Wonkette

UPDATE: Numerous sources inform us that the son who commented for the stories gave permission for the TV station to tape his dad to try to bring attention to the issue of romances among Alzheimer’s patients. The AP reporter followed up with Sandra Day O’Connor herself despite her “no comment.” I still feel badly for her and less pissed at the TV station, only now I wonder about the ethics of allowing your legally-unable-to-consent father to be videotaped in this manner

Sandra Day O’Connor has always seemed, to me, like a really cool chick. She’s brilliant, she can hold her own in a male-dominated world, and she did the whole working-mom thing (back in the day, even) and still managed to reach the pinnacle of her career. She married another lawyer (John Jay O’Connor, so he was obviously predestined to be a lawyer) who moved for her career and seemed for all the world like he was incredibly supportive despite the fact that it was detrimental to his own career. And, then, she stepped down from the Court to help care for him after his Alzheimer’s disease became a problem.

Yesterday, the world learned that John O’Connor is, technically, cheating on his wife with another Alzheimer’s patient at the nursing home the family was forced to put him in as he health declined (a difficult situation recently portrayed in the movie Away From Her). John was videotaped holding hands with the unidentified patient and his family was called for comment. Their son, Scott, responded that Sandra was relieved to see him relaxed and happy. Because, really? What do you say when the press calls your house to ask how you feel about your husband of 55 years who probably doesn’t really remember you having a girlfriend in the nursing home?

[Full disclosure: my next-door neighbor (and surrogate grandmother) from back home developed Alzheimer's when I was in high school. She lost all memory of her husband, eventually coming to believe that he was her father and, like John, had to be placed in a care facility. The local television station taped her husband visiting her in the nursing home for Valentine's Day and bringing her cards and flowers trying to get her to remember him and speak. It was the sweetest and most heart-wrenching thing I've pretty much ever seen. The thought that a TV station would think it okay to tape an Alzheimer's patient and his Alzheimer's girlfriend, show it to his wife and family and ask her for comment makes me ill.]

O’Connor family deals with Alzheimer’s [12 News]
Justice O’Connor’s Husband Finds New Love [CBS News]