Notes

Juggling hospital visits, caring for my elderly father, picking up my child, and running a household—some days, I forget to eat, and caring for myself comes last. Looking back on one of the hardest days of my life, I wondered: where will I be on this exact day next year?

It has been three days since my mother lost consciousness due to a brain hemorrhage. As normal hospital operations resumed after the long weekend, I completed her admission procedures and spent the day adjusting to new family routines while caring for my 89-year-old father.

Exhausted from a lack of sleep, I spent a busy day coordinating care, welcoming my aunts, and visiting my mother in the hospital. Later, my young granddaughters brought some light and warmth to my newly solitary father with a game of cards.

Reflecting on a sleepless night and the deep connection between mind and body after seeing my mother connected to a ventilator in the hospital. Confronted with the cruelty of brain diseases, I realize the vital importance of daily health.

A sudden emergency next door. My mother collapsed from a massive brain hemorrhage, and the doctor told us her consciousness would never return.

Yesterday, I accompanied my 80-year-old mother for a brain MRI scan and realized just how much she has aged. From struggles at the reception desk to the dentist's office dilemma, she seems trapped in a tough cycle. Seeing my parents like this makes me realize more than ever: I want to stay sharp and independent for as long as I’m alive.