When they said I’m afraid we are losing don’t like the way you gave up hope

This is where we are these days, when people ask how my mom is doing. It’s trips to the store to find food items that aren’t too challenging to swallow, but aren’t too thin to cause choking. It’s discussions about morphine and what constitutes being “comfortable.” It’s making sure there’s no artificial sweeteners that can cause digestive issues and getting the right balance of flavors so it’s not all just strawberry or banana. It’s decisions and debates that help distract from the reality of the new reality at hand.