I asked hoping to trigger a memory and pull him out of his dementia for a moment, "What was your favorite music group Papa?"
As I opened up YouTube to play a song by the Beach Boys, "Aruba, Jamaica..."
"Was it the Beach Boys?" As the song started to play he turned and looked at me with intrigued raised eyebrows. I asked, "Or was it the song Yellow Submarine?"
He whispered, "Yes, It was the Beatles!" He remembered!
I started the song Yellow Submarine and he started nodding his head to the music. I noticed his banana was not eaten so I asked, "Would you like to eat your banana?"
He nodded happily to the beat of the music. So, I opened the banana and handed it to him. "Why don't you try to feed yourself."
He slowly reached for the banana, grabbed it, and took a bite. I thought, "Yes! I got him to eat something!" His loss of appetite had already taken 20 pounds.
To my surprise Papa then started waiving the banana as if he was conducting the music.
The yellow waiving banana gave me such joy. This was the most active I had seen Papa in a long time. Was it because
we were listening to the Yellow Submarine? Somehow it just seemed felicitous with him waiving the banana and eating. I imagined the Beatles would have loved this scene.
This made me wonder about the meaning of the song. So, I looked it up and discovered that a friend of the Beatles believed that the song, Yellow Submarine, was Paul McCartney's way of conveying what it was like for the Beatles to live in their sea of fame. They were encased in their submarine in a sea of green and a sky of blue. While the yellow submarine kept them safe it also cut them off. I guess in a way it was kind of like being in the hospital.
Yes. It truly was fitting that Papa and I enjoyed our Beatle concert.
Papa was so happy he even started moving his toes under the blanket. Nathan, the nurse, came in and said that this was the most alert he had seen him.
Music is such a gift. It helps us to remember. I let the "Best of the Beatles" keep playing while Papa and I sat quietly enjoying our memories. I like to think that for him it was about remembering his younger years, but for me it was about creating a memory now.
Please sing with me, "We all live in a yellow submarine. Yellow submarine..." I know you started singing the song. Lol!
