“YOUR GRANDMOTHER ISN’T feeling very well today,” the aide Mel spoke to on her previous visit told her. “She ate poorly at breakfast and said she was very tired. She skipped lunch and left the day area to go and lie down instead.”
The duty nurse came to the counter. “I was just about to go back and try to get her vitals, if you want to come along with me. She’s been down for a couple of hours now.”
Mel followed the nurse down the hall.
At her grandmother’s room, the shorter woman stopped and knocked and then, hearing no response, opened the door far enough to stick her head in and look around the room. She pushed the door open wide and motioned for Mel to follow her in, saying over her shoulder, “It looks like she’s still sleeping, poor thing.”
Eunice Lafferty was on her back, all tuck
