It was a busy morning, about 8:30 , when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 a.m. 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, 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 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.
With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. I had to share it with you. Oh, by the way, peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did. 'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'
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Live each day as if it were your last...because tomorrow?
It might be.
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
How cold is it up north?? It is 1 degree down here, approaching zero.... windchill 25 below..... (shudder).... glad I have a chubby hubby and two furry animals to snuggle up with tonight!!!
Joni
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~~"It's hard to be hateful when you're grateful."~~
As someone who works with "alzheimer's Disease" and have done so for the last twelve years, I can Identify with your post in many ways. One of the saddest things I have saw in my life is just what It's describes...
A man coming to have breakfast or lunch with his wife every day, and she smile's at him, chats to him, totally unaware that she has spent the last fifty years or so with this man.....
It Is so sad for the partner who has to watch the illness progressing. But one consolation is this. The person who Is suffering, Has serenity in their life, they belong to their own small world, and they are "happy and content".. Totally oblivious to the changes round them...
"There But For The grace Of God"
Thanks for posting, I have passed this on to a few good friends..
