Once again, I didn't visit today, as my father and brother went together. Today was the day that the nurse from St Catherine's Hospice came to make her assessment. Her view was that at the moment my mother was in better shape than she had been led to expect by the hospital report. I think this must be due to the gentler, "sweeter" style of nursing in the nursing home. There is no bustling about, no continual interruptions for taking observations. The nurses seem to have plenty of time to talk and joke as they bring fresh drinks, or small dishes of food to tempt her.
It is abundantly clear to me that the Nursing Home is the right place for her to be. The skill and patience of the nurses as they go about their work to keep my mother comfortable is wonderful to watch. They look after us too; cups of tea and coffee are always on offer.
She seems to be getting used to being at the home. Someone from the family is visiting every day, reading cards, bringing magazines (some are on their way from The Hague any day now!) and photographs.
Sometimes we just sit quietly together. After a long silence, if you ask what she has been thinking of, you will discover that she has been planning how some relations could manage to turn their large house into a business, or remembering a place or people or holidays from the past. Her memories of the past can be a great pleasure for her, although there are times when she is as sharp as she ever was when talking about the here and now.
Bother. Sometimes the blog takes so long to get itself written that I forget the candle. I've burned 10 and 11 completely away!
No comments:
Post a Comment