For the past two weeks, I played my whistles virtually every day on the fourth floor of the North Shore Hospital in Forest Hills, NY. My grandmother was admitted with a wide variety of symptoms including open bed sores, pneumonia, advanced dementia, dehydration. She no longer talks but can still hear. Grandma always liked my whistle music, though I came to the instrument only after she had started losing her memories to Alzheimer’s. She did mention listening to some kind of wind instruments as a young woman back in China.
For anyone with a sick friend or relative in the hospital, if that person, enjoyed your music before, they will probably enjoy it even more now. The typical hospital sounds are beeps and alarms from various machines and the chatter of TVs.
I got to be a bit of a celebrity amongst the staff. At least ten people came up to me and told me how much they enjoyed my playing. Some recognizable tunes include: Amazing Grace, Greensleeves, In Dreams (LOTR), Scarborough Faire, The Southwind. I also played about a dozen of my original tunes, and wrote one during my days there. Every night before leaving, I would close with
“Ribbons of Light.”
Pick up the thread, slowly we weave.
Criss-cross and back, tapestry seams.
Ribbons of life, ribbons of light,
Follow the thread and see where it leads.
When I have more time I’ll piece together an ABC with my phrasing so you can see sheet music and hear a MIDI rendition at the concertina site.
I am back in California and Grandma got transferred to a nursing home. It is not all hunky dory, but it is a step forward.
What a beautiful story Bill…I have heard that many Alzheimer and dementia professionals truly believe in the power of song…songs, smells…really trigger powerful memories..and help!!
I’m glad you could share that special gift with your grandmother. Both mine are gone…but I still have my mother. Even though we are far apart…I try and share my songs with her…through the wonderful telephone. (And I am making a little cd for all of my family!) She has been telling me how my grandmother used to play the harmonica…something I never knew. Now…I’m thinkng of picking up one…oh oh…
I will remember this story for a long time Bill, Thank you.
for now is a special time as quite often later times are limited,
This last october i visited my mother and father in my home town some 1000km from where i live,
my mother was in the advanced stages of parkinsons disease and totally reliant on my father and nursing home care.
once a week dad would wheel mum into the car and take her for a drive just to get her out and possibly interested in something, which at the time was wishful thinking,
on this occasion i went with them and took my whistle,
mum loved irish music and she was forever encouraging me to participate in music, so i played for her. she had never heard me play the whistle before.
dad took us to the farm so he could feed dogs and stock, while he was busy i played for all i was worth all the pretty tunes i knew, and a few up beat ones as well.
when dad returned he was amazed to see mums eyes wide and entheusiastic, alert and listening intently, she even spoke clearly how she enjoyed it, and for her speech at the time was a major effort.
2 weeks later mum died
I played at her funeral,
amazing grace (one of her favourites) and nearer my god to thee was all i was able cope with at the time, and it was my last tribute to a wonderful woman.
so play play and play some more, if it can bring a smile and temporary enjoyment it is truely worth more then you could know.
The ABC sounds close. Mostly played on a Clarke C original.
“Ribbons of Light.”
Pick up the thread, slowly we weave.
Criss-cross and back, tapestry seams.
Ribbons of life, ribbons of light,
Follow the thread and see where it leads.
You can cut and past the section starting with X:1 to the end into this site. http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html
It produces sheet music and MIDI output. One temperamental thing is that it seems to need a carriage return at the end of the input.
X:1
T: Ribbons of Light
R: Slow aire
C: Bill
A: melody
M:5/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=100
K:D
| F F F F2 | E D E F2 |
| F F F G2 | F E/ D/ E D2 |
| A G F E2 | A G F E2 |
| G F/ E/ G2 D | E F D3 |
What a wonderful story Bill. It has a deep meaning for me. I have a neighbor that was very ill. I saw his wife this past Monday, and inquired about my friend Dales condition. I asked if she thought Dale might enjoy listening to some whistle music, and she invited me to come the next morning to play for Dale. When I got home from work on Monday evening my wife told me that Dale had passed away on Monday afternoon. My whisteling skill dosn’t go much beyond beginner, and I have been timid to play for others in the past. I regret not getting to play for my friend Dale, and in the future, I will not miss my chance to play for anyone that wants to listen.
My grandma passed away. I told the following story at the funeral service:
“My grandma made the hour plus commute to a senior center in Chinatown (NYC) every day up until the age of 80. One day I was with her and it was a crowded subway car. Grandma had a walking stick and she went up to biggest, toughest looking man seated and shooed him out of his seat. The man promptly got up and gave his seat to my grandma.” Grandma was not a woman to be trifled with.
I played the song that I wrote last month while grandma was in the hospital, “Ribbons of Light.” To see the lyrics, and ABC notation read further up in the thread.
Bill, your grandmother sounded like a very interesting and wonderful person. I am sure you will carry her memory fondly and graciously. Do not forget the things she taught you. As time goes on you will realize the things she taught you that you did not even realize were being taught. I know every once in a while I get a clue about something my grandfather taught or did that impacted my life.
She will be much happier now that the burden of age and sickness has been lifted. Continue to play for her.
Bill, I’m sorry to hear about your loss. But, as StevenNorCalMusician said, she sounds like a heck of a woman who had a great impact on you. Hang on to that and cherish it.
My deepest sympathies for your loss. The loss of my father last year and my brother in 98 still resonate through me; I can’t read something like this without remembering.
Your loss will not become less over time, but it does get easier to bear, and there will come a day that memories no longer bring sadness, instead they will bring smiles and be a strength to you.
My Granny was from South Uist off the west coast of Scotland. See always knew lots of puirts (dance songs) and used to win lots of guess the song competitions on the gaelic radio. I used to go and play tunes for her when she was moved to a nursing home in Skye and she was having trouble remembering things, she always hummed along though. I played my border pipes and whistles and tried to play tunes she would know.
She died a couple of years ago and I played the bagpipes while they buried her. She was buried in a grave yard on the most westerly point of South Uist facing out on to the Atlantic. The sun was breaking through the clouds and the mountains and the sea looked amazing. It was one the hardest times I have ever had to play but one I will always remember.
