Over the past 90 days, I've seen Jeanne's condition get worse than it's ever been...and better than it's been in years. It feels a bit like being stuck on a roller-coaster that refuses to slow down. You never know what you're going to experience over the next summit or around the next corner. But after dealing with a number of antibiotic-resistant infections, Jeanne seems to be stable -- for the moment.
And it's that moment that I've learned to embrace. I wish I could understand the medical how and why behind the moment. That way, we could work toward duplicating it. But I can't. I know that Jeanne's short-term memory has been mostly missing in action for quite a while. But lately it's shown itself to be in fine working order. I've known for some time that she struggles with vision issues. Yet just yesterday, I watched her breeze through a vision exam as well as I could have.
Every Wednesday, Hillcrest Care Center hosts an "ice cream social" for its residents. Last week, Jeanne enjoyed two scoops...for the first time in not months but years! Why? I'm not sure that I'll ever know. But so what. Today Jeanne's health status is better than anyone would have predicted just several weeks ago. And no matter how long or short this moment may be, I've learned to simply enjoy it.
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