4 Months Of God's Mercy

It was Sept. 17, 2002, and Beverly Ingersoll, office manager at NIC’s Riverbend Professional Technical Academy, was living her worst nightmare. Her husband and best friend of 35 years, Larry Seaton, had just been diagnosed with lung cancer that had already spread in a dangerous manner to his brain.

Ingersoll said she noticed something wasn’t right months earlier in June of 2002 when Larry started forgetting things, such as driving directions and where he would put stuff.

“Never in my wildest dreams was I prepared for how horribly things were about to change in my life,” Beverly Ingersoll wrote in her book “4 Months Of God’s Mercy,” which detailed her and Larry’s last four months together.

Ingersoll became increasingly worried about her husband’s health in Sept. 2002 when his memory loss became so great that he could not remember the address of the company he was supposed to be delivering to for his company. According to Ingersoll, this was a major red flag because her husband was an expert at reading maps and finding addresses. She finally convinced him to see their doctor.

“I never told Larry what to do or demanded things from him, but I felt he desperately needed to see our doctor,” Ingersoll wrote. When he again refused, I was near tears and said that I was extremely concerned and needed him to see the doctor for my own peace of mind.”

She said Larry didn’t react much when doctors told him he had three brain tumors as well as tumors in his lungs. His brain was so swollen that doctors told him if they didn’t get the swelling down right away that he would die in the next 24 hours.

Ingersoll said she rushed Larry to the hospital where their children and families met them. Larry was admitted and started on medicine to reduce the swelling in his brain. While he was resting, Ingersoll had finally received a chance to comprehend how quickly her life had changed now that her husband was fighting for his life.

“My initial reaction, of course, was shock at the news as I knew something was wrong. I just didn't have any idea it would be cancer since he was not in any pain and didn't act like he was sick,” Ingersoll said. “After that had time to sink in, I totally relied on the Lord, since this was too big for me to handle or even comprehend the entire scope of what was happening.”

Two days later, Sept. 19, 2002, Larry was scheduled for brain surgery to remove as much of the tumors as possible. Ingersoll remembers the night before his brain surgery as a particularly miraculous one. She laid there holding Larry as he drifted off to sleep. She said she prayed to God to be merciful and that her husband wouldn’t suffer.

Before long angels were circling the room, at first just a few but then the room filled with them and a sense of peace and weightlessness. Ingersoll said it was at that moment that she knew both Larry and she would be all right.

She said they spent the next four months cherishing every minute they had together. Larry refused further treatment and took everything in good humor.

“Larry and I were able to find peace with his death. We were able to spend the last four months of his life feeling good about our lives, our love, our family and all the blessings we had over the many years together,” Ingersoll said. “We didn't get angry or frustrated or spend time dwelling on the whys and what-ifs. It was a time for us to say our goodbyes and for him to get things finalized so he could go without any unfinished business.”

Ingersoll said those last four months were filled with beauty, love and thanksgiving. Both she and her husband were able to enjoy one another because “The Lord gave them peace of mind.”
But nothing comes without sacrifice.

Ingersoll said there were many nights where she would cry herself to sleep, but she knew God would give her the strength she needed. And he did just that.

“The hardest part of watching my husband and my best friend of 35 years die is that I couldn't do anything to change it. I couldn't stop what's happening to them or to my whole family,” Ingersoll said. “It's an extremely helpless feeling, but at the same time when you allow God to be in control, you know that His will, will be done and that is always better than anything you can do. I knew that Larry was going to heaven. What better than that can ever happen to a person?”

Ingersoll, her children, their spouses and even neighbors helped make Larry as comfortable and happy as they could for as long as possible. Everyone enjoyed spending time with him and made sure he enjoyed every last minute and he did, according to Ingersoll, except for a horrible airport situation in Las Vegas during a trip in October.

When Ingersoll, Larry and their children were leaving Las Vegas, an airport security guard didn’t believe that Larry had a steel plate in his head even with a letter from his doctor explaining so. After relentless persistence on the part of Beverly and the rest of the family, an exhausted Larry was finally allowed through security.

“Here was a wannabe cop harassing a true soldier and a hero, and we could do nothing about it. Only when Larry was nearly passing out did the security guard finally allow him to pass through,” Ingersoll wrote. “He never did read the letter; he just handed it back to Larry. We were all in tears by the time Larry was allowed to leave the area.”

According to Ingersoll, as Larry’s cancer progressed he made sure to spend as much time with his grandchildren as possible. He would go to their birthday parties and school activities. One last trip to the pumpkin patch was also in order. He would get tired, but it was a good tired, Ingersoll said.

The doctors would soon take Larry’s driver’s license away from him as a safety precaution. This, said Ingersoll, next to losing his hair, may have been one of the hardest parts for Larry. He had purchased a brand new truck four months before his license was taken away and would never be able to drive again, said Ingersoll. However, Larry did drive to his favorite mocha stand while Beverly was at work. Luckily, a neighbor would jump in the truck with him so nothing dangerous could happen.

“I took the keys off the hook and put them away, which made me feel like some kind of monster. Larry pleaded with me; he begged and wept for the longest time,” Ingersoll said. “Taking away a small piece of his manhood nearly destroyed him and almost broke my heart to see him like that.”

Shortly after, Ingersoll took a family medical leave work to spend the rest of Larry’s days beside him. It was the week of Thanksgiving 2002. According to Ingersoll, the next nine weeks were filled with both joyous and not-so-joyous occasions. However, Larry left the world full of peace and love, said Ingersoll. Larry died the morning of Jan. 25, 2003, the day after their 35th wedding anniversary.

“What I miss most about Larry was the way he told me how much he loved me each and every day for 35 years,” Ingersoll said. “There was never any doubt about his love for me and his family.”

“4 Months Of Gods Mercy” was released on Feb 12 at more than 25,000 locations. It is also available online at www.tatepublishing.com.