Blessed by the Sound of Music

Music works Miracles!

This post is kind of a “part 2” to the one I wrote a little while ago: Lessons from My Mother’s Journey with Alzheimer’s.

Last month, Mom landed in the hospital with sepsis. (Don’t worry—she’s doing much better now!) While she was still in her hospital bed, a volunteer wheeled in a keyboard and started playing Que Sera, Sera. And there was Mom—singing right along, like she hadn’t missed a beat.

Seeing that video reminded me how powerful music can be, especially for people with dementia. I went hunting through my old piano books and pulled out The Sound of Music. (Yes, I still had it from childhood!) I started practicing, and during our nightly calls, I’d play for Mom. She’d hum or sing along, and no matter how many notes I missed, she always ended with, “Oh, I just LOVED that!” Yes, she’ll always be my biggest fan!

It’s become our sweet little bedtime ritual—me practicing, her singing, neither of us caring that it’s the same routine every night. (Though our nightly concert might be wearing thin for my house-mates, John and Mari!)

When I visited Mom in person last week, we even recorded her singing The Sound of Music. And right at the end, as she sang, “My heart will be blessed with the sound of music, and I’ll sing once more,” I teared up and totally screwed up my notes at the exact most emotional moment. Typical me!

Now, I don’t want to make it sound like music is the only way to reach Mom. She’s always brighter when she sees me, either via FaceTime and especially, in person. But music definitely adds an extra sparkle. It makes her happy. It makes me happy. And it brings back a flood of memories for both of us.

I Simply Remember My Favorite Things

Music has been a part of our family’s history throughout my life. Mom played the piano and my sister and I both learned to play, too. Broadway musical hits were popular in our family, but “The Sound of Music” was undoubtedly the musical that generates so many memories:

• One of the first movies I saw at the theater!
• Mom singing My Favorite Things to me when I was little and crying.
• Hearing the songs over and over again from our stereo or being played on the piano.
• Our family watching the movie annually together once it was out on TV.
• For Mom’s 70th birthday, I rewrote the lyrics to So Long, Farewell, and her six grandkids performed it in a skit that had everyone cracking up.
• Singing “Climb Every Mountain” with Dee O’Malley, one of Mom’s best friends.

Music isn’t a cure, but can be a sweet relief from the fears that come with Alzheimer’s. I created this video to the tune of “Raindrops on Roses” hoping it will help Mom simply remember her favorite things.

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