such swelling of his feet and legs that he could not put on his shoes but, while he knew what it probably indicated, to seemed to pay little attention to it. He himself was so much bigger that any of the ills which attacked him that no one, even the doctor, could have fortold the quick ending. How thankful I am that that he has no more physical ills to combat! For weeks - months - years - I have watched his constant struggle for breath, wondering sometimes how he could endure it, but even so he loved life and enjoyed it. I have one deep regret; that he did not get an account of [?] life, his hopes and plans and contacts with interesting people. A short time ago he agreed that

Creator