Still Grateful

 

On my next visit with mom I brought her the braid that she made me from the palms she picked up at church last Easter Sunday.  Mom’s braids were so much smaller than she normally made us.  Last year at Easter time mom’s hands were shaking more than they had in the past and a few days after Easter mom landed in the hospital.   

She smiled as soon as she saw the braid, “I made it.   Show  . . . show her.”  Mom pointed to Darlene* her friend who looked up and said, “Nice”.

Darlene* and mom were sitting at the long bingo table while Shirley* the activities director wheeled the other residents in. 

When Shirley* saw me, she informed me she had some paperwork she needed filled out.  The survey was a questionnaire about mom’s care and treatment at The Community*.  Shirley* had tried to ask the questions to mom, but mom wanted me to answer them for her.  When Shirley* handed me the survey, mom said, “Fill it out . . . so I can go.”  Mom thinks I am signing papers for her to go.  Thinking maybe I should distract mom’s thoughts about dying I suggested for mom to play Bingo today.

 

 

Mom wanted to know if I would play Bingo with her.  Shirley* gave me the ok to stay and assist mom.  However, Shirley* mentioned that she needed the survey filled out before I left. So I started to fill out survey while sitting next to mom.  She watched me answering the questions, “Put  . . .  I want to go home  . . . God’s home.” 

“Mom, The Community* just wants to know about your care.  What you like and how they can improve.”

“Don’t be too nice  . . . they’ll  . . . keep me here!”

 Shirley*called out numbers for six games.  Mom came so close to winning several times.  On the last game, Mom and Darlene* called ‘Bingo’ at the same time.  And yes, they both indeed had Bingo. The prizes that were left were bags of cookies and crackers.  Mom picked the cheddar cheese crackers this time since the last time she picked the cookies.  As you might guess, when Darlene* saw what mom picked she had to have the same thing (some things never change).

While the residents played Bingo, I noticed that a son of one of the other residents who was just sitting near the bingo table listening to music came to see his father.  Unfortunately, his father was comatose.  By that I mean he only stares and drools, no emotion whatsoever is evident.  The son wheeled his father over to the windows where he sat next to his father and held his hands.  I kept glancing over to see how he could communicate with his father.  He just kept holding his hands.  One time when I looked over he had his head hanging down so low maybe resting on his father’s lap.  Before we were finished playing I saw the son wheel his father back to listen to music.  He hugged his father goodbye.  I heard him tell him he loved him.  Then he left.  All the time, the father had no movement, just stared.  I had cold chills over my shoulders.

I am so grateful that mom can still communicate.  She can hug me back; she can give me kisses and blow kisses, and she can tell me that she loves me.  Thank you, God.