The Rain

It was a busy

morning, about 8:30, when an elderly

gentleman in his 80's arrived to have

stitches removed from his thumb.

He said he was in a hurry as he had an

appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital

signs and had him take a seat,

knowing it would be over an hour

before someone

would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and

decided, since I

was not busy with another patient,

I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was

well healed, so I talked to one of the

doctors, got the needed supplies to

remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of

his wound, I asked him if he

had another doctor's appointment

this morning, as

he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he

needed to go to

the nursing home to eat breakfast

with his wife. I inquired as to her

health.

He told me that she had been there

for a while and that she

was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we

talked, I asked if she would be

upset if he was a bit late.

He

replied that she no longer knew

who he was, that she had not

recognized him in

five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him,

'And you still go every

morning, even though she

doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he

patted my hand and said,

'She doesn't

know me, but I still know who she is.'