A visit with Sis and Mom…
It was really raining today. My middle sister and I drove down to see our mother, who is still in the hospital (actually a senior home). I spent time with our parents last month, but it had been awhile for Sis. We stopped by a florist and bought sunflowers, but when we arrived we were told we needed to put them in her room; she was in the television room. We did; it was a nice single room. The facility was very pleasant; neat and clean.
We signed in, went into the tv room; Mom was sitting in a wheelchair at a table with a cookie and a cup of coffee. Sis & I were wearing masks: we pulled them down and Mom’s eyes lit up. She reached for me, exclaiming, "how’s my daughter #1 ?” letting me kiss her forehead. She nodded at my sister politely, saying “hello ?” Sis’s eyes filled with tears. It’s Dionne," I told her. "She’s your daughter, too.”
Mom smiled and nodded.
Pop’s been coming to visit each day, but it was early and he hadn’t arrived yet. My sister called him and told him sadly, that Mom had recognized me but not her. Pop expressed the opinion that [b]that[/b] was really unlikely.
Some singers unaffiliated with the facility but related to a patient who had recovered successfully from a stroke were coming in to sing Christmas carols as a ”thank you” to everyone there.
I was kind of glad I was wearing a mask, but Mom sang along. At one point she recognized a specific song and began to sing it en français…the singers asked her to teach the words to them.
She agreed, cheerfully; I saw my sister’s eyes streaming behind her mask, and she kept wiping them.
We were there for awhile, Mom was in good spirits and my sister Face-Timed a couple of cousins in Nola to speak with us and Mom. That went nicely, too. We got ready to leave, it was raining more heavily and we wanted to head back before it started getting dark. Mom held out her arms and said, "I’m so happy you came," calling my name, and as she hugged my sister she said, “and my beautiful tall Dionne !"
When we got to the car, Dionne burst into tears, and I held her. I said, “Pop was sure she recognized you, and she did !” It was bittersweet, I guess. Then we headed home. 🥺
We signed in, went into the tv room; Mom was sitting in a wheelchair at a table with a cookie and a cup of coffee. Sis & I were wearing masks: we pulled them down and Mom’s eyes lit up. She reached for me, exclaiming, "how’s my daughter #1 ?” letting me kiss her forehead. She nodded at my sister politely, saying “hello ?” Sis’s eyes filled with tears. It’s Dionne," I told her. "She’s your daughter, too.”
Mom smiled and nodded.
Pop’s been coming to visit each day, but it was early and he hadn’t arrived yet. My sister called him and told him sadly, that Mom had recognized me but not her. Pop expressed the opinion that [b]that[/b] was really unlikely.
Some singers unaffiliated with the facility but related to a patient who had recovered successfully from a stroke were coming in to sing Christmas carols as a ”thank you” to everyone there.
I was kind of glad I was wearing a mask, but Mom sang along. At one point she recognized a specific song and began to sing it en français…the singers asked her to teach the words to them.
She agreed, cheerfully; I saw my sister’s eyes streaming behind her mask, and she kept wiping them.
We were there for awhile, Mom was in good spirits and my sister Face-Timed a couple of cousins in Nola to speak with us and Mom. That went nicely, too. We got ready to leave, it was raining more heavily and we wanted to head back before it started getting dark. Mom held out her arms and said, "I’m so happy you came," calling my name, and as she hugged my sister she said, “and my beautiful tall Dionne !"
When we got to the car, Dionne burst into tears, and I held her. I said, “Pop was sure she recognized you, and she did !” It was bittersweet, I guess. Then we headed home. 🥺
