I Didn’t Know

Anthony Pritchard — May 21, 2021

It started with a cough and a backache. We were worried it might be COVID, but no other symptoms appeared—no fever. She became weak and tired, but she was still able to get up and around.

We worried. She was extremely fearful of the COVID test and refused to take it.

But it wasn’t COVID.

She died during a nap. I found her on the sofa, April 15, 2021—thirty-six days ago (from the day I wrote this). My son and I performed CPR until the first responders arrived, even though I knew it was too late. Her body was already cool to the touch when I found her.

The death certificate listed the cause as myocardial infarction—a heart attack due to hyperlipidemia.

I was incensed. She had shown no signs of heart trouble, and her cholesterol levels were normal.

Yes, she had been ill—weak, with no appetite—but we didn’t realize she was dying, yet she was.

We just didn’t know.

I didn’t know.

And I should have.

Incensed, I called the Deputy Coroner and protested. We met in person. There had been no autopsy, no blood work. They never even removed her from the body bag.

Linda may very well have died of a myocardial infarction—but we’ll never know for sure. The Coroner told me to my face that the listed cause was just his “best guess,” based on her age—sixty-seven years old.

We just didn’t know.

If only we had known.

— Tony Pritchard