As I have journeyed deeper into the health care system, I've come to certain realizations. One is that what emerges over time is a consensus among care-givers about a patient's status. Many people participate in forming this consensus, most of them with vast experience in evaluating patients like me.
The clear consensus in my case is that it is no longer advisable for me to live alone independently. That is why I now am in an assisted living complex. My care-givers, and my family, think that is best for now.
Another point of consensus in my case is that I am not going to be getting better. That leaves two alternatives. I'll stay stable, perhaps for many years, or I'll decline. There are numerous ways to decline and when that happens, a new consensus will emerge as to what to do next.
Staying stable depends on the basics -- sleep, eating well, exercise, not falling and luck. No one can predict how any particular patient will fare. They'll just keep checking and discussing what they see.
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