Mom Update, August 13, 2011, Saturday

Kathy: Today is Mom’s 76th birthday!!!!! PTL!! What a difference a year can make!! Last year, on her birthday, mom was still in a coma. We had all gathered around her from early morning until late at night and held her hand, talked to her, exercised her and sang to her. The CNAs were leaving the room crying as we all surrounded her with hope and love.

John bought mom a birthday breakfast of ham and cheese omelet with home fries and onions. Claudia said that mom devoured it!!! She loved it!! Claudia said that mom has a really lovely roommate!!!! PTL!!! Yippeeee!!! The woman said that mom tried to take her mitts off during the night after dad left but mom’s roommate said she is watching out for mom. The roommate said that, if mom takes off her mitts, she will call for help for mom. PTL!!!! As we were on the phone this morning, I could hear Claudia asking mom if she wanted her orange juice, so I told Claudia to tell mom that she HAD to drink it. Claudia said, “Kathy says you have to drink your juice.” Mom said, “Tell Kathy to mind her own business!!” Mom ate her oatmeal with vanilla milk next. She was starving this morning!!

Claudia: I started the day with mom and John bought her a special birthday breakfast. He got her a ham and cheese omelet and home fries. She loved it. Many people called for mom’s birthday. Angelo, Madeline and JoAnn called to sing happy birthday to her. Mom sang with them. We looked through magazines together and Aunt Lucy called and told her happy birthday. After we looked at magazines we played Nintendo Wii games on the TV. We played Hollywood Squares and Cooking Mama. The last time mom played these games, it was hard for her to focus on the TV screen and she couldn’t fathom that her movements made things happen on the TV. Today, however, mom was able to manipulate the game pretty well!!!! Mom had a good time playing the games. Dad came and I left for a while. Next, Anthony, Anthony Michael, Sam and Con came as well as Terry. Mom was in the dining hall watching a man and woman singing. Mom sang along and a very touching thing happened when Dad and mom sang, “It Had To Be You” to each other. We then set up for her birthday party in the lounge.

~Claud

Kathy: I came to see mom for her party in the recreation lounge, as did Ava, Jean, Alyssa, and John. We all ordered pizza and mom had chicken parmagiana from the Italian restaurant next to the facility. Mom really enjoyed her meal. Nancy and John (our cousins---who haven’t seen mom since last summer when she was in a coma) came to join the fun. Mom opened presents and read cards from people all over and thanked us all for the gifts. After dinner, we all played a “Who Am I?” game (I forget the name of it). You have to wear a plastic headband that holds a card that you can’t see but everyone else can see it. The object of the game is to ask questions of everyone else that will help you to guess who you are. Mom did fairly well. There was a TV on the whole time in the room and it deterred mom from hearing the foreground information. But, all in all, mom did well. Next, Rie, Phil and Gina came to see mom. We all played SCATTERGORIES and laughed like there was no tomorrow!!! Our family loves to play that game!! At 8:30, the party ended and mom went back to her room for bed. I will post some pictures tomorrow night when I get back home. She thanked us all and said she had a great time and that her birthday was a lot of fun…. It was sad to leave her there tonight. I wish she was home with us all. I know she wishes she was home too.


"Rejoice in the Lord always..." Philippians 4:4