What am I here for

Rebecca Wardell

Mum left for the hospital at 7am, she didn't want Dad to be on his own for any longer than was necessary. I had offered to stay with him for the night. How terrifying to wake up in a bed without the wife you've spent nearly every night with for the last 42 years and to not know where you are, why she's not there and what's happening. Evidently more advanced Alzheimer's patients can wake up next to that same partner of 50 odd years and think they've been attacked or taken advantage of by this stranger in some way. This person they don't recognise that is inexplicably in their bed.

After Dad's INR had been measured by a blood test, they confirmed the operation could go forward that day. Mum called me and I left home, racing up to be there perhaps more for her than for him. As I approached the hospital I was amused to note the 'slow patients crossing' sign. Everywhere I have travelled I have noted signs alerting the driver to an assortment of entities subject to 'crossing'. Early in life I had been restricted to cows' crossings, but later, appearances were made by moose, children, otters, heavy plants and camels to name but a few. I've even seen on a busy major highway outside Kilmarnock 'Caution Old People Crossing'. I wouldn't fancy my own chances of crossing that particular road let alone the poor lady propping herself up on a gentlemen leaning heavily on a sagging stick who is depicted in silhouette on the sign. ... (continues)