Mom's in Hospital

*****

We just learned yesterday morning (Tues) that Mom has been hospitalized with pneumonia since Thursday night. Four days without a friendly face! Heads are going to roll at the hospital. I'm sharpening my axe ...
Mom has advanced Alzheimer's. The most common cause of death for someone who suffers from Alzheimer's is pneumonia. Ergo, Mom might die of pneumonia. We're asking God to give her peace and comfort. If you pray, please add Mom's peace and comfort to your list.
We're chosing to do nothing about the pneumonia except administer antibiotics. Today, Mom clearly said, "Oh, God, please take me home." Later she laughed at some random image or idea that crossed her mind. The doc is calling in Hospice. I'll meet them tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers.

I Tried Laying Hands on My Mother

A hank of hair rests on the bony forehead
which swells above the chin
which droops toward the neckline
bisected by the wide slash of mouth
An immobile line.

I brush back the thatch of white
But it falls through my fingers
I touch the knobby cheekbones that rise
like mountains above the sunken cheeks
Every movement of my hand is forced
against a tide

Suddenly I remember my daughter
at the age of five, lying on her bed
with the nightlight on. Her eyelashes
make little wings on her cheeks
I draw on her soft little face with a finger
tip, and I sing a monotonous song:
I’m skiing down your nose and skiing
round your eyeballs…I’m skiing round
your cheeks and down around your mouth

She lies on her bed still as a statue
while my fingertip skis over her face
and I love it, and she loves it, she asks
for this. And this I can’t give
to my mother, lying still as a statue
on her bed. My hand will not allow it.