Sunday 2 December 2007
Sunday- At Home.
My apologies for not having blogged for a while. The blog I'm about to write - but possibly not publish- is not my usual blog recording the latest scrabble session or with whom we've been out to tea. On Friday the 16th of November we got home from visting friends in Sandy (about fifteen miles from our oldest Daughter Sarah's home - note the irony !) at about 5 pm. At about 7pm. the 'phone rang. It was Sarah's father - in -law Frank. "Where have you been ? I've been trying to ring you all day," he said to Ann. "We've been to Sandy. What's the matter, Frank ?" says Ann. Then he told her that Sarah was seriously ill in hospital. Meningitis was suspected. She was on a life support machine. Mikey (her husband ) was with her. She had been delirious, and was now heavily sedated. Frank and Jane (Mikey's parents) were looking after the children. He offered us a bed for the night, but said he could see no point in going over that night, and suggested we tell the family, and go over the next morning, and they would put us up. Not a good night's sleep for either of us. I kept seeing her as a baby (she was a joyous babe - whenever we took her out in the pram she would smile at everyone - and everyone would stop to return the compliment). The following morning we made our way across to Milton Keynes, and went straight to Frank and Jane's. They were waiting for news from Mikey who had spent the night in hospital beside Sarah's bed. The children were very subdued, and were in fact being quite unnaturally good. We went on to the hospital to relieve Mikey (who had had no sleep) and sat beside Sarah who was still very deeply sedated. She had had a lumbar puncture to determine whether she had meningitis. At 8.30 pm. Mikey came back and relieved us, and we went back to Frank and Janes, where Jane had prepared a delicious light meal (which was wasted on us as I can remember very little of it, and tasted probably less), after which we soon went off to bed. The Following morning (Sunday) we tried to keep the children amused with card games. At 11 am. Frank and I were reading the papers when the 'phone rang. Jane answered it and then came through and said "That was Mikey. He says Sarah has been talking to him". It was, I think, the best news I had ever heard in my life. Frank and I sat there gulping and trying to keep stiff upper lips. Jane and Ann were clinging to each other (as ladies may). Young Lucy (ten) broke the tension by bellowing her (at the moment) favourite word :- "HALLELUJAH !!!!!!!!" . I'm going to shorten the whole thing now. Sarah had had bacterial meningitis. To try and keep things as normal as possible for the children (school, etc.) we (Ann and I, that is) took them home to Sarah and Mikey's on Sunday evening and stayed on. Sarah came home the following Sunday, and we eventually returned home on Friday last, 30th November. I'm sorry to have foisted all this onto any readers in such bald detail. It does, however, confirm my opinion, based on experience, that the really nasty events hit you out of a clear blue sky. Love to all, Mike and Ann.
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2 comments:
Bless you Mike, life is a fragile web which tenaciously weaves itself betwixt the thorny realities and nurturing possibilities at every level from the bio-chemical and cellular, somatic levels to the perceptual, cognitive, emotional and spiritual levels. We should only sparingly waste time or effort expecting the worst despite life's frequent reminders of its proximity. Life is too good to waste that way. Live in joy and rally-round and close up the ranks supportively when troubles and griefs approach.
Sarah was my first experience of a tiny baby when she lay on the kitchen table at W.H. Isn't it wonderful how babies engender love and delight in all who meet them, and how these bonds last for a lifetime (and beyond).
I know of two reiki masters and an old mage who whipped up the higher energies and sent them forth in healing and supportive blessings for Sal and you and those involved, I suspect there were more honest prayers of love said than you will learn of.
Thank you for sharing this with us. Love does not un-man us though it brings us to tears. The irresistible tears of love only show us that our love is stronger than the sum of our parts.
All blessings be ever with you and all our family.
C.
I remember very little of what happened over those few days when Mum was ill. It was all a bit of a blur. I wrote a similar blog a few weeks after she came home from the hospital, and reading it back, it's surreal to think that it actually happened. One always thinks of their parents as indestructable, a secure stability in ones life, and when that is threatened it's a very strange thing. I remember trying to tell Amelia not to worry and to relax and "everything will be okay", at the same time a doctor was telling the two of us that Mum may not survive the night. I can't imagine how everyone else must have felt during that time, I can't even really remember how I felt.
Anyway, we can only be thankful that my indestructable mother pulled through (although that is typical Sarah - will remain stubborn and strong at all times). And God bless her for it, I don't think any of us could imagine our lives without her.
Sophie.
xxx
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