House Call

March 9th

15:00
MAMA opened the window wide to let the outside air in.
It feels so good.
A windless sunny day.
A ray of sunlight came in and cheered the room up.

Mari, Naoko ma, Watanabe, my caseworker Kikuchi, Yoshioka of Francebed, Ms. Grasshopper, MAMA and I gathered together

Care planning
Visiting nurse services
Rehabilitation
Grocery shopping
Meals
House keeping
A bed and a lift chair.

What I would need was discussed

18:45
Dr. Okabe came.
How to breathe, how to bring up sputum
About the role of oxygen, about respiratory muscles.
Influenza and how to roll over.
He explained with respect.

He would help me to sign up for the clinical trial.
It's wonderful
I saw the world through the rose-colored glasses.
It was my greatest joy to know Dr. Okabe.

With Naoko ma and Ms. Grasshopper
We started to drink
9:00 at night
Beer, highball, Lemon chuhai, and sake to finish up with.
With lunch boxes bought at 7-11.
It's easy and quick.

I was given a foot massage.
The feeling of lymphatic drainage lulled me to sleep
Stroll, strut
I want to walk
On a tree-lined street, cherry blossom in full bloom.

Tears and laughter
Naoko ma crying and blowing a nose.
Your makeup is coming off.
And I felt my own tears on my nose.
Girls talk at night with a box of tissue paper handed back and forth.

Naoko ma took back the wheelchair I'd been using.
Thank you, my wheelchair.
Thank you for carrying me.

Ms. Grasshopper helped me to prepare for tomorrow.  She
Arranged and placed my belongings in places,
Emptied the trash bin, filled water in the humidifier.
See you, she smiled.  Thank you.

This room hold many thank you today.
I'll go to bed now.
Then I wil fall asleep, murmuring my gratitude to the heaven.

Poem by Maria Franki

Edited and translated by J. Ujiie

©2011