Lewy Body Dementia | Wing's World

I’ve always loved that wood quote (generally attributed to Henry David Thoreau, although according to the interwebs, its coinage as aphorism derives from—ick—another Henry: Ford). It’s a lovely concept.

The Mate has been hard at work this past month, getting warm to keep us warm.

Me? I’m storing my own warmth, in words. It’s time for me to explain the “chop” I referred to this past summer, which caused me to quit blogging for months, but then to return with a series about the “guiding lights” that keep me navigating forward.

It’s been…a year.

In October 2025, Susan, a close local friend, received an out-of-the-blue Stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Too old to wish to face treatment, she went into hospice.

On December 14, I learned of the death of my best friend from high school, Adrian.

Nine days later, Susan died.

Susan was my nature-photo buddy. Now I don’t know whom to send these flowers to.

In February, my husband’s disease, Lewy-body Dementia (which we’d been managing pretty well) took a giant leap forward, canceling our road trip and wiping out all future plans for travel.

If you’ve followed Wing’s World for any stretch of time, you know that travel’s a big part of who we are. So that’s been hard.

The Mate biking in Virginia on Road Trip XII

In May, my father, unwilling to accept the threat of paraplegia from his long struggle with spinal stenosis, made a date for a Voluntary Assisted Death in Switzerland. My sisters and I made plans to accompany him, which meant I had to arrange companionship for my Mate.

Switzerland was beautiful, though, and I’m grateful for my dad’s sweet, easy death.

In June, my lengthy absence—in Europe, and then back to North Carolina to celebrate my friend Adrian’s life—seemed to accelerate my Mate’s symptoms.

Adrian’s Christmas present to me in 1978: a fabric-covered notebook for journaling. Fun fact: this notebook is the one that records my falling in love with my future Mate.

So, here on Lopez Island, we’ve spent the last several months regaining our equilibrium. This has involved my taking over most of the household responsibilities the Mate once covered—finances, utilities, minor repairs. It’s been a steep learning curve, in addition to playing a more active role in supporting my mom, now alone after 71 years of marriage.