[Tink]

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80s
arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a
hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00.

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 examining it I saw it was well healed, so I
talked to one of the doctors and 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! As she is 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.' I had to hold
back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm and thought,

'That is the kind of love I want in my life. True love is neither
physical nor romantic'.