Happy... Birthday?

 Okaasan was 91 years old this week.

And "celebrated" this in a hospital bed, attached to machines that are feeding her and monitoring her body functions.

We visited with a wonderful, cheerful array of helium balloons, which she could see and understand. She smiled, cried a little, gestured to us with her mouth as usual. No actual words. For 15 mins we sat bedside, put on the TV in her room for some familiar background noise and stroked her hair.

2021

In past years we've taken her out for a crab lunch or dinner, fought to keep her intake of sake within limits and had fun. Last year it was decorated biscuits at the care home for a short visit.

2020

WHAT to do for someone's birthday in this situation was a problem. We decided on fun helium balloons, because we can't do flowers/food/drink. At first the hospital said "OK", but a few days later "No", by which time we'd ordered the balloons anyway.

But we got to spend 15 mins with her, and left the cute little message card from us tied to the side of her bed within easy view. And brought the balloons home...

She stopped swallowing food in June, after several coughing blood fits due to stomach ulcers and emergency trips to hospital. Now she is in another hospital, and had a feeding port put in about 3 weeks ago. We HOPE we can move her back to the care home soon...and then move again to a care home that'll look after the feeding over the long term.

Sigh.

To remember happier birthdays. I love this picture of mother and son from a 5 years ago birthday.

Okaasan loves to laugh and joke - even yesterday one of the nurses said when they playfully tap her don't-touch-the-feeding-tube mittens she laughs with them.

Happy Birthday, Okaasan.

We're not sure if we are doing the right thing with your care now...if this is what you would want...but we hope so.

2016....