Thanks for all the hugs. What a week.
I went to see Mum this afternoon, about 3pm. She was fast asleep and looked dreadful when I arrived. She was flat on her back, mouth wide open, I peeked in and her mouth was dry so she had obviously been in that position for a while.
I said "Mum!" Gently. Normally that wakes her with a jump. Nothing. I stared, I half thought she was dead but then her eye moved beneath the lid.
I stroked her hand, picked it up and rubbed it. No response. I was saying Mum all this time.
Just then a carer knocked and came in. That woke Mum. She stared at me with a horror struck expression.
The carer had come to see if Mum wanted a drink. She asked for Horlicks so while we waited I gave her nails a good clean and a trim. They grow like billy oh!
Then I fed her her Horlicks, just a few sips at a time. She struggled to swallow, it was as though she held the liquid in her mouth while she summoned up the strength, or maybe the memory of swallowing?
After each sip she would stare at me blankly. She had a sad, serious, blank expression that I've not seen before. Hard to describe. She looked at me, but there wasn't a connection, and when I left she didn't seem bothered.
I suddenly remembered that Mr Pied had given me a CD with a film soundtrack on it that she liked. It was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I put that on and Mum listened really intently. I left her smiling at "hushabye mountain".
I am shattered tonight. I've come to bed early.
X
I went to see Mum this afternoon, about 3pm. She was fast asleep and looked dreadful when I arrived. She was flat on her back, mouth wide open, I peeked in and her mouth was dry so she had obviously been in that position for a while.
I said "Mum!" Gently. Normally that wakes her with a jump. Nothing. I stared, I half thought she was dead but then her eye moved beneath the lid.
I stroked her hand, picked it up and rubbed it. No response. I was saying Mum all this time.
Just then a carer knocked and came in. That woke Mum. She stared at me with a horror struck expression.
The carer had come to see if Mum wanted a drink. She asked for Horlicks so while we waited I gave her nails a good clean and a trim. They grow like billy oh!
Then I fed her her Horlicks, just a few sips at a time. She struggled to swallow, it was as though she held the liquid in her mouth while she summoned up the strength, or maybe the memory of swallowing?
After each sip she would stare at me blankly. She had a sad, serious, blank expression that I've not seen before. Hard to describe. She looked at me, but there wasn't a connection, and when I left she didn't seem bothered.
I suddenly remembered that Mr Pied had given me a CD with a film soundtrack on it that she liked. It was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I put that on and Mum listened really intently. I left her smiling at "hushabye mountain".
I am shattered tonight. I've come to bed early.
X
