Finding hope and healing in the sounds of music
Hearing a lullaby brought peace during a difficult hospitalization
My husband, Arman, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, was hospitalized recently after falling and breaking multiple ribs. During his weeklong stay, we often heard a lullaby playing. I was convinced that it was the cellphone ringtone of another patient on our floor.
But a few days into his stay, I heard the song several other places in the hospital. Could others have the same ringtone? Was I losing my mind?
I soon learned that the song I was hearing was not a ringtone. A nurse explained that Brahms’ “Lullaby” is played over the loudspeaker every time a baby is born in the hospital. Already in a terribly emotional and vulnerable state, I couldn’t hold back tears of joy each time the song was played from that point on.
Although we were at the hospital because my husband had suffered a serious injury and needed to heal, people under the same roof were experiencing a miracle: the beginning of a new life. Each time the song played, my heart smiled, and for a few moments, I forgot about the devastating fall that had brought us to this place.
In addition to my friends and family, hearing the lullaby was one of the things that got me through the difficult week. I’d sung the lyrics to all three of my children as I rocked them to sleep as newborns. Each time the song played over the speakers, I was taken back to those quiet, dark nights alone with my babies, and for a brief moment, all felt right in the world.
New beginnings and second chances
Music is a powerful tool that’s often used to promote physical and psychosocial healing, improve well-being, and even treat gait issues in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It can also simply spark joy, as was the case with the lullaby.
After Arman was discharged, he was admitted to a rehabilitation hospital for nine days to continue his recovery. As my daughters and I walked into the rehab facility, we talked about how much we’d miss hearing the lullaby at the hospital.
When the automatic front doors opened, we noticed a sign taped to the inside of the door window that read, “Safe Havens for Newborns.” I’d read about this program, and I was overcome with emotion upon realizing we were in a place that offered hope and second chances — not just to patients seeking care, but to women and children in crisis.
Every morning, I arrived bright and early, sat on the bench outside the rehab facility, and waited for the front doors to be unlocked. I gazed at the sign and wondered how many women with newborns had looked at it before me. I hope that everything worked out for those women and their babies.
After what felt like months, it was finally time for us to go home. I said goodbye to the incredible team of nurses and therapists who had changed our lives for the better. The kind woman at the front desk, who’d become a friend, said, “It was nice getting to know you, but I hope to never see you again.” It made me laugh and cry simultaneously.
I pulled my car up to the front entrance and helped Arman get in. Once he was safely buckled, I closed his door and walked around to the driver’s seat. I glanced toward the front door and saw the sign one last time. I quietly hummed the lullaby, wishing for a second chance for us and anyone walking through that door.
Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
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