I saw my mom yesterday, through double glass doors for about 5 minutes. It took her a moment to recognize me and then she reached out her arms with such longing, I was overwhelmed with emotions. She no longer has the capacity to form many coherent words so it was by her expressions I could feel her love and also her confusion, wondering why I wasn’t coming in to kiss her.
Scheduled supervised visits are now being permitted in the garden with residents wearing masks and their family members wearing masks and sitting about 8 feet apart. I will have my appointment later this week. I went yesterday to see her through the glass which is permitted without masks so she could more easily know it was me. The staff women watching us held both open doors when they could see mom was having trouble seeing and hearing me. Such compassion and kindness.
It took all my strength to stay where I was, 10 feet away, as I told Mom I would be back soon to sit with her in the garden. Her 99th birthday is in 4 weeks. Hopefully we can have a little party with her in the garden without masks to blow out candles and share a meal and cake together. Until then, I’ll visit her by appointment, grateful I’m still here in Florida for this opening, nine weeks in the making.
(The photo is from two years ago.)
May 17, 2020