Singing to our LO's

abc123

A member on another thread mentioned her singing Clapton and Winwood songs to her husband and it made me smile. So I decided to share my singing adventure with ya'll. Momma doesn't say much these days but she is aware of what's going on in the room, sometimes. I decided I'd sing an old hymn to her. She always sang at church, since childhood. I sang what I could remember of one song and decided to grab an old hymnal from my book collection. I found a love note from my husband from 2/5/2005. I had forgotten about putting it in the book. It was a sweet surprise, emotional, but sweet. I think my John's spirit is here to welcome momma home. Home to this house, maybe home to her Heavenly Father. The aroma of coffee will occasionally roll through the house. That's when I know John is here. The first shift the sitter worked, she walked into the kitchen to see if I made a fresh pot of coffee. She told me she smelled fresh coffee. I hadn't made any for days. 

Blessed Assurance 

It Is Well with My Soul

toolbeltexpert

abc123 wrote:

Blessed Assurance 

It Is Well with My Soul

I'll  fly away, heavenly sunlight, when the roll is called up yonder. And so many others. I will bet your momma could sing anyone of those with just a lead off. It is so good to have these jewels  Glad you have those things to share. Like the note how precious. Speaking of Precious memories that's another. Thanks for sharing

Mint

Unclouded day

M1

I have four:

For the Beauty of the Earth

Now on Land and Sea Descending

Be Still My Soul

Going Home

jfkoc

Singing has saved many a day. Here is the video of Naomi Feil singing;

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=naomi+feil+singing+utube&type=E211US105G91561#action=view&id=22&vid=c1d90d1590

toolbeltexpert

jfkoc wrote:

Singing has saved many a day. Here is the video of Naomi Feil singing;

https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=naomi+feil+singing+utube&type=E211US105G91561#action=view&id=22&vid=c1d90d1590

That is so awesome, I can't  say that I ever had that kind of reaction, but touch and being in the pwd field of view was so powerful. If we try we   can almost always connect. I wish I could post some of the songs I had recorded from folks at mc. No pictures just audio. I don't have a YouTube account.

toolbeltexpert

I have been singing precious memories since I posted but I am gonna have to go to unclouded day now.

Deanna_M

Thank you, abc. I am a bit teary-eyed today and I found your post beautiful. I am in the process of putting together a playlist of songs for my mom. She has declined so much over the past couple of weeks that music is the only way I can reach her. She was an elementary school music teacher and a faithful churchgoer, so I have some of the standard old nursery school songs, plus Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me, in the playlist.

LicketyGlitz

"This little light of mine" and "You are my sunshine" were big favs of my mom's, and she sang them with me for as long as she could!

GothicGremlin

That's so sweet, abc.  Brightened my day.

It's funny that this thread would pop up today. Yesterday was a singing day for me and Peggy. She was somewhat down (her anti-anxiety meds haven't kicked in yet), so I brought up music - a sure fire way put a smile on her face.

Peggy was in a band years ago and they sang professionally, so I remember her '80s repertoire pretty well. So yesterday there we were singing Berlin's "No More Words", and the Go-Go's "Our Lips Are Sealed". Then she brought up the Beatles "Let It Be", but I'm not that familiar with them. I know that song, of course, but the only lyrics I know are 'let it be, let it be, let it be, ect.".  Peggy can't remember the lyrics to it any longer, so we just sat there singing let it be, let it be (it was kind of hilarious). By the end of that song Peggy was laughing and in a good mood.

I view it as a win.

I have been putting together a playlist of her favorite songs for sometime later when she's not as responsive as she is now. It's mostly '80s music.  Music is so powerful.

MN Chickadee

The part of the brain that processes music is usually the last to go. I'm part of a choir that goes to long term care facilities to sing for people with dementia. Even the folks who are very late stage and appear comatose respond to music. I've seen them mouthing along the words to You Are My Sunshine when there are no other signs of life. My mother can still remember the lyrics to some old songs even though the rest of her speech is gone. As of pretty recently she could recite the Lord's Prayer when the pastor visited. The Pastor was reciting it not singing but because Mom had sung it at one point in her life it was still stuck in there. She can barely walk, can't feed herself, is barely a level above bed ridden but can still play the piano when she is in the mood and sounds pretty good. Music is indeed an incredible way to reach our LOs. I enjoyed your story about your mom and your dear husband.

May flowers

Last year I took all of my FIL’s CDs that he made - hymns, songs from his era, and love song CDs he made for my MIL  and put it on a music player I got from the Alzheimer’s store. For a long time he was able to work the player but now I just have the songs playing. He and I sing together often. When we are doing things he really dislikes, like changing diapers, he and I sing really loud and it is calming for him. 

His favorite is “I’d rather have Jesus” and that particular song my MIL was playing the organ. He remembers that every time.

Jo C.

Here is a direct single link to the Naomi Feil and Gladys Wilson on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrZXz10FcVM

Thank you Judith, for getting that out to us; whenever I see this, I cannot stop the tears; it is so deeply touching; it defies adjectives for the humaness of it.  Please watch it until the end; that is where the little miracle happens.

J.

Jo C.

My father used to sing, "You Are My Sunshine," to me; and I sang it often to all four of our children.  I have a recording of my youngest as a toddler, (who is now a grownup police officer), singing it in his tiny little voice; priceless.  "You make me happy when skys are grape . . . " he would sing.  Still make me smile and wish I could go back in time and visit those little ones again.

In her dementia, my mother was bothered by music, the sounds seemed to unsettle her and she would never tolerate any of us singing to her or in her hearing presence.  When younger, a favorite of my mother's was, "Ave Maria."  Such a beautiful touching piece when done well.  It was sung at her memorial service. 

J.

Joydean

“One day at a time, Sweet Jesus “ is the one that keeps me going !

abc123

John always sang "You Are My Sunshine" to me. He'd put a blue grass twang to his version. I'd laugh every single time. I hadn't thought of that in years!!!! 

HEY Lickety!!!!