Home again

Home finally after five days. Mum walked so slowly, even slower than me dragging a suitcase and two heavy bags. I put away everything, put clothes in the wash, tidied up a bit, while mum sat there looking so very, very tired. "Go rest, you haven't slept well in a few days..." I said. I haven't either, especially because of the almost constant background noise of patients and nurses, and beeping of machines. Mum must have slept even less due to her bone sores and her constant discomfort.  I put mum in bed, and covered her. She wanted a specific blanket, and grabbed at it. The tartan woollen one I bought her in Nova Scotia and sent her last year for Christmas. As I covered her, her body was twisted in a mangle, her legs looked so painfully thin... As I massaged her arm, her fingers, they felt so painfully bony. "Sleep well," I said, "You're home now..."