My Aunt Sue was the recipient of my letter on Day 10 – it was her birthday. As I mentioned then she’s struggled over the past year with several health problems and her memory has gotten much worse. Today I called her to see how she was doing and she sounded great – just like she used to. In fact, she said herself that she felt like parts of her memory were slowly coming back to her.
She lives in an assisted living center and is supposed to go to meals in the dining room, but since she’s been there she’s only been down to the dining room probably a dozen times. She said today that she has started going – and didn’t know why she hasn’t been going. I’m cautiously optimistic about these developments. Anyway, it was wonderful to have the old Aunt Sue back and share those special moments with her today. I hope that continues.
Dear Aunt Sue,
It was so good to talk to you today. You sounded so good. I’m happy that you are getting out of your apartment more, eating in the dining room and meeting others. Getting out and being more active will surely help you feel better.
Ryan and I are planning to come down to TN the last weekend in February – we’re both looking forward to it!
I’ll call you this weekend.
Love you,
YKW [My Aunt Sue used to always sign her letters to me “YKW” for You Know Who]
I love to see her, although she’s different now. After losing her husband, her only son, two siblings (one of them my mother), her best friend and many others, the quick wit and vibrance the former head of operating room nurse once had is now gone. Her health has diminished as well. “Don’t ever get old,” she tells me every time we speak. “Don’t do it.” She has this birthday card on her fridge that says something like, “The more you bitch and complain about getting old, the longer you live.” She smiles and says, “Isn’t that the truth” every time she reads it.
