Five years ago this month, Kate had Covid and spent eight days in the hospital. That was the catalyst that pushed her into Stage 7 Alzheimer’s, the last stage. Since then, she has required total care. We feed her, bathe her, dress and change her, and get her in and out of bed and wheelchair with a lift. None of us would like to be in her position. The fantastic thing is that she is happy.
I often comment about the “Happy Moments” she experiences. These are times when she seems to be at ease. She smiles. She laughs. She talks, although we can’t understand most of what she says because of her aphasia.
She has moments like this every day. I refer to them as “moments” because they do not occur throughout the day. Her day is also filled with what I call “Neutral Moments” when she is neither happy nor sad.
Once in a while, her days are filled with “Happy Moments” from morning to night. On days like that, she is cheerful when she begins the day and retains her cheerful spirit as we put her to bed.
Yesterday was one of those days. In fact, I believe it was the best day I have seen since before she had Covid. It was thrilling for me and for many others who hadn’t seen her like this before.
I don’t predict her behavior, so I don’t know if we will have a repeat of yesterday. I do know that she’s been getting better for the past two or three years. That is especially true for the past month. I also know that one day she will take a downward turn. In the meantime, I will treasure every moment or day I have with her.
