Last week I had one of those mornings. You know the ones. Mine started off with me taking a half day off from work to go the doctor. I showed up and was told that I had come to the appointment on the wrong day. Big oops! I didn't have to be back to work for several hours. I didn't need to go to the store to buy groceries. I'd already eaten breakfast. I really wasn't in the mood to spend $5 for coffee at Starbucks. What could I do with the time I had before I returned to work? As I pulled out of the parking lot I thought I should go visit my grandma in the nursing home. She's just right around the corner from my doctor's office. I don't visit as often as I should. The last few times I've tried to visit her, she's been asleep and I didn't want to disturb her. I was hoping she'd be awake since this wasn't my usual time to stop by. I showed up at the nursing home, which was on partial lock down because of the flu. I decided to go in anyway. (I mean, come on, I work at a school and I've been to Walmart in the last week so I've been exposed.)
I'm glad that I made the decision to visit!
Mama Winnie was awake and she was having a good day. Since her Alzheimer's has progressed she has moments where she is very agitated and confused. It's been over a year since she's known us. In the last few visits we've had with her she mumbles a lot and looks very disoriented. So when I say she was having a good day, it means that she wasn't showing the signs that I just mentioned. Mama Winnie still doesn't know who I am, and I don't expect her to ever recognize me again. That's a sad thing, but I've learned to adjust my expectations and I don't have to have her recognize me for it to be a positive visit. This day was so special because she was calm and she seemed happy. There was a light in her eyes that's sometimes not there. She was relaxed and pleasant and even laughed. I sat in her room and talked to her. She likes us to pat her hair and rub her arms. I tried to hold her hand but her fingers have arthritis and I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. I showed her photos on my phone of Will and Ben. I also told her stories that I've heard her tell me over and over when I was growing up. One I remembered to tell her was about the time she fell off a wagon as a girl and broke her arm and the doctor set it straighter than the arm she hadn't broken. I talked about her big garden and all of the fruits and vegetables she used to raise in it. I also talked about cooking, baking, and sewing. All things she loved. The nurse brought her mid-morning snack of ice cream. She usually eats it on her own, but since I was there I fed it to her. It was a nice moment.
After I'd stayed awhile, it was time for me to go back to work. I hugged Mama Winnie and told her I love you and she said I love you back.
I asked the nurses aide to take our photo. I shared it on Instagram and Facebook, and the comments people left were so nice. With the photo I included an explanation of how I ended up at the nursing home after making the mistake of taking off the wrong day for my appointment.
Most of the comments were along the lines of...
God works in mysterious ways
Things happen for a reason
It was meant to be
And, I couldn't help but think it was a blessing in disguise.
I'll treasure that visit for many years to come.
I'm glad that I made the decision to visit!
Mama Winnie was awake and she was having a good day. Since her Alzheimer's has progressed she has moments where she is very agitated and confused. It's been over a year since she's known us. In the last few visits we've had with her she mumbles a lot and looks very disoriented. So when I say she was having a good day, it means that she wasn't showing the signs that I just mentioned. Mama Winnie still doesn't know who I am, and I don't expect her to ever recognize me again. That's a sad thing, but I've learned to adjust my expectations and I don't have to have her recognize me for it to be a positive visit. This day was so special because she was calm and she seemed happy. There was a light in her eyes that's sometimes not there. She was relaxed and pleasant and even laughed. I sat in her room and talked to her. She likes us to pat her hair and rub her arms. I tried to hold her hand but her fingers have arthritis and I didn't want to make her uncomfortable. I showed her photos on my phone of Will and Ben. I also told her stories that I've heard her tell me over and over when I was growing up. One I remembered to tell her was about the time she fell off a wagon as a girl and broke her arm and the doctor set it straighter than the arm she hadn't broken. I talked about her big garden and all of the fruits and vegetables she used to raise in it. I also talked about cooking, baking, and sewing. All things she loved. The nurse brought her mid-morning snack of ice cream. She usually eats it on her own, but since I was there I fed it to her. It was a nice moment.
After I'd stayed awhile, it was time for me to go back to work. I hugged Mama Winnie and told her I love you and she said I love you back.
I asked the nurses aide to take our photo. I shared it on Instagram and Facebook, and the comments people left were so nice. With the photo I included an explanation of how I ended up at the nursing home after making the mistake of taking off the wrong day for my appointment.
Most of the comments were along the lines of...
God works in mysterious ways
Things happen for a reason
It was meant to be
And, I couldn't help but think it was a blessing in disguise.
I'll treasure that visit for many years to come.
I'm so glad that God gives us detours!! Love you and your big heart!!
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