So, my cousin Trisha died today at 48… It would be more accurate to say that she died 2 days ago from a heart attack and that her body was resuscitated and kept alive until today.
She had a kidney transplant about a decade ago and it started failing about 2 years ago. She has been on dialysis since…
Her heart attack was due to a recent bout of COVID which she dodged until this year…
Being a transplant patient and being immune compromised means that the last few years of her life have been her isolating to attempt to avoid exactly this fate but simply living in a society that has “moved on” means that we all have to move on without her now…
I feel furious, depressed, ashamed, guilty, and otherwise desolate…
Trisha was my favorite cousin growing up and for much of my preteen life, she was my favorite person.
When she handed me the controller of her Nintendo, it was the first time I ever played one.
When she joined all of the adults in my family and started smoking at 16, she never hid it from me.
When she realized she was a lesbian, I was the first family member she told.
When one of her friends couldn’t leave town, she took me to my first concert, Metallica.
I have so many fond memories of her and now that is all I have left…
I loved you Trisha. You deserved better.
Tony Miller
Phil Gross