The transition from living in your own home and directing every aspect of your life to being confined to a wheelchair and being dependent on others for everything, is a traumatic change. Five months after Mother’s 91st birthday my mother fell and this one single incident changed Mother’s life.

She was in the hospital for months and then moved to a nursing facility. We knew she would never go home again and then came the day when she too knew it. When I visited my mother I recognised she was putting up a brave front, yet I knew inwardly she was questioning her own value. She was completely helpless, confined to a bed unless someone moved her to a wheelchair. The sinks were not even set up for wheelchairs so she had difficulty even brushing her own teeth. Her legs would barely respond to lift or shift and her conversations indicated she felt as useless.

Mother was wondering why she was still on this earth. Four infections had drained her to the point where she no longer read or did crossword puzzles or played cards with herself. Wishing to stimulate her interest in something I asked her if I could read a short story. She nodded her consent. I told her the story of The Patient...The Patient was bedridden and only able to chat a bit and smile. All the nurses looked forward to going into The Patient’s room because they were overworked, tired and in need of something - perhaps the milk of human kindness. — Beliefnet.com