Autumn days

Fall seems to be changing its position to winter very soon. It will get below 10 degrees C early in the morning here in a few days. I am hurried up sowing the seeds of winter/spring vegetables now. In next month, onion seedlings will be planted. Then I will be free from farming for a while.

A couple of days ago, hearing from my brother that they are not very well, I have visited an old couple in a town of 30 minutes drive. The husband, 85 years of age, used to get married to our cousin decades ago, who passed away all of sudden at her pretty young age. She was kind to us and used to often help us for chores starting our residency at a med school almost hal a century ago. When she got serious intracranial bleeding, she was referred to a med school hospital I was working. Being only a pediatrician, I could not do anything for her but just watched how she was tried to be rescued at the ER. It turned out in vain. They have had 3 daughters by then. I recently heard one of their granddaughter had become a med student.

Years have passed when he got remarried with another lady, his present wife. She, a woman of good will and kindness, used to help us with my parents and our kids for years. Since both of us were working busily as doctors, her aid for my old parents and for house chores was really appreciated. 

The husband told he had had complete AV block which urged him to be equipped with heart pacemaker a couple of years ago. He was smiling to tell me it would work for a decade. The wife was more serious with congestive heart failure. She looked rather pale. She said the heart output had been only a fraction of normal. She seemed to get tired easily while doing something. She told me, with faint smile, it won't be too long before she would be called to heaven. 

Both of them have been christians since their young days. It has become difficult for them to attend to a church due to health issues. They have not asked for any help by the local  administration, which I could hardly believe. They have a daughter working a nurse not too far away. It seemed she had been visiting them for help, even though not too often. 

Handed them my cell phone number and mail address, telling them to call me when they need any urgent help, I quit their home, which was beautifully cared for with grass and flowers. I promised them to bring vegetables grown in my garden farm sometime in the near future.

I regretted not having tried to get in touch with this old couple for such a long time. We had been helped so much by them when we needed their help. It is our turn to do so for them. 

And at the same time, I felt both of us were getting into the same chapter of life as they did. Warm autumn days in life won't last too long.