ThenNan,visitingAliceathomeoneafternoon,noticed
black-and-blue bruises up and down her leg. Had she
fallen?
No,Alicesaidatfirst.Butlatersheadmittedthatshe’d
takenaspillgoingdownthewoodenbasementstairs.It
wasjustaslip, sheinsisted.It couldhavehappenedto
anyone. She’d be more careful next time.
Soon,however,shehadmorefalls,severalofthem.No
brokenbones,butthefamilywasgettingworried.SoJim
didwhatallfamiliesnaturallydonowadays.Hehadher
see a doctor.
Thedoctordidsometests.Hefoundthatshehadthinning
bones and recommended calcium.He fiddled with her
medicationsand gaveher some newprescriptions. But
thetruthwashedidn’tknowwhattodo.Wewerenot
bringinghimafixableproblem.Alicewasunsteady.Her
memorywasslipping.Theproblemswereonlygoingto
increase.Herindependencewouldnotbesustainablefor
long now. But he had no answers or direction or
guidance. He could not even describe what to expect
would happen.