Rebirth of My Mother

My mother is a patient in the Rehabilitation Unit. She just suffered from stoke with left hemiplegia and verbal communication problem. My mother used to be a Chinese language teacher. After retirement, she developed an elderly art group with neighbors where they talked, sang songs and played Erhu together. But after she had stroke, she could not speak any more and was even not willing to try. We were afraid that she might get depressed.

Her nurse, Ms. Wang Wei, recommended that we should buy some reading cards and a writing board for my mother. However, a few days later, my mother refused to use the tools as they were inconvenient in emergency situations.

Being aware of this, Ms. Wang invited my mother to participate in group education activities on weekends, but my mother refused again. Ms. Wang talked to me and we decided to ask my son to take his grandma to the activity. We made it! During the activity, my mother met some patients with similar conditions, and one of them read a poem in ambiguous words. My mother was so happy for that patient! At that time, Ms. Wang encouraged my mother to speak out her own name bravely. Gradually, my mother said her name in the way that we could understand and we were very moved. Afterwards, Ms. Wang told us to be confident and patient, and encouraged us to communicate with my mother more often. For the next few weekends, Ms. Wang always took my mother to the activities and my mother started to feel a hope little by little.

One day, Ms. Wang was going to give my mother the medicine. Before that, she checked carefully by asking my mother’s name to make sure that the right medicine would be given to a right patient. My mother said her name loudly and clearly. When Ms. Wang was leaving my mother’s bedside, my mother picked up the reading card with “Thank you” and said, “Thank you, Ms. Wang!”

We are so grateful to Ms. Wang for being really helpful and sincere to my mother and us. On behalf of my family, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Ms. Wang …

Thank you , Ms. Wang!

Name: Wang Wei, BSN, RN

Unit: 610E Rehabilitation Unit

Author: Patient Family

Translator: Hu Xiaojun

Reviewer: Si Xiaocai