Remembering

Last night I was sitting in my DSM class and we were talking about dementia and delirium disorders. We started talking about Alzheimers patients and watched a tear jerking video about one woman's story. It was fascinating to see that even though some people lost most of their memory and communicative abilities, they could still communicate so well with others non-verbally. We watched a woman start singing "Jesus Loves Me" to her and she began tapping her arm to the beat of the woman singing. She would then start tapping harder and faster and the woman would match the tone and volume of her voice to her tapping. It was absolutely incredible. Towards the end of the video the patient actually opened her eyes and started singing with her!! This caregiver knew that singing about Jesus would light up her eyes, so she did and they had such a special moment together!

I was crying (hard!) by this time in class and it made me think of my mama when she was at the stage where she could no longer communicate. She never had Alzheimers, but she did have several of those same communicative difficulties towards her last days. It made me think about one of the last days before she went in Hospice. She was about to go to bed and I was laying next to her praying over her before bed. She hadn't spoken in a couple of days but I knew she still was completely aware of what I was saying. I remember when I finished praying, she kept mumbling something that I couldn't make out at first. A tear came down her face and she kept mumbling it. As I continued to sit and listen, I made out what she was saying. "Jesus" "Jesus" "Jesus" She had been repeating "Jesus" over and over. It was as if since she couldn't necessarily pray out loud anymore, she was still talking her her savior, Jesus. That was a huge testimony to my own life! What will be some of the last words I say? Will they be about the Lord and King of my life?

As much as crying in the middle of class is never fun, I appreciate the moments in my life that help me remember some of those sweet times my mom and I shared that I will never forget!