Well, I saw mum today. Built up all my reserve and walked confidently into the building carrying a suitcase, fan and a bag full of cranberry juice.
Mum's room is very nice. Bit sterile but it's a brand new NH and there are not that many residents yet. Very quiet and clean, which is a good thing, I suppose, but there was no soul, no activity, no buzz.
Anyway, mum was asleep when we (my two little boys and I) arrived, so we bustled around putting photos up, clothes in drawers, and plugging the radio in (desperately needed some atmosphere). After 10 minutes, mum opened her eyes and with a little smile said hello, and promptly went back into a deep sleep. Another 15 minutes later she opened one eye for 5 seconds but that was it. All in all, we stayed for an hour, read the Sunday paper to her and gave her cranberry juice through a straw (her eyes shut the whole time). She opened her eyes again when Eddie (4 and a half!) lay next to her on the bed, but only for a few seconds, and one last time just before we left.
The way she looked at me was really odd. Her eyes didn't look like her eyes. They looked smaller and lighter in colour. Like plastic eyes, or dolls' eyes. I know she was sleepy but she was staring at me, and her dear old brown eyes looked really empty. I'm used to her being in a bit of a trance but I've not seen them like this before. She stared at me for about 5 seconds and went back to that deep sleep. We couldn't even rouse her when we were leaving and she slept right through having her finger nails cut. She just wanted to sleep.
Apparently, she had a "good breakfast", and was bright this morning...
All very strange, but I suppose I didn't know what to expect. It was my first visit to my mum at her Nursing Home. Not something I've rehearsed & nothing to compare it to. But at least she wasn't distressed. I was, but I hid it very well. I simply said what a lovely hospital this was, compared to St. Peter's... Much nicer to have a private room... x
There. I've done it. She's done it. Now, baby steps to see what happens now.
Annie x
Mum's room is very nice. Bit sterile but it's a brand new NH and there are not that many residents yet. Very quiet and clean, which is a good thing, I suppose, but there was no soul, no activity, no buzz.
Anyway, mum was asleep when we (my two little boys and I) arrived, so we bustled around putting photos up, clothes in drawers, and plugging the radio in (desperately needed some atmosphere). After 10 minutes, mum opened her eyes and with a little smile said hello, and promptly went back into a deep sleep. Another 15 minutes later she opened one eye for 5 seconds but that was it. All in all, we stayed for an hour, read the Sunday paper to her and gave her cranberry juice through a straw (her eyes shut the whole time). She opened her eyes again when Eddie (4 and a half!) lay next to her on the bed, but only for a few seconds, and one last time just before we left.
The way she looked at me was really odd. Her eyes didn't look like her eyes. They looked smaller and lighter in colour. Like plastic eyes, or dolls' eyes. I know she was sleepy but she was staring at me, and her dear old brown eyes looked really empty. I'm used to her being in a bit of a trance but I've not seen them like this before. She stared at me for about 5 seconds and went back to that deep sleep. We couldn't even rouse her when we were leaving and she slept right through having her finger nails cut. She just wanted to sleep.
Apparently, she had a "good breakfast", and was bright this morning...
All very strange, but I suppose I didn't know what to expect. It was my first visit to my mum at her Nursing Home. Not something I've rehearsed & nothing to compare it to. But at least she wasn't distressed. I was, but I hid it very well. I simply said what a lovely hospital this was, compared to St. Peter's... Much nicer to have a private room... x
There. I've done it. She's done it. Now, baby steps to see what happens now.
Annie x
