two nail polish sessions

sept 20 ,2009 (sun) - 09:00 - 11:00am



=== T ===
i visited him first. he was sleeping the whole time i was there. i did try to say hi to him and introduced myself but i guess i was just white noise to him. so i just sat there next to him rubbing his shoulder once in a while just so he would feel my presence. when it was time to leave i just rubbed his shoulder one last time and whispered "bye T".



=== I ===
next stop was I. she's in the dining room all slouched down as usual. i said my hi to her and even though she can't remember me she still makes me feel like she wants me there to talk to her.

i started wheeling her up to the lounge area where i told her "it's time to try another color!" while showing her the plum-colored nail polish that i just bought. i removed the old pink nail polish first and then i started painting her nail with the plum colored one. she was quiet and was just watching me paint her nails when she suddenly made a funny comment, she asked: "are you kissing my hand?" with this lil girl's look on her face. i laughed at that and told her i was trying to make the nail polish to dry quickly (i was blowing on her nails). she does seemed to enjoy it whenever i do that because she would smile and she would put her forehead next to mine whenever i come real close to her face while i blow the nail polish dry. i actually liked that. this visit thing is a good therapy for me too.

anyway, after we're done i took a photo of her hands with the new nail polish and i started to wheel her up and down the hall stopping on windows and playing "what do you see" game.



=== P ===
next was P. i saw the nurse helping her out of her room to go to the dining hall. she was smiling when i saw her. i've never seen her smile before. i think she liked her little walking trip. i watched while the nurse took her to a nearby sit. she got me worried for a bit when i saw how P was trying to feel where the chair was with her body already kind of leaning forward getting ready to sit and with her heels rocking back and forth trying to maintain her balance while the nurse who was helping her was talking to another nurse with her back on P. i almost ran to where P was but there's a trash bin in between me & the nurse and P. but it was a relief when i saw her maintained her balance and was already trying to sit slowly and! still smiling.

whew!

i was making sure the nurse was done with P before i started walking towards P and tried to excuse and squeeze in between the 2 nurses. then i said hi to P and that's when i saw her wrinkles for the first time. remember how i thought her skin was smooth when i saw her the first time? maybe it was gravity that's why i can't see the wrinkles (she was always lying down on her bed when i visit her). anyway, that's when i realized she is old.

i talked to her for a bit. asking her how she's been and she started looking for frances? i'm not sure if i heard her right. but she kept asking for frances and the "where's my sister at?". so maybe frances is her sister's name? anyway, i told her i have something for her and we're having a nail polish session while i held and rub her hand. she looked relax that time and she just willingly rested her hand on my thigh while i painted her nails. when i was almost done a minister walked up to us and asked me if i'm a family of P and told him i'm a friend and was there to visit P. the minister made some pleasant comments and then he started asking P if she wants to receive her communion to which she said yes. so the minister started reading some verses from the bible while i just sat there (the minister said it's ok for me to stay) and watched P received her communion. then the minister left and P and I went back to our nail polish session. after we're done i stayed there for a bit more, rubbing her hands and then said my goodbye.





=== J ===
one of the nurses in the nursing section saw me when i peeked into the dining hall ( was looking for J) and asked me if they can help me with something. that's when i saw where J was.

i saw J on a heavy looking wheel chair just outside the dining hall door, near the nurses section, with a finished cup of pudding-like medicine on her hand and sleeping. so i immediately told the nurse i came for J then went to where J is. one of the nurses asked me what my position in that hospice is and i wasnt sure if it was just my imagination but she doesn't looked pleased at me. but when i said i was just a volunteer doing visits for some patients that's when her facial expression changed (and so is the other nurse who's sitting next to her). then i saw some level of comprehension on her face. i wonder if it's because she was sort of expecting that i should be wearing a scrubs uniform (i was there wearing a dressy shorts and a blouse). i wear shorts or skirts or dress when i make my visits because it's easier for me to move.

anyway, so i squatted right next to where J's wheel chair is and said hi to her and she woke up. i saw that welcoming smile again which always reminded me why i like doing my visits. she smiled and then said: "i don't know you". i was a bit surprised because she would usually remember me when i visit her, well atleast that's what i thought because she never asks me who i am. but that's fine, that's expected. so i told her i'm her friend and i was there to visit her and she just replied "oh".

then i asked the nurses if she's scheduled for something, like for a bath or whatever and if i can wheel her up and down the hall for a bit. i had to ask because i wasn't sure why she's outside the dining hall unattended and if she's there just waiting for her turn for a bath or to get changed. but the nurses gave me a go signal and so i wheeled her up the hallway.

we stopped at a window and i talked to her for a bit. then i stood behind her lightly rubbing her shoulder and back with my thumb while we both looked at the trees and cars passing outside the window. then she dozed off. i just did that lightly rubbing thing until it's time to go.

i guess that's it for now.