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An Inspired Gift



Mathew kept a journal for years and always had it with him for every doctor's appointment and hospital stay. Even when we went in as an emergency, but he didn't have one with him for that first admission. I don't think we expected him to stay. As it turned out, a former girlfriend's father was on the staff at that hospital and brought Mathew a new journal.

Here is the inscription:

To Matt,
Inspiration comes from the damnedest places.

Alan
2-27-14


Alan also brought a guitar to Mathew's room. Such a thoughtful and inspired gesture. Mathew was a musician and practiced many hours a day. As sick as he was, he picked up that guitar and played for the nurses at the Zephyrhills Hospital and at Moffitt, since the guitar made the transfer with us. 

Though it stayed at home the rest of the times Mathew was inpatient at Moffitt I believe that because it was there, in the beginning, it created a continuum from pre-diagnosis life, to life with cancer. He continued to play and practice and record songs no matter how poorly he felt or when his hands were struck with neuropathy from the chemo. Though he did have to rewrite and simplify much of his music.



Here is a recording from before Mathew's cancer diagnosis. It is is one of my favorites.
https://soundcloud.com/confectionsforcats/malaguena 
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