(PAGETITLE) | Conversations of a couple going through Dementia

Ch.129 “Ron, You Used to be Funnier.”

Ch.129 “Ron, You Used to be Funnier.” January 2022 I was having a conversation with Jackie, a woman I’ve known for over twenty years. She’s been reading our blog, Read more

Ch.128 The Everyday Club: Why We Come Daily to See Our Loved Ones

Ch.128 The Everyday Club: Why We Come Daily to See Our Loved Ones January 2022 There are approximately twenty residents at The Refuge. Some of them, sadly, Read more

Ch.127 A Sudden Setback for Pat and a Big Decision for Ron

Ch.127 A Sudden Setback for Pat and a Big Decision for Ron January 2022. Please note that I have backtracked to January. I had jumped ahead Read more

Ch.126 Keeping “Victories” and “Defeats” in Perspective

Ch.126 Keeping “Victories” and “Defeats” in Perspective March 2022 Yesterday Pat ate “real” food: A ham and cheese sandwich, a bowl of Read more

Ch.125 Pat Rallies and Says Something Beautiful

Ch.125 Pat Rallies and Says Something Beautiful March 2022 Three days ago, Pat was barely conscious, heavily sedated with morphine but unable to communicate even when less Read more

Ch. 124 Time is Running Out

Ch. 124 Time is Running Out February 2022 This morning Pat was pretty much nonresponsive even though she hadn’t had any morphine Read more

Ch.123 “I’m Ready to be Gone.”

Ch.123 “I’m Ready to be Gone.” February 2022 I’ve been feeling lonely this week. I look around our house and see nobody Read more

Ch.122 A Sad Day at The Refuge

Ch.122 A Sad Day at The Refuge January 2022 The Refuge is not large; about 20 persons reside there at any time. Read more

Ch.121 Taste and Touch Connect Us

Ch.121 Taste and Touch Connect Us December 2021 I usually come to The Refuge twice a day to “visit” Pat, once from Read more

Ch.120 Pat is Taken Off Opioid Pain Medicine and Immediately Functions Better

Ch.120 Pat is Taken Off Opioid Pain Medicine and Immediately Functions Better December 2021 Just a few weeks ago I wrote about Read more

Ch.119 Good News: Pat Lodges a Complaint and Makes Two Requests

Ch.119 Good News: Pat Lodges a Complaint and Makes Two Requests December 2021 Part One: The Complaint. I entered The Refuge at the Read more

Ch.118 Pat Cannot Say Ron’s Name

Ch.118 Pat Cannot Say Ron’s Name December 2021 Today at lunchtime we met Cathy, our hospice nurse. She will be seeing Pat Read more

Ch.117 Hospice

Ch.117 Hospice November 29, 2021. Pat has been receiving palliative care from a local agency for about a month. But I’ve been encouraged to engage that agency’s Read more

Ch.116 Pat Still Gets to Choose

Ch.116 Pat Still Gets to Choose Pat and I were talking after lunch. I mentioned how nice it was just for us to be together. Her Read more

Ch.115 Year End Review: A Lewy Body Year of Transition

Ch.115 Year End Review: A Lewy Body Year of Transition Dec. 31, 2021. [Note: I've jumped ahead about six blog chapters to share this essay at Read more

Ch.114 Pat has Two Almost Pain Free Hours and Ron Begins to Relax

Ch.114 Pat has Two Almost Pain Free Hours and Ron Begins to Relax November 2021 Diane, the nurse at The Refuge, told Read more

Ch. 113 Pat Tells Me How Each Rock (and Person) is Special

Ch. 113 Pat Tells Me How Each Rock (and Person) is Special My daughter Cindy had a great idea: bring Pat a small box filled with Read more

Ch. 112 Pat Thinks Better Then She Can Speak

Ch. 112 Pat Thinks Better Then She Can Speak October 2021 Pat and I used to talk about politics for hours. We Read more

Ch.111 Pat and I have a Serious Conversation about Death and Loneliness

Ch.111 Pat and I have a Serious Conversation about Death and Loneliness October 2021 “I will be gone…gone.” Pat was in a somber Read more

Ch.110 A Simple Gesture of Respect

Ch.110 A Simple Gesture of Respect September 2021 Last night I brought our Collie Levi to The Refuge. Before we in, though, Read more