Fawn Lake

My vet is in a wheelchair for the first time in a long time, rather than bedridden. It is a perfect late summer day and I ask if I can take him outside and the answer is yes. We add a jacket to his ensemble and head outside to the parking lot where huge tree […]

Touch

One day I was watching an aide stroking the hand of the one woman resident, who I have never seen to be conscious. But the aide didn’t care. The woman was alive and might be comforted by stroking. The aide was a woman of color, possibly from Haiti. Some of the vet residents speak ill […]

Suffolk Downs

Brought a friend with me this visit. We were talking to the Jewish vet about Boston sports. We can’t remember the name of that East Boston horse racing track. No cell coverage at this part of the VA, so can’t ask Google. So our veterans proudly says, Suffolk Downs. (A big victory for someone in […]

Cried

A visit on a Thursday at VA dementia ward, since we will be away this weekend. My guy is hanging in there, sang along with Doyle Lawson, enjoyed photos from my week. My Jewish vet was well, but he cried when I started to leave, so I stayed longer. When I got to my car, […]

No Perfect Way

My guy requested Doyle Lawson bluegrass so I got an exquisite gospel album from iTunes and we listened together to my phone while going through our photo album. My Jewish vet beckoned me to come say hello. Neither of us was sure what his fascination was with the box of kleenex on his tray. But […]

So It Goes

My guy was in pretty good shape; we had a nice chat about trips we’ve taken and projects we worked on together. But when I checked in with my Jewish vet, he was sunken into some sort of trance and I couldn’t let him know I was there to say hello. So it goes.

Three Men

My guy a little stronger, knew I was there and smiled before he slid back into the fog. Behind him is a table of three men. The one in the middle, facing me, has his mouth open, eyes closed; he is not there. The one on the left seems in a trance, but perhaps he […]

No Way To Tell It

Last week I didn’t share anything from VA dementia ward. There was no way to tell it without violating people’s privacy. This week my old soldier is fading away. Faces change every few weeks in the lunch room. The old Jewish vet is gone.

How It Ends

I got the OK to take my guy outside in a wheelchair. He liked the sun, fresh air, birds singing. He loves country and bluegrass so I played El Paso by Marty Robbins and he sang along. Then he said he can see this is the end for him, how his life ends up. We […]

Shouldn’t End Like This

My guy is more alert than last week, aware of his situation. He says “It shouldn’t end like this, with whipped cream”, looking at the berries and whipped cream I brought. He says, “I should have ended it when I still could.” Soon his wife brings in a group of gangly, sweet, teen boys from […]