What It's Like: A Personal Story of Suffering - The Bath

THE BATH
By Janice Veldman

She came to bathe me.
can you imagine?
How does one go about that?
The Depend is removed.
I sat on the safety seat
We will have to remove your top
                                 Really? Could we just leave it on?
It is a covering.
Completely vulnerable.
Thankfully the faucet needed attending.
I quickly removed it and wrapped myself with myself.
She prepared the water, the cloth
Gently she started washing my back
Then one arm
Leaving the other for my covering
Some covering I thought
One leg, then the other
She let me do what is private
Shampooed my hair
Then, like a mother, she took a cloth
and wiped the water from my face
Seemed like an unnecessary step at the time
Covered me with a towel as she began drying
Combed my hair, another unnecessary step
For I was headed to bed
Dressed me
Tenderly tucked me into bed
Hooked up the oxygen
Lingered asking if there was anything else needed
What could be needed?
She ignored my frailties, my ugliness
Said I was beautiful when I apologized for my appearance
She did not shame me

She gave me the gift of dignity.
She is a Mother of Mercy.