Alzheimer's Blogging:

Today was an eventful day. I had a cute patient that was 83 yrs old that was having trouble breathing. She was at the nursing home because she had a hip fracture and needed rehab. I found her lying in her bed with a nasal cannula on with 3 liters of oxygen flowing. I was told they gave her a couple of SVN treatments but the doctor said she was working to hard at breathing so we needed to get her to the hospital for evaluation. We sheet lifted her to her bed and did the usual. Took vitals, put on the ecg monitor lead, put her oxygen back on. I had to ask her this question. "How long have you been married?" She smiled and said it had been for 63 yrs. So I had to ask her one more question. "How did you stay married so long to one man." She chuckled when she answered me. "I tried not to kill him."

We made our way to the hospital and got her into a nice emergency bed. My cot on my gurney is not very comfortable you know. Her husband walked into the room and gave me a hug for taking care of his wife. I had to ask him. "How long have you been married?" He smiled and hugged me again and whispered in my ear, "It's been 63 years." So I asked him the same question. "How did you stay married to her for so long?" He looked at her with such love in his eyes before he answered me. "I just had to love her forever."

I know this isn't about Alzheimer's but I just had to share this with you. I meet some wonderful people when I work on my ambulance. God bless you all and have a great night.

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com
www.mariefostino.blogspot.com