Bloodless Decapitation

Otherwise known as incapacitation.

I haven't yet taken the time and effort to look up many words relating to this kind of cap.  Several are devoted to anything concerning the head, whether of the individual body or of a collective body.  The headquarters of a government is at its capital.  When we capitulate, we surrender or give up control - lose the leadership or headship of the affair.  A ship is guided by its head officer, the captain.  If the ship capsizes, it turns upside-down.

Someone's capacity is a measure of his/her intelligence, talent, wits and function.  For my dear friend who is soon to be eighty-eight years old, it is the function part that is practically gone.  His superior intellect is still churning out thoughts and a desire to disseminate knowledge and ideas to the whole planet, but alas, he can no longer even type easily on his computer and has failed recently in the simple function of sending me emails.  He is almost totally unable to function on his own.  He needs help to do basically any physical movement, and is now at times even unable to go to the bathroom alone.  But this is still not the worst of his incapacitation.  He knows clearly that soon all that remains of his functioning will be gone.  The brain has come under attack.

His expression, delivered with what's left of his massive good humor - now gallows humor - is that he suffers from deja-vu, over and over again.  Sadly, this has progressed almost to the point that he doubts every word he is about to speak because he assumes he has just said it already and he will be revealing his incapacity while also boring his listener.  Following long pauses of the type highly intelligent people often use for arranging completely clear and cogent remarks, he now often has to toss up his hands in defeat.  He tries even still to give it a light-hearted turn by saying, "Sorry - I lost my head!"

That is precisely what he has done and soon his head, that former capacious brain of almost immeasurable I.Q., will give up its tenuous control on life.  His body is already communicating to his head that it's time to say enough.

He recently asked me to transport him over the 450 miles and nine hours of travel so he could have a last visit with his dear lady companion of two decades.  Family locales and necessary living arrangements have separated them during the last year.  He managed the trip in good condition due to his high spirits and delighted anticipation.  Upon our arrival, his lady was overwhelmed and almost speechless with appreciation.  She is now ninety-one and actually more able to function physically than he is.  She walks far more energetically and even talks with more animation and wit.  However, she cannot remember anything for more than a few minutes.  That is, she cannot remember the small stuff; John, she remembers well.  The love between them still flourishes and the expressions on their faces made the entire expedition well worth any effort.

His thoughts and philosophies that once rolled freely from his deep well of intellect can still be seen at his website which may soon go away.  I don't even know who is supporting it or whether I might be able to help it continue on his behalf.  I do know that he still hopes to "clean it up" and add new ideas.  Amazing.  And humbling.