How Is Your Heart?

The day my grandfather died, he spent several hours experiencing mild symptoms of a heart attack. His upper body felt uncomfortable, and there was pain radiating along his left arm. He was tired and short of breath. The pain in his arm persisted most of the afternoon. Maybe he thought it was his arthritis acting up, or a muscle cramp. He took a rather stoic approach to physical discomfort, so it is possible he had other sensations that he didn't think were important enough to mention.

Remembering My Father

Today is the fourth anniversary of my father's death at age 87. The last time I saw him, he wasn't able to recognize me. I believe that he thought I was a nurse. For health reasons, my mother had to go home early, so that evening, I was the only visitor.

Dad's distress at being alone in a strange hospital room, not remembering why he was there, kept him from sleeping. He felt abandoned and would call out for help. I stood next to the bed so he could see that I was there. His eyes were wide open with anxiety, and he complained of insomnia. I suggested that he might be able to sleep if he closed his eyes and let his body relax. I promised I would stay with him until he fell asleep. So he said, "I'll give it a try," closed his eyes, and dozed off peacefully. Those were his last words to me.