So that's what sisters are for

I'm an only child. I acquired official sisters only through marriage, three through my husband Roger and two step-sisters when my dad remarried.

I was delighted when my sister-in-law Lisa was able to fly up here from Florida and spend a week with us and her dad, Pepaw, who she had not seen since we moved him here three months ago to care for his daily needs. Unfortunately, she has now witnessed the toll Alzheimer's is taking on him, and I wish I could have spared her that agony.

Pepaw's had a rough week or so as Alzheimer's has not been kind to him or us. He's been angry. He's been argumentative. He's been rude. He's been downright mean at moments. He's threatened to have everyone thrown in jail for any and all imaginary crimes against him. He still vows to whoop somebody's ass.

However, he's had some good moments, just very few of them while I'm around. He has turned on the charm for the ladies and has treated his daughter fairly well. His unpredictable behavior has forced us to consult with the doctor and realign his medications. Lisa and I knew it was time to plan for the future, as painful as it may be.

Friday was going to be tough. It's not exactly a pleasure trip to visit Alzheimer's units in nursing homes and try to imagine your loved one there. Lisa and I needed to research possible future care for Pepaw. I knew what to expect after writing a book on Alzheimer's and seeing firsthand how it ravages the human mind and body. Lisa did not.

We greeted several residents who replied "Hello," and saw a variety of activities and space devoted to memory care. However, I don't think I'll ever forget her face as she witnessed so many folks sitting in wheelchairs or asleep in the middle of the day or heads slumped forward. Will that be her dad someday?

Only God knows.

The visits emotionally drained us. However, the toughest challenge of the day awaited me. Friday morning, I had taken my cat Clark to the vet because he seemed to be dragging his hind legs. I learned that he had had a stroke and his age, 14, and several other factors led to a poor prognosis. I had to prepare to say good-bye to my baby, Clark "Superman" Kent Wheeler, to spare him pain. In tears, I called Roger and our son, Gordo, who had been a freshman in high school when we adopted Clark and his sister, Lois Lane Kent Wheeler, as kittens from the animal shelter. I advised them to visit Clark at the vet's and say their good-byes.

I felt so bad for exposing Lisa to another sad event, but she insisted on accompanying me as I hugged and petted my baby and stayed with him until the injection ended his pain and he began his eternal sleep.

In that moment, I learned that what sisters are for … to wipe each other's tears, to keep tissues close at hand, to answer your cell phone when you're crying too hard to talk, to support you with strong and loving arms, to love you unconditionally, to always find room in her heart to help carry your burden when her own heart is seemingly full.

And at the end of the day, as I dropped her off at the residence where her dad lives, we caught him walking down the sidewalk. As we drove up, Lisa greeted him and asked where he was going. To the highway, he answered. Her look reassured me that she would handle this, and I slowly drove away.

A sister's work is never done, and it seems impossible to say "thank you" enough. That's where love comes into the equation and makes life equal and bearable.

I love you, sis. Thank you for loving me.