A Visit With Lona!!!

For those of you who don't know, I was in the Rehab (physical rehabilitation) at Altru, about 10 months ago for almost a month. While I was there I met a woman who became very near and dear to my heart. She was my best friend, and person (except the fabulous nurses and blue people) who I spent almost all of my free time with. Her name was Lona...she is 95 years old :)

We laughed, we got in trouble, we visited for hours on end, and we both cried when she was transferred to a nursing home. When she left she gave me one of her precious bunnies and the house keepers would fashion it every morning.

Well...LONA IS BACK AT THE REHAB WITH A "SPRAINED ANKLE". It is ironic that she is in the rehab with a sprained ankle because she is in a wheelchair and doesn't walk. We think she just likes to be in the rehab. As they were transporting her back she looked at her stuffed bunny and said, "we are home"

I have visited Lona 3 times, once by myself, and 2 times I brought the dogs up to see her. I wondered if she would be the same. I was fearful that after a year her health had deteriorated. I was pleasantly surprised to see she was the same old Lona. One of the first things she said to me was, "when are you going to bring the babies up to see me?" I knew then for sure that nothing had changed with my dear friend.

Lona is the kind of old lady that you can listen to for hours and just smile and laugh as she is truly one of the funniest people I know. I will share some of our conversations with you, and you will see what a gift from God she is. A true treasure.

*Lona telling me about her cat that kills mice and hides them under her bed "She really is a lovely cat, except       when she is off killing things of course"

*Lona talking about the company she is keeping "I am sick of being around all of these old people, they are truly a bore"

*Lona asks Tammi what her shirt says...'HEY I DON'T DO DRUGS OR WORSHIP SATAN' Lona says "well I don't either, except for the ones they give me here"

*Lona on her lunch "the lunch lady presented me with a beautiful plate and when she unveiled and took the cover off there sat JUST ONE chicken strip, can you imagine?"

*Lona on dinner "I had a hamburger with no bun. I asked the lunch lady why no bun and she said 'you didn't order one' Well who has to order a bun with a hamburger"

*Lona on lunch again "Well I had soup with one cracker, not a package of crackers just one simple cracker"

*Lona about being psycho analyzed "after an hour and a half I finally passed"

*Lona's hair is a greasy disaster yet she looks at her daughter and says "you must do something with your hair it is simply awful. You must wash it"

*Lona takes 2 pain pills in the middle of the night. "I woke up and I was dreadfully drunk. One eye this way and the other that way. I went down to pt and my feet kept falling off the pedals. It was a great embaressment." At 5pm she tells Sasha "I am finally coming down."

*Lona decides she wants Sasha (both of our favorite blue person) to come and visit us. She calls to the nurses station. She tells them she is ready to get ready for bed. They say they will send someone in. She giggles like a little school girl and says "I will just tell them that Ichanged my mind"

*Lona's response to Sasha when she tells her that she is only as old as she feels. "Well I feel d*$m 110 years old."

*Lona showing us an article with pictures and an article off the internet on a breed of dogs she adores. " I got it from Mary, (the recreational therapist). Julie you know her, she is in charge of entertainment around here"

*Lona now has hearing aids, which is nice because you don't have to scream at her. "I really dislike wearing them out because I can hear everything. Did you know that people have phones going off in their purses?"

*Lona gets miralax "I was all washed up and ready for bed and WOOSH...good thing that I was

wearing extra large diapers so it all fit."

I could go on and on, but it still doesn't even come close to capturing the essence that is Lona. For all the crochity statements she has a heart of gold. She loves animals and loves to give ralphie treats. She makes everyone laugh and I feel blessed and honored to be in her life. She just called me and told me she will be here at least another week. Yay me!!! So if you ever are sitting around with time on you hands and nothing to do, run up to the rehab and visit this amazing woman!!!