Chapter 4 opens with a flashback to the previous chapter, in which the young narrator, who is now twenty-seven years old, is preparing breakfast for his wife, who has just returned from a visit with her "favorite" , a bear. The young narrator complains that his wife has lost her memory and that the household is running out of milk. The doctor informs him that the young woman's condition is very serious, and she should be brought to the hospital immediately. The narrator, however, does not understand the doctor's instructions. He asks the doctor if his wife is suffering from a head injury, and the doctor explains that her condition is caused by her diabetes. He also explains that she has had a number of other conditions, including kidney failure and stage kidney failure, that have caused her to fall ill.