Mom experienced a sudden deterioration of her vision this evening.  I coped by eating two bowls of ice cream.

            After a day of doing acrostic puzzles, she switched to reading magazines.  It wasn’t long after I emailed my brother Bob that she turned back to the puzzles—and discovered she could not see the words anymore, notwithstanding her lighted magnifier.

            We discussed the situation multiple times over the next hour, and I assured her I will call her ophthalmologist in the morning.  What I dearly hope is that when I get up in the morning, I will find her working another puzzle. 

Lights on.  Kitchen sounds.  I peer at the clock:  4:40 a.m.

The cat has been nagging me for hours, it seems, so I finally roll my weary body out of bed at 8:30.  Mom appears in the kitchen soon after.  I heat up her Frappuccino.  She sits down at the kitchen table to eat one of her mini cinnamon rolls.  I drink my protein shake as I wait for my coffee to brew.

            Now I am back at my computer, checking email.  Bless Bob’s heart!  His reply to my email provided exactly the encouragement I need for the day.  I hear Mom talking to herself and step into the hallway to listen for a minute . . . she’s commenting on the acrostic puzzle she is working on.  Sigh of relief.