New doctor

Miriam went to her new Doctor recently.

This is Miriam’s new Washington Doctor. Daughter knows and likes Dr. Taylor and that is good. They went together.

There is a slight heart murmur, Doc reported, but “nothing we are going to split her open to fix.” Of course Daughter and I knew that (not the murmur, but the NOT split thing). Long ago we decided that we would not go that route, or other major intervention routes.

Doc suggested we check into an AD med that is supposed to help in late mid stage. It might keep her from being incontinent and it might keep her out of a nursing home, but no one knows for sure. If insurance will pay for it (AD meds tend to be spendy) we will give it a try.

None of this is new, none of it is amazing and none of it breaks any ground, but that does not make it easy to listen to and to think about. We have been married for 55 1/2 years. Miriam was sharp and cordial for our 50th party, but she likely will be largely unaware of our 56th.

She is the only girl friend I ever had. We have been going together since I was a sophomore in High School. Life has no guarantees, but I can rest in the knowledge that we had a good life together, that (most of the time!) we dearly loved each other.

Now she is still here yet she is not really here either.