CHAPTER 40

Original (Published in "Lun's World"): 2006-05-02

Rewritten: 2025-12-09

After Lun moved into the residence, the two of us visited him regularly. Each visit followed a set of routines — only after completing them did it feel “complete.”

The residence was privately run, with a customer-first policy. Family and friends could visit anytime before 8 p.m. as long as they notified staff in advance. After work, we always rushed over and arrived shortly after 7 p.m. to keep Lun company while he had his evening snack.

During each visit, the three of us performed a series of familiar actions, so Lun would have clear expectations. When we arrived, he would fix his gaze on us, wanting to ask what program or activity we had arranged for the next day. In 2006, Lun was still a Grade 12 student, so the possibilities were simple: either “school tomorrow” or “no school tomorrow.” If there was no school, then he wanted to know what activity was planned.

First, I brushed his teeth for him.

In fact, the staff helped him brush twice a day, but his own brushing skills were extremely rough and far from clean. Without extra help, plaque and tartar would appear within one or two weeks. If the stains weren’t removed, eventually he would need dental treatment. By then, he would certainly not cooperate, and the dentist would have to arrange a surgical procedure under general anesthesia.

Thinking of that, I chose to be an obedient “student” and do my homework properly. I kept a small cup, a toothbrush, and lip balm in the car — but no toothpaste. Long ago, Lun’s pediatric dental specialist had told me that toothpaste foam obstructs vision and makes it harder to check cleanliness; brushing with water actually produced better results. After brushing, I applied a bit of lip balm to reduce chapping.

Since childhood, Lun had sensitive skin. Every seasonal change caused his cheeks and lips to dry and crack. To relieve the itch, he often washed or rubbed them with water, but that only made the cracking worse.

Nowadays, Lun has an extra routine: going to the washroom before brushing. To monitor the residents’ health, the staff record their bowel and bladder conditions; if anything looks abnormal, they can intervene quickly. I also do my part as a temporary observer and report afterwards.

The other three residents all had multiple disabilities and severe mobility challenges. Bathing was done in two groups — afternoon and evening. Lun was scheduled last and enjoyed a twenty-minute warm-water bath with a large showerhead. After bathing, he would sit on the living-room sofa playing with toys, reading, or watching TV. Meanwhile, one of the elderly residents would play musicals from the 1950s and 60s.

During seasonal changes, Lun’s sensitive skin made him itchy, and he often asked us to scratch for him. Since childhood, he loved using soft furry sticks to scratch his itches. After moving into the residence, he would pluck real or artificial leaves from potted plants to use as a “back scratcher.” To save the plants, the staff bought colorful feathers for his exclusive use. Besides that, he almost got a new toy every week — all bought from dollar stores or supermarkets.

Once the scratching session ended, it was snack time, and we were allowed to share.

Lun had always been a picky eater, but he had improved greatly. For dinner, staff blended vegetables into cheese to make a pasta sauce, and Lun would finish the entire plate.

Snacks were usually baked buns, cakes, or puddings, with some fruit. In summer he occasionally had ice cream. The visit soon approached its end — time for us to go home and take care of his younger brother. Our farewell ritual was for both of us to kiss Lun on the cheek, one after the other, and ask him to say “bye-bye.” Since he was concentrating on eating and drinking, he would routinely respond with a perfunctory “bye-bye,” already anticipating the next item on his schedule: “bath time, wash nice and clean.”

(Earlier in those years, Lun loved instant noodles for snacks. To reduce salt intake, the staff gradually replaced them with shrimp-egg noodles, and by a few years ago he had completely stopped eating instant noodles.)