Advice

I came to see my mom this morning, expecting her to be as sleepy and incoherent as she was on Saturday. Much to my surprise she was sitting up in her hospital bed and having a conversation, with herself mind you, but still words were flowing from her lips. Her dry cracked 86 year old lips. When she saw me she said oh my another visitor. Oh how many visitors did you have already today. At least 5 she said.

Later I figured out it was the nurses and healthcare aids, lab techs and visitors for the lady in the next bed.  Mom thought they were all coming to see her. It was a bit overwhelming since she couldn’t figure out who was who.

I sit beside my mom as she tells me what a funny day it is. I read her an email from my brother Larry. She doesn’t quite grasp that my brother is in Calgary. I put vaseline on her lips and she holds my hand. Looks me square in the eye and says who are you? Who am I, I ask back to her, my little Cathy she replies. I’m still her child and she is still my mom.

My mother keeps saying this is a funny day. The conversation flowed from taking a train to Chicago, to asking me who’s house we were in, to Andrew Jackson and Bridget Bardot. Clipping finger nails to sipping orange juice, to putting hand lotion on, to singing about a rose garden. Blood work taken, to moving into a chair.

Lunch was about eating soup, back scratches, making my dad sing “Pop goes the Weasle” when he couldn’t remember the words, not wanting to take meds, to eating caramel pudding.

The 4 hours went by quickly for me but for my mom time has no meaning. It was just a morning of asking questions, singing songs, saying you’re funny and smiling. As my mom got tucked into bed for an afternoon nap and I said my goodbyes, she said we should just all love each other, since we’re all eating soup anyway today.

Mom is right soup is always good any day, no matter where you are or who you’re with and we should just all love each other!  Words to live by.