MINISTRY OR FAMILY: THE CHOICE
Robertson McQuilkin
April 1, 1991
It has been a decade since that day in Florida when Muriel, my wife, repeated to the couple vacationing with us the story she had told just five minutes earlier. Funny, I thought, that's never happened before. But it began to happen occasionally. Three years later, when Muriel was hospitalized for tests on her heart, a young doctor called me aside: "You may need to think about the possibility of Alzheimer's." I was incredulous. Young doctors are so presumptuous-and insensitive. Muriel, for the most part, was doing the same things she had always done. True, we had stopped entertaining in our home-no small loss for the president of a seminary and Bible college. She was a great cook and hostess, but she was having increased difficulty planning menus. Family meals she could handle, but with guests we could not risk missing a salad and dessert. And, yes, she was having uncommon difficulty painting a portrait of me, which the college and seminary board, impressed by her earlier splendid portrait of my predecessor, had requested. But Alzheimer's? A dread began to lurk around the fringes of my consciousness. We eventually went to Joe Tabor, a neurologist friend, who gave her the full battery of tests and, by elimination, confirmed that she had Alzheimer's. But because she had none of the typical physical deterioration, there was some question. We went to the Duke University Medical Center, believing we should get the best available second opinion. My heart sank as the doctor asked her to name the Gospels and she looked pleadingly at me for help. But she quickly bounced back and laughed at herself. She was a little nervous, perhaps, but nothing was going to get her down. This time we accepted the verdict. And we determined from the outset ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
