Today's visit to the nursing where my Mother is exiled until her end time comes, was punctuated by 60's oldies playing in the background of the day room.  Here eleven souls in varying degrees of departing this plane of reality sat with food trays, attempting to eat, talking to vegetables like babies they once birthed, gagging, coughing to remove food from permanently constricted throats, lips quivering for the bygone flavor of youth.  Motown hits flood the space like obscene punctuation…

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While walking my little dog Max this past weekend a car slowed down to match our pace.  I turned to see who was beside us as the driver rolled his window down.  I just assumed it was someone who needed directions as is often the case while I’m out walking, but instead the driver said to me “is that Max”?  I smiled and was a bit surprised saying “why, yes this is Max, do you know him”…..the driver apparently had often seen Max being walked when my husband was still mobile.  I noted that the…

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My dad will turn 91 this February.  Until recently, he had been a quite agile ambulator and generally, a very independent widower.  However, in just the past two months he has fallen, or nearly fallen, on six occasions.  Aside from bumps and bruises, nothing has broken, cracked or dislodged.  Various exams reveal that he has spinal arthritis with verve impingements to his lower limbs. 

His hands now shake, so that he can no longer sign his name.  And though disappointed with…

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Dad has passed away. Leading up to his final day on May 26th, he continued to decline refusing all food or liquid and eventually lapsing into an agitated state beyond knowing. It was very difficult to witness the relentless movements of his legs and his arms, hands that every few minutes would resume pulling at themselves. I'd comfort him by saying everything was alright and patting his hands. Useless efforts on my part but in an absence of being able to do anything else I became part of what… Continue