Visiting My Mother

My mother suffers from scoliosis which after several years has caused muscular dystrophy. In the last 1 year she also had a tracheostomy. I visit my mother in hospital with my family almost every weekend.

Two weeks ago, I visited my mother with my daughter. My mother smiled at us as soon as she saw us, then asked me to put eye drops to her eyes that made her feel better. After a while, she instinctively spat saliva and I took tissue paper immediately to clean her mouth. I cleaned her mouth over and over again in order to avoid her spit flew down her neck that would make the cut of her neck get infected by bacteria. When I threw away the trash, my daughter would clean her grandmother’s mouth instead.

I started to regard my mom as a child after she became sick 2 years ago. I have more patience to comfort her through speaking softly or touching her on the forhead. That day, my mother fell sound asleep while I was touching her on the forhead and scratching her head gently. At that moment, I was deeply touched and I did not expect my father came in the ward quitely. We didn’t say anything but smiled into each other's eyes.

Last weekend, I visited my mother with my family. During the visit, I could not help shed tears because my mother told me how she missed her home and wanted to go home. I promised to ask my oldest sister to take pictures of her house for her. After leaving her ward, I called my oldest sister. On my way home, I got a phone call from my oldest sister. She visited our mother and showed pictures to her. Although we were sad, those pictures more or less comforted our mother and that made us feel better.

I am gratified my mother is no longer frowning and worried but even could get short-time deep sleep while I was chatting with her or touching her on the forhead. I pray that my mother could reduce pains and get inner peace day after day.

Herb 2014-09-24

Corey Edited 2014-09-29