She Came Back

My mom was a fantastic lady. My parents had six children. Mom buried her husband and two of her children before she died. Then she developed Alzheimer’s when she was in her seventies and we took turns watching Mom.

When my turn came around, Mom gave me a hard time. She didn’t know who we were. I knew that she’d be scared coming into a strange house, so I rolled out the red carpet for her. My sisters fared well, but no matter how hard I tried I felt like a failure.

Then Mom had a stroke and was paralyzed on her left side. We had to put her in a nursing home. I was able to spend three days a week with her. We got closer during the time Mom was in the home and I could tell that she enjoyed my visits. I always brought food, drinks, and dessert. Mom loved food.

Another stroke took her home June 8, 2005. That’s when strange things began to happen. At least three times a week I’d wake up and my TV would be playing. At first I thought that it was me and my grief, nothing more, so one night I decided to take the remote control into my bedroom and lock the door, since I was a little spooked. The next morning, the TV was playing. The only person who ever turned the TV on manually was Mom.

I stopped being scared. I realized that this was Mom’s way of showing that she really did love me. The visits continued until Hurricane Katrina came to Louisiana. I told Mom that I was leaving to go to a safer place. I told her that it was time she went to the light, that her husband and two of her children were waiting for her.

When I came back home, all was quiet. No TV playing, no Mom. I missed her so much. One year later, on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, my TV was playing. Mom came back and I was filled with gratitude and joy.

—Linda Ladner, Louisiana