The past four days have been frustrating to say the least. Beyond bumping into my own limitations, a server went down (or funny) at a point where I was trying to test some simple things and I was almost thinking I understood how to use the Dreamweaver program in the way I wanted. My mood tanked and my circadian rhythms (never very good) went completely off the grid. Sunday into Tuesday was a 40 something hour day.
Yesterday morning things were put in perspective. A neighbor knocked at my door with her usual somewhat rapid knocking that always seems a bit frantic. Being up 15 hours though it was barely 9AM, my first thought was that I was glad I was awake because I might not have heard her otherwise. As soon as I opened the door, I was struck that she looked smaller somehow. Her face at rest is generally thoughtful and before she speaks she always flashes a small smile. Lately (the past year or so) she has begun to grasp your hand before speaking, something I barely noticed at first. Gripping my hand she blurted out her reason for coming "I wanted to tell you I'm going to {named Senior housing facility}
today! The movers are coming. And I won't be seeing you again." Never big on small talk, she'd always preface with a hello and a 'I have a problem' or 'I don't mean to a bother' and plunge right into it. This was much more abrupt than usual. I was taken off guard and merely said I hoped she'd be happy there.
I described it as a Senior housing facility because it offers very different levels of assisted living from apartments with some housekeeping services, to extended rehabilitation services, to full care beds in a more hospital like setting. From her tone, it was apparent this wasn't a choice that excited her, but it was when she turned to walk away that the full sense of defeat struck me. She'd made some hard decisions while caring for her husband. I knew exactly how hard and I knew the second guessing and doubts first hand. My words seem so hollow and empty in my ears.
Most of my online friends are on the downhill side of 60, so I am asking what should I have said.