New Years Day

Just as we were setting out for a trip around the basement tunnels, some visitor from his church, so I left them to be together. My Jewish vet was again in his trance, so I sat next to a vet that I have said hello to but never spoken with. We chatted for a while […]

Tunnel Trips

Now that winter is really here, our outdoor adventures on the rail trail are on hold. But we discovered that every building at the VA is connected by tunnels so we go for long rambles through the complex. Some are half-tunnels, like this one, where half-round windows throw bright half-moon shapes on the walls. The […]

Another Warm Day

These unexpected warm days have allowed me to take my guy for long, long wheelchair excursions on the rail trail behind the VA. First thing, we have to put on his jacket, and I noticed two things. One is that it is not easy to put a jacket on a wheelchair-bound person. And the other […]

Vigil, Veterans Day

My guy has been pretty stable, but it has suddenly gotten too cold to take him outside. He had many visitors today, including a group of singers from his church. So not much news there; we chat, I show him photos and videos from here and there which he enjoys. But there is a fellow […]

You Promised a Midget!

To appreciate this, you need to understand about Marcia, my friend from community theater at Quannapowitt Players. Marcia is warm, outgoing, and wonderful, but she is also very tiny, always making jokes about how tiny she is. Marcia asked me about coming along to meet some of the veterans and I said, yes, of course, […]

No Rain, Rain

It was so warm last Friday, spooky in November, that I decided to play hookey and take a walk. It occurred to me that my vet buddy would probably also love to get outside. So I drove there and found he was entirely ready to roll. We headed out to the rail trail next to […]

Creosote

Went to see my guy yesterday when it was warm and sunny. He was in good form, so we wheeled out for a long walk, or rather a long wheel, on the rail trail behind the VA. His form of dementia tends to make him repeat my last word, so when I say “Would you […]

Great Lungs

My guy was in a good mood when I got there and we had a real conversation. Then he spotted a mother and daughter and said they were his roommate’s people and I should go talk to them. But I had not seen his roommate this day, the Jewish veteran. So I asked the nurse […]

Marriage Coming Apart?

Much better day. I took my guy on long, long wheelchair romp down rail trail to Fawn Lake and beyond. We stopped to smell ferns, flowers, and sarsaparilla root, from which root beer once was made. We came upon a very old fellow walking a very old dog. The sweet old fellow stopped to talk […]

Angry

This was not a good visit. For the first time, my guy was difficult, demanding, and angry with me. Over time, I have brought him many photos of the park where we met and worked in together. Usually we go through them all and talk about each photo. This time he commanded me to take […]