I racked my brain this past Mother’s Day on something fun to do with my brain-injured Mom to celebrate. We have a painting place in our neighborhood (I live a mile from my parents to help with the caregiving) – you can go and drink Mimosas and an artist shows you how to paint a picture. Perfect! Off we go to paint a picture. When we arrive, there are 4 ladies loitering around the handicapped parking space where they just parked their 4 able bodies. Obstacle #1 – no big deal. Since it’s the only handicapped spot I ask politely if they will move their car as we have a wheelchair to unload. They moved their car but the driver loudly asked “what difference does it make” so I replied “it does actually make a difference because the ramp is here and I need the space on both sides of the wheelchair van to unbuckle my Mom”. I brushed it off as “I hope they learned their lesson” and my Mom, the caregiver, and I breezed into the painting place. Obstacle #2 – the same 4 able-bodied ladies were at the table that would have been easiest for us with the wheelchair. Whoopsie Daisy. One of the ladies realized we were struggling and offered her table to us for my Mom and her caregiver. Drama over and let the painting begin! Obstacle #3 – my brain-injured Mom keeps trying to paint her caregiver with the brush. I head over to the bar to turn in my Mimosa ticket and for good measure, use my Mom’s too. 1 Mimosa into the painting I ask my Mom if she’s having fun. “No, hell, no, why would this be fun?” she asks. I tell her she is very artistic and it’s Mother’s Day, so we are doing something FUN! We are having fun, dammit. Aren’t we? The good natured caregiver giggles and continues painting/keeping my Mom from using the paint brush as a deadly weapon. 2 Mimosas into the painting I realize my red poppy flower looks like a UFO on final approach. I tell my Mom I’m having fun regardless and after all, it’s nice that we can do something fun on Mother’s Day. “Oh, damn, it’s Mother’s Day?” she asks. I tell her it is and she says “Oh, good. Good, good, good. I love you Lucy.” Totally worth all the prep work and drama to get that one moment with my Mom!
XO Lucy