Apr 25, 2019
Mommio & Que Pasa
Why do we call Colin’s mom Mommio? She picked the name herself as she wanted to sound hip which she very much was and still is. Since Colin last saw Mommio in September just before we left, he has had trouble communicating with her. While we were in Mexico for almost five months she could not understand anything Colin said over the phone but she knew that it was him and that was the most important thing for her. She does have hearing aids which she won’t wear, don’t know why, so it is almost impossible to have a conversation with her. For some reason, here in Kelowna, there is a better chance of having her hearing Colin over the phone. She told Colin that she would not be able to go out to eat ( as is their custom ) with him as she is now only able to use a wheelchair. My understanding is that she uses her feet to propel herself. However her landline phone is at the head of her bed and far away from where she sits most of the day watching TV. She has no cordless phone and has to wheel herself to the bedside table to answer her phone and sometimes doesn’t make it. I will ask Colin to check if she is allowed to have a cordless phone.
She is able to transfer from the wheelchair to the commode on her own ( most of the time ). So Colin asked her yesterday if she wanted to go out and she did and to a specific restaurant. It took him a long while to find a folding wheelchair. And off they went.
He loves her so much as she does him. He was thrilled to be able to take her to her favorite place, the Red Lobster Restaurant. She had trouble hearing Colin in the restaurant and so Colin had to write down his thoughts/conversation in the restaurant. So it was a write, read and then she talked conversation.
He finds her very very frail but she is still full of life. Not bad for 104 and 1/2 years of age. She ate everything on her plate.
This morning he met her after breakfast and asked her what her wishes were for the day. First off she said that she wanted to got to McDonald’s for a burger. So he once again found that folding wheelchair and off they went. It appears that she has not been out since Colin saw her in September. So he drove her along familiar streets and areas that brought back memories. After her burger he took her to the mall which she loves and pushed her around for a good two hours. She loved it.
It is 11PM and I just got these photos. I didn’t know that they went inside to eat. Kudos to Colin for the multiple chair transfers.
He returned her to her room thinking that she might like to rest before her dinner. She refused to eat their food tonight stating that she does not like it and that it has too much fat 😥 So Colin asked her what she wanted and she said KFC ( Kentucky Fried Chicken ). So he went out and got some and she literally gobbled it down. Obviously she enjoys a change of pace regarding her meals. So sad that we are not living in Winnipeg as we would gladly bring her different take out meals a few times per week. She told Colin that before bed every night she prays that she will not wake up in the morning. I get it, both of my parents told me the same thing but Mommio is the Energizer Rabbit and just won’t quit. She certainly deserves some special treats every so often.
Back in her room. I put that poster on the back her door so that she had something nice to look at. All she sees out of her window are A/C units. No view at all.
Colin is very sad for his Mom. They are so close and always have been. He was a three month premi and she saved him from dying. He was only 3 lbs. In those days (1950) there was no specialized hospital care and Mommio was told to take him home or he would die. She kept him alive by placing him on the oven door to keep him warm and she slept on the floor beside him for months and months. He was so tiny that the doctors had given up hope and it was her sheer strength and will that kept Colin alive. Even doll clothes were too big for him. Hence the extra special bond between them.
Colin’s word’s “She does look much happier since I arrived”. I do have to agree just by these photos. Colin says that she never stops talking. She must be so lonely when he is gone.
Colin’s word’s “She does think I was here 2 yrs ago and thinks she hasn’t been out of here for 4 yrs. sad. She has no control of her life. She would feel like a million dollars if she was allowed to have 100 dollars in her wallet. She is afraid to ask for her money. She is classy but can’t feel that way because she is a prisoner in this society.” So sad that she can’t remember that Colin was last there this past September and at least twice annually.
Oh Mommio, how we love you.
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So nice that Colin could spend this time with Mommio more memories and love her smiles.
She still takes pride in looking so nice. Look how the small acts of kindness made her so happy. Why can’t the other members of the family see it and do that.
Sad that we loose many of our Seniors to Loneliness. Colin is so lucky to still have Mommio in his life.
Now that we are no longer in the Working World it is sometimes hard to keep track of what day of the week it is. It would be worse for someone like her who stays in a Home like that.
If she had some kind of Hobby or activity to take up her time she would not feel like giving up.
Be Safe and Enjoy her presence while you can.
It’s about time.
Her hobbies were music and sadly those instruments were thrown out when they cleaned out her apartment.
What a beautiful story Contessa. You can see the joy in her face in these pictures, she obviously enjoys Colin’s visits.
What beautiful pictures of a very happy lady. Aren’t there other family members in Wpg? Oooops, maybe that is a whole different issue>=?
Yup!
So glad Colin got to spend time with his Mommio.
It would be nice if you could do video chats with her.
She looks great. She must have found the fountain of youth!
Video chats would be fantastic but she of course does not do computers and there is no one who would be willing to set that up for her so that we cannot do that.
Just a beautiful post today….thank you!
Such happy, happy pictures.. my heart hurts thinking of her daily life w/o Colin.
Oh, Mommio is still so beautiful! It’s so sad that she cannot be moved closer to you guys. I think she would be so much happier. Her other children? They should be more caring, Karma tends to make her rounds to those so deserving her visits.
Thanks for sharing…
It may not be what she has been accustomed to for the last 100 years or so, but what a great life to live so long and be in a safe, clean place where she gets three meals a day. I know it’s not the best of the best but better than most people get when they are over 80. I love her smile.
I am so glad she is enjoying his visit. She still looks pretty amazing for her age. Amazing story about Colin when he was born, I can’t imagine what that must have been like.
So nice to see the great smiles on her face! They have such a great connection.
WOW!….Cool lady and great son…………
She is quite the lady, isn’t she? You really can see the love in their eyes and it’s something really special. Would be nice if she could live nearer to you, wouldn’t it? Such a treasure, those memories. Hang on tight.
Colin’s Mommio is a lovely looking woman. So glad that he is able to spend time with her. Too bad she’s not closer like a 1/2 hr. drive instead of an airplane flight. Here is hoping she has a beautiful Mothers Day next month and many more to come. My mother has been gone since 1967 hope she live a long and beautiful life. Colin give her a hug for me.
Colin is a good man. Taking the time to go out and visit Mommio rates highly in my book.