Wunderbar is a German word that means wonderful. My mother sang a line from this song many, many times in the last few months. Not an actual line from the song, but her version of it - Wunderbar, I love you - was what she'd sing. So many times that on her 94th birthday, the staff from her assisted living residence gathered to sing her both happy birthday to you... and the one line 'Wunderbar, I love you' repeated many times. I'd like to think she heard them.
A few days before, she'd slipped suddenly into some unidentified coma. I know that 'suddenly' sounds odd, considering her age, but she was in fairly good health and she was the one person the staff would constantly have to remind to slow down, because she would be moving too quickly down the hall ways with her walker.
Early on the second morning after her birthday, several days after no to very little response, one of her favorite aides came in and said in a loud voice (mom was a little deaf)
"ESTHER NATION, DO YOU WANT SOME COFFEE?"and I don't know who was more surprised when mom opened up her eyes and said 'YES'
Mom loved her coffee, would have 4 or 5 cups of the hot beverage every morning (lunch and sometimes dinner, too) she'd been drinking it since the age of 5. We'd tease her about it stunting her height and she'd remind us that she was the tallest of 5 sisters...at 5 foot one and three quarters.
She had a couple somewhat responsive days, after her caffeinated revival where she was able to speak to family that were out of state and give the rest us us many hugs and kisses. Sometimes knowing who we were, but at other times to her we became absent family members, even her mother...which was good and it let her see and talk to everyone that was important to her.
After her second 'good' day, where she proclaimed loudly that she loved all of us, the color purple and chocolate, she fell back asleep and died peacefully the next morning with one of my daughters, my niece and myself by her bedside. We buried her next to my dad, along side grand and great-grand parents, a few aunts, uncles, cousins and one of her younger sisters.
The grand daughters made the request that the family all wear purple for the service (and we all did), as did some friends in attendance. The morning of the memorial service we gathered for coffee at the drug store fountain where we'd been too many times to count with mom and dad. After they retired from work, mom and dad would walk down town and have coffee at the fountain nearly every morning with their friends. If any of the grandchildren where spending time with them, they were always in tow with the promise of a doughnut or maple bar. A habit my mother carried on even after my father died and kept up until she had to move closer to me, for health reasons. So, if anyone tells you that coffee isn't good for you? We may have to
disagree.
Esther Elbe Nation
October 25, 1917 ~ October 29, 2011
Thank you! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI'm glad too hear she got to share her last days with her loved ones and enjoy her time as much as she could.
ReplyDeleteAnd I can totally understand her waking up from the coma for coffee. That would get me up to ;) I'm a coffee-holic as well although I came into it late. I loved coffee flavored things but never liked coffee itself until a few years ago, and even then I always used those fancy flavored creamers. A year and a half ago my uncle was in the hospital dying and I'd visit and take him coffee.. and he'd tease me, telling me I should drink it black. Since his funeral shortly after, I haven't been able to drink my coffee any other way. I told my cousin her dad jinxed me and she laughed saying she wouldn't put it passed him ;)