After the troubling experience we had at the ER on December 5, 2017 I realized that this Christmas would most likely be the last one Al and I would have in our home.
We had stopped doing a lot of Christmas decorating a few years earlier when we were able to spend the winter months in Florida and just never started up the practice of decorating when those winter vacations stopped. I had even given away our Christmas tree.
But in 2017, realizing that this was no doubt our last chance of having a Christmas tree and enjoying Christmas at home together, I decided to get a new tree. I found one at Michaels that was called a pencil tree, tall and slender and just right for the corner of our garden room.
At the time, Al was sleeping much of the time and, as he lay sleeping on the couch, I put up our tree and decorated it. I turned the lights on and admired my handiwork, anxious for him to wake and notice the tree.
He didn’t notice the tree and when I pointed it out and said, “What do you think, isn’t it pretty?” he just looked that way and said, “Yes, it’s nice.”
I’m not sure he even realized the significance of the tree or even that it was Christmas. For that matter, I think any recognition of holidays was gone. It was just another day to him.
Knowing what he has lost just makes me love him more and makes me want to give him some happiness. May God help us both as we struggle.
Care Giving - Risks & Rewards 