Dancing in the Rain!

How to Dance in the Rain

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

The nurse 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 emails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought
I could share with you.
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.

And as you have taught me, my dear friend


'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,

But "How to dance in the rain."

derekimo said:

That's a beautiful story Dennis, definately needs to be shared. Thank you for that!

My pleasure Derek, my EB Friend!

Thank you Dennis,

Made me think of my parents, they're both 85 years old, married for 60+ years, fight like cat and dog, (verbally), most of the time ...

But ....

The worried look on either of their faces if the other is the slightest bit unwell, shows that they are indeed still "Dancing in the Rain"

fishnbanjo said:

My mil came to visit us from FL and when the time came to go back to FL where she lived with her eldest daughter and her husband she panicked and announce she wasn't going back he was staying in ME.

I was on my way home from camp where my wife, her two sisters and her mom were, I acted as chief cook and bottle washer so they had nothing to do about food etc. then to show up and enjoy it since it wasn't often they had the opportunity to be together.

My mil stayed with us and eventually got her own apartment which was her wish. Everything went well until winter settled in and she broke her foot and locked herself out of the house she was living in, I happened to get off work early and found her. She ended up hospitalized and realized things were happening to her and made arrangements to write up a medical power of attorney for her and named us her caretakers.

I as a little nervous about being named and had a long talk with her about reconsidering one of her other daughters in my stead but she wouldn't have it changed and just kept calling me the best son in law in the world.

It wasn't too long after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's while in Senior Housing where she moved and we knew she would not get caught out in the snow again. I made all her meals, set out her clothes for the next mornings Adult Day School, set her coffee to automatically come on and set out dishes and utensils for her breakfast. She always had snacks whenever the urge hit and I would pick her up and bring her to our house where we'd talk and sped time with our cats in the sun room and then bring her home and make her supper and go from there.

I can still remember her last night, she had a dream and awoke shaking telling me "don't let them take me". I was initially startled and replied "Ma, they can't take you and you can only go when you're ready" she looked at me momentarily, smiled and placed here head on her pillow. About an hour later she opened her eyes and told me she loved me and I replied in kind a few minuted later she had a stroke and was gone 45 minutes later at age 91, I won't forget you Ma and I still love you.

fish,
I can't believe how our love for our Mother's is the same.
To make a long story short I was at a bachelor party in Palm Springs and get back to the motel and about 2 am.
I get a phone call from my brother, that our mom is in the ER in Phoenix and the outlook wasn't good.
I booked the first flight out(an 8 seater) and arrived just in time to be at her bedside to whisper in her ear that I loved her more than anything. She squeezed my hand and moments later slipped away.
That was over 10 years ago and I still think and pray for her everyday.

You guys! Making me cry...no fair...

A Guy

Dennis and fish; those are great stories. Thank you very much for sharing.

Our family is and has been close knit. Three Christmases ago, my mom suffered and irreparable stroke about a week before Christmas. She had some coherent moments; but most of the time she could not speak or even swallow. She had a living will and made it clear that she did not want to be kept on a machine nor resuscitated. My dad with the support of my sister, myself and our spouses, made the decision to have the machines unplugged from his wife of 65 years.

Two of the granddaughters made it to Orlando on Christmas Day. We brought in decorations and a miniature Christmas tree and decorated her room. We all took about two hours out to go to a restaurant and have a family Christmas dinner.

I know Mom was holding on until after Christmas. Each of us had told her it was OK to let go. She just smiled as best she could with the crippling stroke.

The day after Christmas, she was moved to an adjacent Hospice home. That evening with her husband, her children, and three of her grandchildren at her side, she opened her eyes and said plainly to my dad, "I love you", relaxed and passed from this life.

I still miss her terribly.

A Guy said:

You guys! Making me cry...no fair...

A Guy

+1.