Heart Wide Open
I was home for two months - I took a contract job, which kept me very busy, but able to visit Mom on a somewhat regular basis. The last week I was home, I was done with work so I was able to visit Mom daily.
What a gift to spend time with Mom. All of the sadness and anger went away every time I walked in to her new home. I ring the bell, they buzz me in. I am greeted with a 'town square' where there are round tables and chairs, faux street lamps and the offices have outer facades that look like boutique shops. One of the residents is the greeter, he makes sure visitors sign in and is a sweet man - he always says something complimentary to me and makes me laugh.
Mom has acclimated to her new home. She is still unsure that she has her own room....that is until we walk into her room. Each room has a shadow box on the wall with the resident's name and is filled with remnants of their lives. For mom, that is a picture of a sewing machine, a few small crocheted items - it's very her.
After I sign in, it's relatively easy to find her. Sometimes she is in the town square and the residents were in the middle of their morning exercise (yep, chair exercises can be pretty rigorous), sometimes she is visiting with folks, perhaps in her room, or sitting down ready to eat. The team of caregivers know my mom loves hot cocoa, and makes sure she has some with every meal (and any time she asks :)
And every time I see her, we hold hands. We talk about everything and nothing. Sometimes we take a trip to a nearby Hallmark store -- laughing all the way. Sometimes we take a ride to marvel at the stunning colors of fall. She makes sure to tell me how proud she is of me. Why would I ever want to leave? She is well cared for, and I get to spend precious time with her. We both knew our time was limited, she thought I was moving to California for the first time - asking me if I knew anyone there, did I have friends there. I assured her I have friends who live nearby.
My last couple of days with her, we did crossword puzzles and word searches. We laughed and I rested my head on her shoulder. We held hands, and she marveled at how tall I have gotten (lol :) She told me to go kick some butt - she knows I have a restless soul and feel compelled to make the world a better place.
The next time I see her, her symptoms will have progressed, and perhaps significantly. But it won't matter - cause we will know the most important thing is to just be with each other.
Back at ya Voyageur!
What a gift to spend time with Mom. All of the sadness and anger went away every time I walked in to her new home. I ring the bell, they buzz me in. I am greeted with a 'town square' where there are round tables and chairs, faux street lamps and the offices have outer facades that look like boutique shops. One of the residents is the greeter, he makes sure visitors sign in and is a sweet man - he always says something complimentary to me and makes me laugh.
Mom has acclimated to her new home. She is still unsure that she has her own room....that is until we walk into her room. Each room has a shadow box on the wall with the resident's name and is filled with remnants of their lives. For mom, that is a picture of a sewing machine, a few small crocheted items - it's very her.
After I sign in, it's relatively easy to find her. Sometimes she is in the town square and the residents were in the middle of their morning exercise (yep, chair exercises can be pretty rigorous), sometimes she is visiting with folks, perhaps in her room, or sitting down ready to eat. The team of caregivers know my mom loves hot cocoa, and makes sure she has some with every meal (and any time she asks :)
And every time I see her, we hold hands. We talk about everything and nothing. Sometimes we take a trip to a nearby Hallmark store -- laughing all the way. Sometimes we take a ride to marvel at the stunning colors of fall. She makes sure to tell me how proud she is of me. Why would I ever want to leave? She is well cared for, and I get to spend precious time with her. We both knew our time was limited, she thought I was moving to California for the first time - asking me if I knew anyone there, did I have friends there. I assured her I have friends who live nearby.
My last couple of days with her, we did crossword puzzles and word searches. We laughed and I rested my head on her shoulder. We held hands, and she marveled at how tall I have gotten (lol :) She told me to go kick some butt - she knows I have a restless soul and feel compelled to make the world a better place.
The next time I see her, her symptoms will have progressed, and perhaps significantly. But it won't matter - cause we will know the most important thing is to just be with each other.
Back at ya Voyageur!