06/10/2022
By Kate Stone Lombardi
Yesterday morning, I visited with my seven-month-old granddaughter. I hadn’t seen her in about 10 days, and marveled at how much she’d changed in that short period. She was sitting up unaided. She was developing manual dexterity in her fingers, able to pick up a blueberry. Her hair is growing in a lighter color.
Sometimes watching her, I feel like I can see the little neurons firing and connecting.
Yesterday afternoon, I spent time with my 98-year-old mother. She is losing things as my granddaughter is gaining things, though not nearly at the same rate. On Wednesday, I took her to the doctor, who had her stand up, stand on her toes, lift each leg and do a few other physical things; all the while she told him about the latest audio book she was listening to.
“You are amazing,” the doctor told my Mom.
“Everyone keeps telling me I’m amazing for my age,” she responded. “That’s great, except I can’t see, I can’t hear, I can’t digest my food and my friends are all dead.”
Well, I actually think that both the baby and my mom are amazing, in their own ways. But what’s wrong with me that I don’t feel as feisty as either one of them? After visits with both, I’m exhausted.