Chapter 182
Dorothea and Latham hurried through the hospital corridors, hearts pounding. As soon as they opened the door to the hospital room, Dorothea saw Pauline propped up against the pillows, looking frail but awake. Tears sprang to Dorothea’s eyes and she rushed over without thinking.
“Grandma, you’re awake!” Her voice trembled as she wrapped her arms tightly around Pauline.
Pauline patted Dorothea’s shoulder, her touch gentle and familiar. “Is that you, Dorothea p>
“It’s me,” Dorothea said, trying to smile through her tears. She wiped her cheeks, searching Pauline’s face for a sign of recognition. “Grandma, do you remember me p>
Pauline smiled softly. “Of course I do. How could I forget my precious girl p>
Latham stood quietly near the door, giving them space. He didn’t want to interrupt the moment between grandmother and granddaughter.
But then Pauline’s gaze drifted over to him, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Dorothea, who is this young man p>
Dorothea’s heart skipped a beat. “Grandma, don’t you remember him p>
Latham stepped forward, his voice calm and steady. “Grandma, I’m Latham. I’m Dorothea’s husband p>
He offered a gentle smile. “We’ve met before, but maybe you don’t remember p>
Pauline looked at him, clearly struggling to place his face. “Oh, have we met?” She turned back to Dorothea, concern in her eyes. “Dorothea, you just graduated and you’re already married? Something as important as this, why didn’t you tell me p>
Dorothea and Latham exchanged bewildered glances, both caught off guard. Latham gave Dorothea a reassuring look. “I’ll go talk to the doctor and see what’s going on p>
Dorothea tried to make sense of what had just happened. Why didn’t Grandma remember Latham? Was it just him, or was it more than that?
She took a deep breath and asked softly, “Grandma, do you remember what I do for work p>
Pauline frowned thoughtfully. “Didn’t you tell me you’re a secretary at a big company p>
She smiled a little. “You said the benefits were good and the work wasn’t too stressful. You even told me you were really happy there. Or did you change jobs again p>
Dorothea’s heart sank. It wasn’t just Latham. Grandma’s memory was stuck in the past. She had forgotten everything from the last few years.
Dorothea forced a small smile, not
wanting to upset Pauline any further.
Just then
a nurse came in to check
on them. Dorothea asked the nurse
to stay with her grandma for a moment, then slipped out to find Latham and the doctor.
As she reached the doorway, she overheard the doctor explaining, “The patient just regained
consciousness. She’s experiencing Some memory loss. When her heart stopped, her brain went without oxygen for a short time. That can cause some damage p>
The doctor’s voice was gentle but serious. “Considering her age and what I’ve seen before, I think the chances of Alzheimer’s are pretty high. That’s a kind of
ve
neurodegenerative disease. Early on, people might get forgetful lose track of things, or even have trouble with language or recognizing places. But the main thing is the memory loss p>
He paused, then continued, “She might forget what happened today by tomorrow. Or even lose track of what just happened a moment ago. Sometimes, memories slip back by years p>
“There’s not really a cure. The best thing is to keep her company, make sure she’s not alone at home or wandering outside by herself. She should have her personal information on her at all times, just in case p>
Dorothea listened, her earlier joy giving way to a heavy sadness. When she stepped out of the office, she felt drained, like all the excitement had been washed away.
Latham found her and spoke softly, reaching for her hand. “This happens a lot with older people. We’ll be there for her, together. Once she’s feeling better, we’ll bring Grandma home to stay with us p>
He tried to lighten the mood, giving her a little smile. “If I have to introduce myself to Grandma every day, then that’s what I’ll do p>
Dorothea’s heart eased a bit at his words. She managed a faint smile and squeezed his hand. “Thank you. Really p>