chicken scrawl no more

I tried a writing test with Mom today, asking her whether she could spell out the word ajumma (aunt) in hangeul, and whether she could write her own name in both hangeul and Chinese. She did all this, and more: not content simply to write ajumma (Dad keeps mispronouncing it as ajima), she also wrote ajeoshi (uncle), halmeoni (grandmother), and halabeoji (grandfather). Most striking was that her script looked almost as it did before April 16-- clear, neat, and lucid. This improvement matches the improvement we've seen in Mom's ability to recall people and events, though she can still be shaky about such matters as her previous meal. Mom's nowhere near full speed in terms of conversation, but she's making a real effort at listening, and does interact in slightly more than rudimentary ways, sometimes even offering a concise opinion when called upon to do so.

We need to enjoy this while it lasts. I don't mean that in a sad or cynical way: we often forget that every moment needs to be enjoyed while it lasts, cancer or no cancer.


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