Enter Mourning: A memoir on death, dementia and coming home
By: Heather Menzies
Epilogue (excerpt)
….When Norma and I arrived half an hour later, the bars on the bed were down; no danger of Mum falling out of bed now. Seeing them down, Mum so obviously beyond the need of their protection anymore, I burst into tears, flung myself against her body, and howled. But not for long. In fact, I felt amazingly calm, serene almost. I joined Doug with Norma at the foot of the bed. We spoke in soft voices about what was to be done next. Mum had decided years ago to donate her body to medical science, and there was a document about this to give to the appropriate authorities. Plus, Jan’s plane wasn’t due till 11. I wanted them to leave Mum’s body exactly as it was so we could bring Jan in to see, to take in fully, when she got here. Norma said she would have the soup ready for us when we were finished, took Doug’s car and left Doug and me to these matters.
Norma’s Scotch Broth was amazing. I couldn’t get over how delicious it was, the flavours rising up through my tongue, the aroma through my nose. Of course, I hadn’t really eaten all day. But I had an appetite I’ve rarely experienced before, as though my senses had been released back to me, and were exulting in being alive. I was hugely, unabashedly hungry. I had a second bowlful and even sucked on the bone.
All Contents Copyright © Heather Menzies