by Charlotte Reynolds
This time we do everything right. We recognise the signs. We take you to a specialist. We buy all the right books and read all the latest studies. We don’t argue with your delusions. We play you music. We sing: pop, old Irish folk songs, and hymns. We read to you. We take you into the garden and let you smell cut grass and honeysuckle, instead of antiseptic and urine. We bring you Holy Communion every Sunday. We gather around your bedside. We don’t look away. This time we do everything right and still lose you.