Chapter three:

     As time began to pass, with my mother and I sharing my home, our daily routines began to take shape.  “Good morning, mama,” I would greet her each day.  “Good morning,” she would return.  In the first few months after her having her stroke, Mom’s words were slightly delayed.  As with most stroke patients, Aphasia had set in, and Mama would stutter a little.  Sometimes, she couldn’t get the entire word out, but I knew what she meant.  Sometimes Mama would put a lot of emphasis on “Good”, and sometimes it would be “Morning”.  Because I consider myself to be sort of a comedian, I would agitate her a little when she didn’t say her words correctly.  My agitation appeared to have worked because she continued to try.  When she got the entire word out, she knew it, and the look on her face said it all.  “I did that”.  Those moments of achievement made us both happy.  It was a small sign of hope that God blessed us to share, but many more would follow.

     The evenings are very special to Mama and me.  On most days, we may have just finished eating dinner and would watch one of our favorite shows together.  It took some getting used to for me to see how Mama responded to watching Fred Sanford and Aunt Esther go at it.  I had known my Mama to be quite reserved; now, she wasn’t holding back on her laughs.  Mama would let them fly, and I could tell that she truly enjoyed watching television.  It appeared to be therapeutic for her, and it allowed me to gather some data to share with her doctor about how attentive she was while watching.  

     During these TV-watching experiences, I would ask Mama some questions about her past, short and long-distance ones.   My hopes were a little deflated as some of the things that mattered most to her, she couldn’t recall.  Thank God, her lack of memory wouldn’t last forever.  

     One thing Mama has always been able to remember is the number of children she has and all of their names.  She continues to be able to name us all, from the oldest to the youngest, in chronological order.  She loves her children unconditionally.  My Mama is the greatest person that I know.