Tag: Loretta Downs
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Turning points
Loretta S. DownsChicago, Illinois, USA My mother’s end-of-life was 15 years long. It began the day my father died and she became dependent upon her children to fill the roles he had played throughout their 61-year marriage. We managed relatively well, and her health continued to be good for nearly seven years. By the time…
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A Christmas party
Loretta S. DownsChicago, Illinois, USA A war started the day my mother was forced to move into a nursing home. After years of slow progression, the stenosis in her back refused to let her live independently any longer. From the moment she arrived, I spent five days a week trying to help her adjust—hoping she…