tRue Love

IT was a busy morning when, at about 8.30, an elderly gentleman walked in to have sutures removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9.
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, to evaluate his wound.
On examining his thumb, I noticed it had healed well, so I spoke to one of the doctors and got the needed supplies to remove the sutures and re-dress his wound. Then we started talking.
I asked the gentleman if he had a doctor’s appointment, as he seemed to be a hurry. He said no, but he needed to go to the nursing home to have breakfast with his wife. I then inquired about her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease.
As I finished dressing his wound, I asked if his wife would be worried if he were a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognised him for five years.
Now I was surprised. “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.”