I
walked by MC’s room while
his daughter was standing outside
the door. She noticed my guitar
and while I had her attention,
I asked if she thought her father
might like some music today. She
went in to ask him and when he
noticed me, he requested a slow,
soothing Spanish song. While lying
in his bed, he looked at his loved
ones for assistance in suggesting
songs, as he was not able to do
this himself.
His
daughters and wife were present
as I entered the room and pulled
out the Spanish books. The younger
daughter chose Alabare
for the first song. I invited
everyone to sing and handed out
books to the other women in the
room. As we sang, MC’s wife
held his hand, leaned in closer
to him, and sang, looking deeply
into his eyes. His daughters sang
as well, loving watching their
parents share a special moment.
MC then chose De Colores
after hearing that I was able
to sing that one. Again, everyone
in the room sang and at the completion
of the song, MC thanked me and
commented that it was beautiful.
His daughter requested Besame
Mucho as the final song that
morning because, as she informed
me, MC was a singer in Mexico
and had recorded this song on
his album years ago.
As I sang this song, MC closed
his eyes and looked as if he was
thinking of his days as a performer
in Mexico. The three women all
cried as they watched their father,
smiling as they all remembered
the days when he was able to sing
to them. When this song ended,
everyone in the room thanked me
many times and stated that they
enjoyed the music thoroughly.
All I really need to know I learned
. . . .
I think the reason I enjoy working
at Chula Vista so much is because
of the opportunity to meet so
many Spanish-speaking people.
When working with these patients,
it does not matter that our first
languages are not the same. All
that matters is what music therapy
can give them. It did not matter
that I could not understand every
word that MC and his family said.
It was not important that his
family were not the best singers
in the world. The only truly important
thing that happened during this
intervention was that MC was given
the opportunity to communicate
and reminisce with his family
and it was music that gave them
the ability to do this.
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Patient Highlights
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