The Love Bug Strikes!

I've often written about Mom who's become the "Little Love Bug" of Southtowne, how she goes up and gives a little peck on the men's bellies, and on days we smear on her signature Revlon "Fire and Ice" lipstick during our visit, the med aides reports there are bright red kisses on all the foreheads of people in wheelchairs. They say she is always helping. I once found her in the laundry room where she had helpfully pushed a friend on a chair, and didn't know how to get out. I have no idea how she got into the locked laundry room.

I dropped in yesterday to check how she was doing after my morning visit because she seemed a little anxious. "Oh, she's happy today!" Debbie, the med aide, answered. "She ate 100 percent of her lunch and is helping everybody."

"Great!"

"In fact, she helped Tom so much she almost killed him. We had to do the Heimlich!"

Apparently Mom was sharing her sandwich with Tom, breaking off a little piece for herself, then for Tom, "One for me; one for you." Sweet picture except for, according to Debbie, "Tom is Puree." I guess the medaides noticed his blue coloring and ran over and picked him up. Mom kept insisting, "It's ok. He likes thinks it's good."

I was horrified, but Debbie just shrugged like it was another regular day at Southtowne saying, "Your mom wouldn't leave Tom's side until she was sure he was alright. She stood looking after him for quite awhile!'