not all who wander are lost

not all who wander are lost

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Eldermusik

A rather amazing thing happened yesterday with my elder. She felt like listening to some music! Now. Understand, this is a house where things are still. Quiet. Silent, in fact. Until more recently, the drapes remained drawn. Birdbaths overturned. But ain'like that no more you see. Slowly, every day, a little more life gets stirred around. I open the drapes every morning when I arrive. And when she wakes up and goes into the bathroom, I open the windows and blinds in her bedroom. It was always dark in there before.

So. Anyway. The music. So....I'm pushing the wheelchair past an old speaker and she motions for me to stop. She looks at the speaker and says, "You think you can put on some music for us this morning?"

Jaw drop. Uhhh, SURE! I was sooooo surprised at the request. She hollered after me, "There's a disc something or other in there. I'm sure you know about those things." I turned on the stereo, the CD player, and music filled the entire house. There are speakers rigged all over, in every room! The CD was a collection of famous pieces and while familiar tunes wafted through the house, I helped my elder take her pills, she had her breakfast, got dressed, and then it was time for exercise. Exercise for her means standing up and with her walker, making her loop around the house with me following right behind her with the wheelchair in case she needs to sit down all of a sudden. When she's feeling strong, she can do 2 loops. Most days, it's one.

Sooooooo, she stands up and grasps her walker and Just as she is taking her first steps, the William Tell Overture begins. What a riot. The irony was lost on her but I'm gonna ride on that one for a long time. I was crackin' up inside. Made my entire day (that she requested music, and then that she walked her loop to William Tell).

Life rocks.

4 comments:

della said...

I think we should buy you a WONDER WOMAN crown. I know I want you to visit me, open the blinds, follow me around the table with my wheel chair AND play LOUD music. Maybe something like Queen's "Fat Bottom Women" so you can have a big laugh as we circle the table. Cheers to you Wonder Woman.

Christi Gast said...

Ahhhhhh, YES!!! Breathing NEW life into a long life. Love it!

Anonymous said...

LOVE

Eva Schoon said...

Love this posting!!
I love what you see :-)