Monday

The car park at The Home was unexpectedly full when I arrived this afternoon. A couple of large vans were there as well as more visitors’ cars than I’d expected for a Monday afternoon.

I could see The Home was busy before I got to the front door and there was nearly a successful escape attempt as a resident slip-streamed a couple of tradesmen on their way out. I just managed to stop her and escorted her back into reception. That’s where I met the reception area’s must frequent occupier.

“Good afternoon Alan!”

“Mornin’!”

“And how are you today? Are you alright?”

“Yeah. I’m alright, It’s everybody else…”

An old joke but no less funny for that.

It was just as busy upstairs. I emerged from the lift into the middle of an inquisition as Annie was trying to get to the bottom of what all these men were doing.

“We’re fitting new smoke detectors.” one of the young men explained.

“Why?”

I felt I had to step in to let them get on as they could be stuck there for ages if I didn’t. Especially as Eleanor had joined the throng.

“They’re fitting stuff to keep you safe Annie. Come on back this way.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked me.

“I’m here to see my mum. Come on, let’s go this way.”

“Where is your mum?”

“She’s just down here.”

Annie turned round and looked at Eleanor.

“Is she your mum?”

Eleanor answered for me.

“NO!”

“What’s in there?” Annie continued.

“It’s a store room. Now come and help me find my mum.”

Annie was reluctant to let the electricians get on with their work and only went back up the corridor when Eleanor told her to.

Getting into The Home and making my way to Mum’s room had been… fun. I’d enjoyed it. I felt good. I got a severe reality check as soon as I walked in Mum’s room.

“Hello Mum! It’s Nick!”

She didn’t open her eyes. She opened and closed her mouth as she tried, and failed, to speak. For an instant I thought she’d had another stroke she looked that bad. She had been quite lively yesterday. That must’ve been the peak of her Active phase.

Little by little, I managed to get through to her. She would nod if she wanted to say Yes and remained unresponsive for everything else. I got her to have a drink of squash and confirm that she was warm enough and comfortable.

Oddly, as I worked through the usual Post-Arrival routine, I thought she was still in a good mood. 

“I’m just going to flip your pillow over Mum. So you get a cool fresh side.”

She lifted her head.

“Better?”

She lay back down and gave me a huge contented smile.

“I’m getting the hang of this now.”

Another smile.

A nurse arrived with Mum’s afternoon meds. They’re all in liquid form now. Mum drank them but needed reminding and encouraging to swallow.

“Will you get her to drink her milkshake? She refused her lunch today.”

“Sure. Shouldn’t be a problem. I got her to drink some squash just now.”

“Thank-you. Can I get you a drink too?”

“Yes please, a coffee would be nice.”

“Milk?”

“Please.”

“And two sugars.”

“Trust you to remember that bit!”

A few minutes later, my coffee arrived along with some sandwiches.

“I’m going to make you fat…”

“You’re too late for that!”

I got Mum to drink half her milkshake before she refused any more. She nodded when I asked if she wanted me to read to her.

After half a chapter I began to suspect that Mum had gone properly asleep.

“Are you still there Mum?”

Nothing.

It didn’t feel that long since the Active part of Mum’s Sleepy/Active cycle was reliably five or six days with a day or a day and a bit asleep. This time it was three days asleep and three days active.

I heard the visitor in the room opposite saying his good-byes to his Mum and met him as he emerged into the corridor.

“Hello Mike!”

We compared notes on our respective mums.

“I think my mum’s actually getting stronger. And what’s going on in here with your Mum Nick?”

I told him.

“Does she eat or drink anything when she’s asleep?”

“I think Al can get her to drink a little even when she seems unresponsive but he’s been off sick since that pothole knocked him off his bike. No-one can get her to eat during a Sleepy phase but then she won’t eat anything when she’s awake either now.”

“Really!? Bloody hell.”

Exactly.

Author’s Note

My Mum is in a nursing home in a small village in the Thames Valley. The photo is not of the home. I used an AI image generator to give the reader some idea of the home she’s in.

All, some or maybe even none (you’ll never know!) of the names have been changed to protect privacy and hide real identities. If you think you recognise someone then let me know and I’ll edit the post or remove it entirely