There’s always a sadder story

My mom got a roommate today. She was quiet as they wheeled her into the room in a wheelchair. The head nurse came back to do the admission interview. That’s when the poor old woman broke down.

“My husband died here!” The woman started to wail uncontrollably. There are only three nursing homes in the town my mom is in right now, but geez, you think they could have sent this woman to one of the other facilities. Maybe some people would be comforted by the familiar surroundings, but I think for most people, it would be a depressing reminder of their spouse’s death. Just seeing the vans rolling around town for the place my dad was at the last year of his life give me the creeps and make me sad. I can’t imagine finding myself sick and ending up in the same facility where my loved one passed away.

The next thing she said was just as moving to me: “I miss my cats!” I can see myself as this woman 30 years from now. First to lose your spouse, then to have to give up your pets, it