Finally Needed

As I walked down mom’s hallway, I could see at the nurses’ station that mom’s nurse who had been in India for the past 7 weeks had returned.  As I approached her, Billy* lifted her head and smiled.

“My mom must be so happy that you are back.”

“Yes  . . .  glad to be back, too.” 

“How’s mom doing today?

“Pretty good,” Billy* said.

I kept walking towards the activity room where some of the residents were exercising, but mom was sleeping. Her back was to me so I started wheeling mom backwards so I could take her out of the room without being a distraction to others.  Mom woke up and turned her head to the right to see who was moving her.  When she saw me, she had the warmest smile on her face.  “I knew it was you.”

I complimented her, “Mom, you look so pretty today.”

Mom smiled, “Thank you.  I was cold so they put on this warm turtleneck earlier.”

“I love that orchid turtleneck.  Jamie and Tracy bought you that for Mother’s Day.”

“Let’s take a photo so you can see just how nice you look!”  I pulled out my cell phone and snapped a photo of mom.

 

“Look, mom, how great you look.  You have on your favorite color.”

Mom studied her photo, then looked up and said, “Julienne  . . .  your mother looks old.”

“Nonsense, mom, my mother looks beautiful.”

Mom shook her head and smiled knowing that her daughter may be a little biased.

 

"Your nails look nice, too.  Did Shirley* polish them for you?"

 

"Yes," mom said.

 

"They are so long and pretty."

 

"I don't do anything to ruin them."

 

"I guess you are right, mom."

Then mom said, “How does Jamie like his new job?”

“He likes it.”

 “Can we call him?”

“Sure!”  This was a huge request coming from mom because she does not talk on the phone anymore.  I knew she must have really been missing him because speaking to him right now was so important.

When I dialed his phone number, his voicemail came on.  I started leaving him a message, when mom indicated that she wanted to leave him a message, too.  I handed mom the phone.  She was very caring and sentimental.

After she handed me my cell phone back she said, “Guess what?”

“What?”

 

"Last night I was so cold in bed that they put the blanket you left on me.”

“Mom, when I passed by the door to your bedroom just now I saw the blanket on your bed.  I had put the blanket in your dresser before I left last time.”

“You were right not to take it home.”

“Mom, I knew the blanket was going to come in handy someday.”

“The white side was so warm and soft.  I put that by my face.”

“I’m so glad you had the blanket.  Tracey and Jeff gave you the blanket for a Christmas gift.”

“I didn’t remember who gave me it.”

“That’s ok; I just wanted to remind you.”

“I have to show you something, “Mom pulled out her rosary from her pocket.  The rosary had broken in several pieces.

“Can Ron fix my rosary?”  Mom questioned.

“I will bring all the pieces home and see what he can do.”

“I am missing some pieces.”  Just then mom looked at the cross I was wearing around my neck and said, “Don’t I have a gold cross?”

“Yes, you do, would you like me to bring your cross necklace so you can wear it?”

“Yes, Darlene* wears one.”

“Mom, I will be back on Wednesday to meet with the staff for a care meeting. I will make sure to bring it next time I visit. ”

“Can you bring me a can of tuna too?”

“Of course, would you like me to bring the bring tuna salad for lunch.”

“No, just bring me the small cans of tuna so I can keep them in my drawer.  I’ll have them when I want them.”

“Will do, mom.”

On Wednesday, I arrived at The Community* an hour before the care meeting so mom and I could have some quality time together.

Mom was with Dana* who had just taken her to the restroom.  I was so happy to show mom that I had brought her the tuna cans she asked for.

“Look mom, I brought the Italian tuna you asked for.”

 

“What am I going to do with those?’ mom asked.

“On Monday, before I left you asked me to bring you some cans of Italian tuna to put in your drawers so when you wanted them they would be there.”

“Don’t you dare leave them; someone will steal them.”

“I do not think anyone wants your cans of tuna, mom.”

“Julienne, don’t you leave them!”

“Yes, mom, how about if I take them home and make us Italian tuna salad someday for lunch for you and me?”

“I don’t remember what goes in Italian tuna salad?

“Italian tuna salad includes tomatoes, carrots, celery, black olives, pepper, and oranges.”

“I still don’t remember.”

“You may remember when you see it.”

I then took out mom’s gold cross necklace and placed it around her neck, “I brought your necklace.”

“Someone might take it.”

“Mom, you told me you would like to wear your cross necklace.  Darlene* wears hers.”

“OK, I hope no one takes it.”

“Keep your necklace on all the time.  Your necklace will be fine.  The weather is beautiful outside.  Would you like to go for a stroll?”

“Yes.”  We headed down the elevators and outside to see what was blooming today.  The lilacs had finished; there was no a speck of lilac color on them any longer.   However as we went towards the gazebo, we were delighted to see that the peonies were in bloom.  They looked magnificent.  Mom said, “Their beautiful, but not as gorgeous as the ones you brought me from your garden.”

 

“I think these are gorgeous, mom, too.”

When we arrived at the gazebo, mom looked down by the pond, “What’s over there?”

“Their rose garden is all in bloom. Let’s go over and see it closer.”

Mom and I went closer.  The garden was filled with several different colored rose bushes.

“Yellow roses . . .  I never saw yellow roses,” mom commented.

 

Mom and I spent a while sitting amongst the rose garden until I had to bring her back so I could make the care meeting in time.

“Mom, remember, Ron is having total knee replacement surgery this Friday so I am not sure when I will be able to visit next.”

“That’s OK, take care of him.  Tell, Ron, I am praying for him.”

“Mom, he is planning on stopping by to see you tomorrow.”

“I understand if he doesn’t have time.  I know he's busy.”

“Mom, he wants to see you before his surgery.  Would you like to see him?”

“Yes, definitely.”

I headed off to The Community* care meeting for mom.