Dad's health continued to decline. He got diagnosed with COPD and spent some time in the hospital. Then came the lung cancer. He did well on the chemo: he didn't get too sick, he seemed in high spirits, and he actually seemed better off than before. On January 15, 2006, we planned a party at the Reinlander in Portland and invited Mom, Dad, and a bunch of friends. Mom called and said Dad wasn't up to a trip over the mountain. We didn't cancel. I knew it would make Dad feel worse if he thought people were breaking plans because of him.