Mom Talks Sense and Sings-Along

This is chronologically out-of-order.  Yesterday's came after this.

Sent: Monday, May 16, 2011 12:51 PM
To: 'Susan'
Subject: RE: seeing mom today

Mom Talks Sense and Sings-Along

HI, Suzy~

               

Mom was doing great yesterday, and I really think our visits matter to her now!  If it would be possible for you to go today, that would be great because I’m too tired now to get on the road, and I’d really like to avoid commute traffic, but maybe you have the same considerations.  If you can’t go or have to go later, could you call her?  That’s what I did yesterday because we delayed our trip to avoid Bay to Breakers traffic.  She was happy to hear from me by phone, and she remembered that I said I was coming later.  I think today is more important than Wednesday because Nan visits her on Wednesday, and Kathy will be back then.  Today she won’t have any visitors if you or I don’t go. 

                Yesterday was just wonderful!  When we arrived, Mom was in the recreation room (piano room) with other residents.  We’d just come from a reading (by a friend of a friend, who’s written a children’s book called Un dia al reves), and we’d taken some cookies, which Mom passed around to everyone in the group.  

            Then after talking for a few minutes, we all went into the living room on “The Other Side” (Olga?) and sang along with Lydia, who played “Oklahoma,” “Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “As Time Goes By,” “Making Whoopie,” “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head,” “Cabaret,”  “Do Rei Mi,” etc.  About 22 pages of songs.  Then Mom invited us to eat with her, and she ate very, very heartily—everything and seconds!

                She was so much like the Mom we’ve known and loved pre-Alzheimer’s that there were just a couple of “hints” that she wasn’t the same person she was 10 years ago:  When I told her I didn’t eat meat, she said, “Well, neither do I, so what am I doing eating it?” 

            She also said that she couldn’t find her key, and I told her that Aegis was such a safe place that she really didn’t need a key and reminded her of how we never locked our doors in Blackfoot or Knoxville—maybe not even in South Carolina.  (Did you know that back in those days only Republicans locked their car doors?)

             She also said, “I’m living away from home right now” as if she couldn’t remember how that happened. 

            She also said, “Because this is where I work---where I live, so to speak.” 

            She spoke of Dana’s coming soon and said she would be staying in SF but visiting her and Kathy.

                In the sing-along, when the accompanist heard applause after a song and said, “Oh, I’m glad you like the songs,”  Mom said, “And the piano…the pianist,”  stressing the “ist” in contrast to o, and a woman behind her said sternly, “Pianist,” stressing the first syllable.” 

             Mom said, “Oh, you’re correcting me.”

                If I think of anything more, I’ll add it later, but it really felt good to see her seeming pretty happy and being participative in most ways.  

                Please let me know if you don’t think you can make it.  I’m going to take a nap now, and if you can’t make it, I’ll try to get over there or at least call. 

                Love,

                Tina

PS  When she saw “Making Whoopee,” she expressed concern—in a joking way—over Whoopee Goldberg’s finding that offensive.