Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Loretta S. Downs

  • Turning points

    Loretta S. Downs Chicago, 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. Loretta Downs and Mom by Loretta Downs We managed relatively well, and her health continued to…

  • A Christmas party

    Loretta S. Downs Chicago, Illinois, USA   Loretta and her mother 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…