Chapter 6 - THE HOSPICE NOTES
The hospice organization still had archived records.
Medical privacy survived death in certain ways, but Anatole as surviving spouse and estate representative obtained lawful access to relevant portions.
We did not receive everyone’s private gossip.
We received clinical and social-work notes tied to family communication.
October 12:
Patient asks whether son Halvard called. Daughter Violetta states he has not.
Phone records from my own archive showed I called twice that day.
Short calls.
Twenty-seven seconds.
Forty-one seconds.
Both from my cell to the estate line.
Who answered?
No carrier record.
I remembered Violetta.
October 13:
Patient tearful. Reports she believes son “does not want to see me while I’m like this.” Social worker offers to contact son directly. Daughter states family communication is being managed privately.
That hurt.
October 14:
Patient requests writing materials after disagreement with daughter regarding visitor contact.
The letter date.
October 15:
Patient asks nurse whether sealed envelope was mailed. Nurse notes “family member states correspondence handled.”
Which family member?
No name.
October 16:
Patient increasingly fatigued. Asks “Did he come?” Daughter reportedly says no visitor expected.
I had been halfway there.
Then turned around.
October 17:
Patient less responsive.
October 18:
Death.
No note:
Patient refused son.
None.
Then visitor log.
October 10:
Halvard — not admitted, family request.
I stared.
“I was there?”
Memory came back.
I had stopped by the estate after a meeting.
Not expecting to see Mother.
Just to deliver documents for Anatole.
I asked the nurse:
“Can I look in?”
She checked.
Then Violetta came down.
“Not today.”
I left.
The log recorded:
not admitted, family request.
Whose request?
The nurse, now retired, agreed to speak voluntarily with our attorneys.
She remembered the household generally.
Not every detail.
She said:
“Violetta was very protective.”
“Did Elena ever tell you she did not want Halvard?”
“I don’t remember that.”
“Did Violetta?”
“I remember being told family stress worsened Elena’s pain.”
True perhaps.
Then:
“Who made visitor decisions?”
“Usually Violetta or the patient, when the patient was alert.”
That was the problem.
As Mother weakened, Violetta’s voice grew louder.
Then the retired social worker.
She remembered Mother writing a letter.
“Did you see who received it?”
“No.”
“Did she say who it was for?”
“Her son.”
There.
Then:
“Did you mail it?”
“No. She wanted family to handle it.”
Which family?
Violetta was in the room later that afternoon.
May you like
Still not proof she hid it.
But the circle narrowed.
