The Decision by Ricki T. Thues

The Decision 

by Ricki T. Thues © 2025

I love you so much, thought Sally. I always have.

Her husband was staring blankly.

“Are you OK Brian?” she said aloud.

“Of course I am,” was his terse reply.

“You were saying?” she continued.

“We were planning that trip to Hawaii. What island did you want to go to? I like Kawaii.”

“That was some time ago, dear. We were talking about going to the store just now.”

Brian’s eyes went blank again. He stared silently through her at something in the distant past.

In Brian’s mind, the planning of the Hawaii trip was moments ago. In reality, their trip to Kauai was four years ago.

Brian’s mind parsed through the planning. We will fly Hawaiian Airlines to Maui with a connection to Kauai. Our helicopter tour will take us up into Waimea Canyon to see Manawaiopuna Falls (Jurassic Park waterfall). I can see it, he thought.

“Remember the Jurassic waterfall?” asked Sally. “What fun it was to fly in the helicopter.”

“We haven’t gone yet. Our trip is next month. What are you saying?” Brian’s voice crept louder as he spoke.

“It’s OK, dear. I was just fooling. Let’s keep planning the trip.”

Brian stared blankly. “Trip to where?!” he barked.

Sally sighed and wrapped Brian in a protective hug.

Sally led Brian to the car, chauffeured him into the passenger seat, then seated herself to drive to the grocery store. It was a silent twenty-minute drive. When Sally turned left toward Ralphs, Brian said, “The freeway is straight ahead. You have to take the freeway to the airport.”

“We’re going to Ralphs for groceries,” assured Sally.

“Do we need some snacks for the trip?”

“No. Just some food for dinner tonight.”

“We can eat on the airplane. It’s a 5-hour flight. I’m sure they will feed us in first class.” He clearly remembered booking first-class seats.

“We aren’t going to Hawaii yet, Brian. Today we are going to the grocery store.”

Brian shook his head, grumbling under his breath.

The next day, Sally was playing cards with her girlfriends.

“Brian is getting worse,” Sally mused.

“My husband had severe dementia. It was harder and harder to communicate with him as he got worse,” said her friend Anne.

“How did you cope?”

“Eventually, I had to move him into a memory care facility. It is a nursing home where they watch him 24/7. He really doesn’t know me anymore.”

“Brian knows me. He just mixes up his timeline.”

“Does that make him irritable?”

“Yes. He gets confused and sometimes angry that he can’t remember things correctly.”

“Brian is a sweetheart,” said Anne. “But you have to be careful that he doesn’t turn violent.”

“He would never hurt me. Our love is too strong for that.”

Anne forced a smile and continued to deal the cards.

Two months later, Sally and Brian were sitting in the living room watching TV.

“Turn on Columbo,” said Brian.

“That show might be on Peacock. I can check,” said Sally, picking up the remote.

“What the hell is Peacock? It’s on NBC tonight,” barked Brian, grabbing the remote from Sally.

Sally’s wrist twisted painfully as Brian pulled the remote from her hand.

“Ow Brian. You hurt me,” she moaned, clutching her wrist.

Brian paused with a horrified look in his eyes. “I am so sorry, Sally. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He reached over, took her hand, and kissed it on the wrist.

“It’s OK, dear. It feels better already.”

Brian looked down at the remote and began pushing buttons randomly, looking for Columbo on TV.

Brian did not improve. He became more argumentative, insisting that his delusions were real. Sally sank farther into despair.

More time passed. Sally was driving the car, stopped at a signal. When the signal changed, she drove straight ahead through the intersection. Brian grabbed the steering wheel, pulling it hard to the right. “THIS WAY!” he yelled, causing the car to swerve toward the stopped traffic. Sally swung the wheel farther right, just missing the cars. She pulled her car into an exaggerated right turn and carefully brought the car to a stop at the curb. A sigh of relief escaped her.

“What was that?” she said angrily.

“The airport is this way,” said Brian, pointing ahead of them.

“Never touch the steering wheel when I am driving. You almost got us killed.”

“I was just helping. The airport is this way.”

“We are not going to the airport. We are not going to Hawaii. We went there years ago. I think you are going crazy.”

“I’m not crazy. I know what I’m doing. But, but…” It suddenly became clear to Brian what he had just done.

“Oh my god,” he said, shaking his head. “I did almost kill us. I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…”

“What am I going to do with you, sweetheart?” wailed Sally, hugging Brian as best she could in the seat belts.

Brian just kept shaking, head in hands.

When they returned home, Sally called Doctor Driscoll, their family physician.

“Doctor, this is Sally Smithen, Brian’s wife.”

“Yes, Sally. I know you. What can I do for you today?”

“Brian is getting worse. He seems to be stuck in the memory of our trip to Hawaii. The other day he pulled on the steering wheel and almost caused an accident. He said he was helping us get to the airport, but we weren’t going there. What do I do?”

“I’m sorry. Are you OK?”

“Yes, just shook up and a little afraid.”

“Let’s make an appointment with my colleague, Doctor Heilmann. He is an excellent psychiatrist. He can do a complete analysis of Brian.”

“Ok,” she said in sad resignation.

“Here we are Brian,” said Sally as they entered Doctor Heilmann’s office lobby.

“Why are we here?”

“Just a checkup,” she answered in a half-truth. She hated to hide the true purpose of the visit, but was afraid of his reactions.

In the examination room, Doctor Heilmann asked Brian, “Do you know where you are?”

“The doctor’s office. How have you been Doc Driscoll?”

“My name is Heilmann. Nice to meet you, Brian. I’d like to ask you a few questions. Is that OK?”

“Shoot.”

“What are the steps to making a cup of coffee.”

“Go to Starbucks,” Brian quipped.

“Funny,” said the doctor. “Who is the president of the US?”

“Jimmy Carter. That’s an odd question.”

“Repeat after me: apple, car, book.”

“Apple, car, book.”

“Good. Remember those words. What did you have for breakfast yesterday?”

“That’s easy. I made bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns.”

The doctor looked over at Sally, who shook her head. Brian had not cooked for years.

“What would you do if you witnessed an accident?”

“Call 119.”

“Have you been in a near accident recently?”

“No. Sally is a very good driver.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“What are the words I asked you to remember?”

“Car…ah, um… I don’t know!” He almost yelled his answer.

“It’s OK Brian. Lots of people don’t remember.”

“I’m not lots of people,” said Brian angrily.

“Just a couple more questions. Spell the word ‘world’ backwards.”

“W-O-R-L-D.” Brian smiled. Sally frowned.

Doctor Heilmann motioned for Sally to follow him out of the room. “Wait here, Brian. We will be right back,” he said.

In the doctor’s private office Sally filled in some of the mistakes that Brian made. The doctor nodded, a grim expression spreading over his face.

Doctor Heilman looked Sally deep in the eyes and said, “Brian is experiencing confusion of time and place, his angry outbursts are increasing and the recent automobile incident is troubling. These, added to the suggestion of dementia in the cognitive test, are strong indications of probable advancing Alzheimer’s disease.”

Sally sobbed quietly. “I am so tired. I have to watch Brian constantly. I’m afraid he is going to hurt himself or someone else. I don’t know what to do.”

“I think it is time to arrange long-term care for Brian in a memory care center,” said the doctor, face still grim.

Sally’s sobs became a mournful cry.

Back at home, Sally and Brian were sitting on the couch watching TV. Sally picked up the remote and turned the TV off.

“Why did you do that?” asked Brian, startled.

“We have to talk, dear.”

Brian raised his eyebrows in that endearing gesture of his. He is sooo cute, thought Sally.

“The doctor is worried about you, and so am I. He thinks you have Alzheimer’s disease.”

“What? I feel fine. Remember when we were planning our trip to Hawaii? I made an itinerary and found out everything we will do.”

“That’s just it my dear man. We went to Hawaii four years ago.”

“I think you are right Sally. I do remember the helicopter. I’m so confused.”

Sally took a deep breath and said the hardest part. “The doctor thinks you would be happier and safer at a memory care center. Anne’s husband is at Brookdale Senior Living. Why don’t we visit him there and see what you think of the place?”

Brian’s expression changed from upset to curious to sullen to blank. The room fell into profound silence.

Sally took Brian into her arms. She rocked him like she had her babies. Brian began to cry softly. He knew she was right.