My note of June 22nd spoke of the 3 week mark of Carol's summer of hospitalization. The hospitalization and rehabilitative nursing home placement continued until today--one day shy of three calendar months. Keeping with the number 3, I guess it is appropriate to post a comment. I can't envision when the next 3 will occur and prompt another posting. The situation is essentially in a holding pattern for the next 6 or more months and then there will be additional surgery. One thing we have learned is that all deadlines are no more than rough estimates subject to revision and even reversal on short notice.

The old couple's household is once again intact. The only comment Carol made with respect to the appearance of the house after a three month absence was "It doesn't look like a bachelor pad." I was thinking, but didn't say it: "I wasn't trying to impress bachelors; I was trying to impress ladies." I need to wait and see what impact rehab had on her sense of humor.

I try to reflect on what I may have learned during these past three months, and the impact this experience will have on me here on out. I find myself summarizing the whole shabang with the observation: "When it comes right down to it, one is really very much on his/her own." It is not that friends and family are not helpful, but one has to be in a position to accept and make good use of that assistance. One can not always wait for someone to offer; there are times when one needs to ask for a little help and to be quite explicit about what type of help is being sought.

The retirement planning effort now has a whole new set of variables.