With those pills, I fell into such a deep sleep that in the morning I barely understood what was happening around me. My wife always made sure I took my dose, and my brother — who had been living with us since his own wife passed away — kept repeating that I needed “deep, proper rest.”

But over time, their care began to seem strange. They insisted too much, watched my every move far too carefully. And one evening, I simply forgot to bring water to the bedroom and went to the kitchen.