NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

True Love

Alzheimers doesn't stop anyone

It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 a.m., when an elderly
gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb.
He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I
took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over
an hour before someone would to able to see him.
I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with
another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well
healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to
remove his sutures and redress his wound.
While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I
asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he
was
in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the
nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then inquired as to her
health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was
a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be
upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he
was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.
I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even
though she doesn't know who you are?"
He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I
still know who she is."
I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and
thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."
True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance
of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.
Peace is not a life without discord or turmoil, it is being able to
remain calm in the midst of that.
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they
just make the best of everything they have.

I hope you enjoy reading lite humor and also some bits of daily and
seasonal inspiration...check also some of the archived issues:
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Roundtable Humor and Inspirations