How to dance in the rain

 

 

It was a busy morning, around 08:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’es arrived to have his stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 09:00.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be 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 and do 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 suffering from Alzheimer’s’ disease. As we walked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was and that she had not recognized him for five years, now.

I was surprised and asked him “and you still go there, every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are”? His response almost brought tears to my eyes:

“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 ‘this is the kind of love that I want in my life’.

True love is neither physical nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been and will be…and will not be.

Life is not about how to survive the storm, but about how to dance in the rain.