Mimi And The Koi Pond

Looking out her window, holding a dirty paintbrush in her hand, Mimi watched as Tonka and Shovel, the cats owned by the facility gardener, amused themselves by chasing koi fish gliding along beneath the frozen pond ice. The easel Mimi was working at was positioned near the window so that she could take advantage of the natural light while painting. But she had stopped when a blur of orange, then grey, had dashed past her window, distracting her from her thoughts.

The view from her studio window allowed Mimi to see that winter had arrived. The trees were bare of leaves, and all the flowering shrubs of summer were now in hibernation. Ice had formed on the naked branches, and a smattering of snow was beginning to cover the ground. It looked like a serene winter wonderland scene, with the frozen koi pond, centred in the garden, and the wooden swing sitting idly in the cold sun, over on the far side.

How the koi survived in a frozen pond had always fascinated Mimi. Having always thought of them as being akin to immortal fish, she was surprised to find out that the explanation was quite simple. The koi's metabolism slows to a minimum, and as long as the pond is kept clear of debris and rotting material, and frozen ice is broken regularly, the oxygen in the pond will be enough for the fish to survive.

If you have never seen a cat trying to skate on ice, you have no idea what you are missing, Mimi thought to herself. She watched as their furry legs lost traction and they tried to follow the movements of the koi, all without success. She laughed to herself as Shovel misjudged his speed and slid straight into a pile of snow on the pond edge. Watching, he seemed to shake himself in disgust before making another attempt at the tantalising treat beneath his paws. Pulling herself away from the entertaining duo, she tried to refocus on her painting.

There was a joy in painting that Mimi couldn't explain to others. The soothing motion of strokes, to and fro, the blending of colours, soft and dreamy. This time alone in her thoughts was something that no one could take away from her. Fragments of memories from another lifetime filled her mind, almost forgotten, bursting forth, wanting to be remembered on the canvas before her. If she was honest, she would happily stay lost in this moment forever, but she knew that responsibilities and duties would soon call out her name.

Every day was the same. The same routine, the same restrictions, the same issues. Change was not welcome amongst the residents of the Heiwa Residence, an assisted living facility, so even the rosters of the staff remained the same, except in absolute emergencies where it was unavoidable. Fortunately, for all concerned, that was a very rare occurrence.

Being rostered on afternoon shifts allowed her to spend the mornings doing what she loved. Drinking coffee and painting. Most mornings she would sit at her bay window overlooking the gardens, steaming mug of coffee in hand, and watch the world slowly awaken and unfold around her. Living on-site afforded her the luxury of time to indulge her passions, though it did little for her social or love life. In another lifetime she may have enjoyed having a partner snd children, but in this lifetime, her heart belonged to her patients.

At sixty-three years of age, Mimi was one of the older staff members and had been working at this facility for over thirty years. She had applied for this position after deciding to move from the city to a more remote location. Needing a change of pace from the hospital emergency department that had been her second home since graduating from nursing, this had seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Noticing the time, she quickly showered, tied up her hair in a low bun at the back of her neck, dressed in her uniform, added a splash of colour to her face with her favourite shade of lipstick, and made her way across to the main facility. Even today, after thirty years, the building took her breath away with its splendour and beautiful details.

The main building was architecturally impressive, designed under the guidance of architect Kuma Kengo, with tall glass windows and wooden beams blending effortlessly with the surrounding environment. There were no hard lines or modern concrete monstrosities that many find cold and intimidating. Heiwa was all about beauty, nature, and introspective moments. This was a unique facility built to invite peace and calmness for the residents.

Walking in the front entrance, Mimi was greeted joyfully by the other staff members and patients alike. The staff considered her the matriarch and a wealth of advice, knowledge and support, and the patients loved her like one of their own family members. For Mimi, entering this building always felt like coming home. There was an underlying emotion of love, acceptance and friendship that rippled through the patient community.

Lunch had just finished, and the staff were clearing the tables in the dining area, so Mimi would start by doing rounds to check on all her patients. Afternoons were often spent watching a movie in the lounge area, playing card and board games in the recreation room, or indulging in an afternoon nap. Mimi knew her patients so well she could usually tell you exactly where she would find each of them.

Routine became predictable.

Life became predictable.

Nothing much changed.

These thoughts sometimes haunted Mimi. What would happen if change came uninvited? How can people move forward without change? Life would be stagnant and uninspiring if nothing ever changed. Maybe change was what everyone needed? To remind them how precious life was and to appreciate the luxury of growing older, something denied to so many. But then Mimi would remember how much she loved her job, and push the thoughts aside.

Over the years, Mimi had been fortunate to befriend many of the patients at Heiwa, but it also meant she had lost them when their time on this planet was over, and losing them never got easier. She remembered some of her favourites who were no longer here. Miss Kira who was sweet and dainty, and loved nothing more than to play the piano for the other guests. Mr Monty, a true gentleman, who regaled her with stories about his life living in New York city. And who could forget Miss Penelope, the lover of all creatures great and small, and the two kittens they had found hidden in her room. Ah, so many wonderful memories.

Walking through to the lounge area, Mimi saw extra guests were sitting in the chairs. An older man with salt and pepper hair, and the look of someone who loved the outdoor life, looked over at her and smiled, and the three younger adults with him followed his gaze. Two young women and a young man, all with similar features, and obviously related, watched as she walked towards them.

How strange, Mimi thought to herself. They looked familiar, but she couldn't place where she may have met them previously. Were they relatives of one of the newer patients maybe? Or maybe they were researching options for one of their relatives and were waiting to see the coordinator?

Rising as she neared him, the older gentleman said, "Hello Mimi. How are you today?".

She stopped and stared at him, her face blank, and no recognition coming forward. But something twitched in the back of her memory. She was certain they had met before but she could not remember the details.

"Do I know you?" asked Mimi.

"Yes, you do Mimi. We met many years ago. My name is Henry Peterson. This is my son Jordan, and my daughters Paige and Lana", he replied with a sad smile. "I am guessing you don't remember?"

"Mr Peterson, I am usually extremely good at recalling faces and names, but I am sorry to say I do not remember. Is there something I can help you with today?" replied Mimi, with a smile.

"I hope so. We are here to meet with Doctor Phillips. We have a scheduled appointment at three o'clock. Do you know if she might be ready for us?" answered Henry.

"Mr Peterson, if you and your children will follow me, I'll take you to Doctor Phillip's office," replied Mimi, turning and leading the way down the hallway as the visitors followed close behind. After a quick turn down another corridor, Mimi knocked on a plain brown door at the end. "Come in," came the reply from behind the closed door. Mimi opened the door, announcing the arrival of the doctor's visitors. "Thank you, Mimi," stated Doctor Phillips as the visitors entered the room. Mimi closed the door behind her and went about her day.

Dr Lucy Phillips glanced at Mr Peterson and his children, gesturing for them to take a seat. “Mr Petersen, as you can see, nothing has changed, and there has been no progress. The disease is slowly destroying her memories, and this will soon be followed by her speech and cognitive functions. Mimi does not remember anything from her life except her passion for nursing. We have no answer as to why this is. I honestly wish we knew more”, she says with a resigned sigh.

"Mr Peterson, every day she comes to work as if nothing is wrong. She follows instructions, assists with patients, strips and makes the beds, and checks on those patients who were once on her roster. At this point, she still believes she is an employed nurse working here. Letting her live here on site has been the best choice for her well being. I know you miss and worry about her, but she just doesn’t have any recall of your marriage and your children," states Doctor Phillips.

"The only time she has shown any recollection of her past is when she has painted images of your house and gardens. But when I ask her about the pictures she says they are from a dream. There is no connection for her between the images she paints and the life she once lived. I am truly sorry that I don’t have better news for you,” explained Dr Phillips as she looks at some of Mimi’s paintings hanging on her walls. “They are such incredibly beautiful paintings but she just doesn’t connect them to her life”.

“Doctor Phillips, how long does Mimi have before the disease takes her totally away from us?” asks Henry, with a pained look in his eyes.

Dr Phillips looks at the folder in front of her, and sighs. “Lewy Body Dementia can vary greatly from patient to patient, but in Mimi's case, we don’t think it will be long, maybe six to twelve months if she is lucky. That is why we make sure nothing changes and her routine stays the same. We fear the trauma from any change may actually accelerate her deterioration”.

Henry can feel his heart breaking more than he ever thought possible. Bidding farewell to Doctor Phillips, he wandered back to the lounge area with his children, looking for Mimi. Finding her in the recreation room sitting with a group of patients playing board games, he watched the happiness and joy on her face as she chatted and laughed with them. He knows he is doing the right thing for her but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

His marriage vows had been ‘for in sickness and in health’, and here she was being taken away from him without him being able to prevent it. He knew it was a fight that he was going to lose, but he was going to fight regardless. Starting tomorrow he would become a new patient at the Heiwa facility. He would do whatever it took to spend what limited time was left with his beautiful, beloved wife, Mimi.

Why?

Because she was the love of his life, his reason for living. Henry was willing to do anything to make her happy, even if she would never remember his love.

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