Peter Leith is 89 and describes himself as ‘half-deaf and half-blind’, but he has never been one to dwell on his challenges. He is building a collection of short stories and observations titled Aspects of Ageing. YourLifeChoices member Alcida kindly shared this anecdote relating to her father.
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My Dad lived in a nursing home. He had end-stage dementia. I visited him before it reached its final stage.
I noticed his fingernails had been cut short and were very ragged. My Dad was a wonderful classical violinist and prided himself on looking after his nails. Staff said they found it difficult to attend to his hands and nails.
I said to him: “Dad, I think you should let me attend to your nails. How can you play the violin with nails like that?”
He looked at me, and I’m sure I must have got through to him, as he willingly let me look after them.
He just went to sleep, and didn’t wake again.
Half of his ashes are in Perth; the other half went back to his favourite spot in Scotland.
I was ‘Daddy’s girl’. I miss him so.
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This is one of a series of short stories in a growing collection called Aspects of Ageing.
Do you have a story or an observation for Peter? Send it to sunday@staging.yourlifechoices.com.au and put ‘Sunday’ in the subject line.
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