The name seemed familiar . Only he couldn't place it. He knew he should know who she was, but for the life of him he couldn't remember who she was. Somewhere in his life he'd meet her, if only briefly, but it was enough that he could barely remember the name. Much less who she was, or how they'd met. Oh the joys of getting older. The body's not the only thing to go, one's mind seems to take leave of absence on occasions. This was one of those times.
She walked into the room.
"Hi Honey, How you doing?" She said brightly and smiled widely. Leaning down to kiss his forehead, lovingly.
He sat in his wheelchair watching her come in, looking at her. Yes she did seem familiar, He just couldn't place her. Her voice rang like a bell, calling him to remember happier times, but he couldn't remember. Her touch seemed familiar, and her scent as she leaned to kiss him, seemed to be a smell he knew, But he still couldn't remember. It was killing him, It seemed she knew him, she definitely knew and loved him, but for the life of him he couldn't remember. Finally, when he could stand it no longer, he had to ask;
"Who, Who are you?" He stammered timidly, not wanting his lack of knowing her to appear too obvious.
"Why honey, I'm Brenda, your wife. You remember me don't you?" Branda sat in the chair right next to his wheelchair and hugged him.
Brenda, and the nurse exchanged knowing looks. Today was not going to be one of his better days, it seemed.
Brenda sat and talked to him for several hours. Telling him how they met, and were married, and all about their children, and how well each of them is doing. Once in a while he would show a spark of recognition, at something she said, mostly he sat and listened to stories about his life, he couldn't remember. As a last ditch effort to try to connect with him even for a moment today she pulled out her phone and hooked up the external speaker, and played music she knew he would remember. When the old music came on his eyes lit up, for a moment they were together, in the songs, many years ago, in their youth. She softly sang the old Sinatra songs with him, for a brief moment they connected, through the music. When the songs were over , he went back to his old self again. The life drained out of his eyes, The same blank look he had when she walked in came back. Slowly, he barely remembered a long time ago, when he was married to her. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Now he sat here in this wheelchair day after day. He would let his mind drift in and out of his past,. He could remember things when he was a boy, even as a young man. But there seemed to be a cut off, in his mind , past a certain point, he was a total blank. His next memory was always here in the chair, in his room. He could never remember the rest of his life. Sometimes he wished Brenda wouldn't come to see him. He knew he should know her, but he just couldn't remember her. In another part of his mind, he hated to see her suffer seeing him like this. In brief moments of clarity, he knew who he was, and why he was here. He had Alzheimer's and was slowly losing what was left of his mind. That was bad enough, but he couldn't bear seeing her suffer when she came to see him. But those moments of lucidity where few and far between and getting farther between.
She walked into the room.
"Hi Honey, How you doing?" She said brightly and smiled widely. Leaning down to kiss his forehead, lovingly.
He sat in his wheelchair watching her come in, looking at her. Yes she did seem familiar, He just couldn't place her. Her voice rang like a bell, calling him to remember happier times, but he couldn't remember. Her touch seemed familiar, and her scent as she leaned to kiss him, seemed to be a smell he knew, But he still couldn't remember. It was killing him, It seemed she knew him, she definitely knew and loved him, but for the life of him he couldn't remember. Finally, when he could stand it no longer, he had to ask;
"Who, Who are you?" He stammered timidly, not wanting his lack of knowing her to appear too obvious.
"Why honey, I'm Brenda, your wife. You remember me don't you?" Branda sat in the chair right next to his wheelchair and hugged him.
Brenda, and the nurse exchanged knowing looks. Today was not going to be one of his better days, it seemed.
Brenda sat and talked to him for several hours. Telling him how they met, and were married, and all about their children, and how well each of them is doing. Once in a while he would show a spark of recognition, at something she said, mostly he sat and listened to stories about his life, he couldn't remember. As a last ditch effort to try to connect with him even for a moment today she pulled out her phone and hooked up the external speaker, and played music she knew he would remember. When the old music came on his eyes lit up, for a moment they were together, in the songs, many years ago, in their youth. She softly sang the old Sinatra songs with him, for a brief moment they connected, through the music. When the songs were over , he went back to his old self again. The life drained out of his eyes, The same blank look he had when she walked in came back. Slowly, he barely remembered a long time ago, when he was married to her. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Now he sat here in this wheelchair day after day. He would let his mind drift in and out of his past,. He could remember things when he was a boy, even as a young man. But there seemed to be a cut off, in his mind , past a certain point, he was a total blank. His next memory was always here in the chair, in his room. He could never remember the rest of his life. Sometimes he wished Brenda wouldn't come to see him. He knew he should know her, but he just couldn't remember her. In another part of his mind, he hated to see her suffer seeing him like this. In brief moments of clarity, he knew who he was, and why he was here. He had Alzheimer's and was slowly losing what was left of his mind. That was bad enough, but he couldn't bear seeing her suffer when she came to see him. But those moments of lucidity where few and far between and getting farther between.
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