Story of the Year?

tomtom22

tomtom22

Chief Engineer
It was busy, about 8:30 A.M., when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I 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 attending his wound, we talked. 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 then 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.​

Taken from The Boston Post Bugle, January 2007, A Publication of The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Boston Post
http://www.sameboston.org/index.cfm?ac=bugle​
 
Excellent story, Tom.

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated,

it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,

it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Click to expand...
 
My Wife and I are at the point in our lives where we sometimes talk about the inevitable of when one goes and the other has to stay behind alone. The quandry is which situation is worse, to go first knowing what the other will have to go through the mourning process or to go last and have to break a bond that has lasted for forty-four years and have to live every day knowing you will never see that half of yourself again.

A friend of mine sort of summed it up when his Wife died and he couldn't stop crying. One of his Sons was worried about him and asked if there was anything anyone could do to help him stop grieving so long. His answer was, "either I get it out of my system now or I'll cry forever inside."
 
You believed and loved in each other for so long, I think you maybe forgot that that god (or whatever you may know him as), believed in and loves you both. Don't worry mate, you'll see, it will be ok.

Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war. ~Otto Von Bismark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top