It’s day three of dad’s incapacitation following his ankle break. A simple slip has resulted in a dramatic change to his lifestyle.
It is a really awful thing to have happened to him, particularly as he’s getting that wee bit older (and more determined to be able to do everything!) and he already has a disability and very limited movement in his ‘other’ leg. As we described it, dad broke his ‘good’ leg meaning he doesn’t have the luxury of being able to walk about on crutches as his ‘bad’ leg can’t support him. So, he’s housebound, chair and bed-bound and mum has to stay at home with him in case he gets himself into any scrapes (very likely!), leading to a rota of duties among siblings and grandchildren as we all try to make life as manageable as possible during this difficult period.
Bizarrely, it’s been good too, a crisis always draws family together, responding to a call to arms with the kind of immediacy that had me rushing out of the house in a mixture of PJs and clothes definitely meant for indoors – much to my sister’s ongoing amusement!
I think what I’m trying to say is that you can never predict what elements of your week or day will rise to the top of the importance list. Spontaneity and the ability to adapt are so key to everything we are. Life is an adventure, sometimes that’s a good thing and sometimes its more challenging and even incredibly scary but the main thing is that life (in my family certainly!) is never dull. We just have to be who we are.
Who I am at the moment is someone who has failed miserably to live up to my own pledge of writing 500 words of wee voices every day of this year.
I’d blame my dad’s accident but everyone that knows me will know that this is bollocks, if I want to do something I usually find a way. So, I’m behind, but I’m still aiming to be on track in the long term. Thankfully, following a really inspiring period at the very beginning of the year I was a wee bit ahead of the game which eased the pressure at the early part of this week but now I’m overdrawn. Very much in the red. Danger, dearg. I will make up for it all on Sunday with a mega session! I’m telling myself this because I really mean it.
I can’t play catch-up tomorrow as we’re all heading to my son’s mother-in-laws to officially welcome our gorgeous grandson Harris to the family. EXCITING! He’s two weeks old today and so joyful that every single time I think of him I smile. He’s such an inspiration. Last weekend I fed him and changed him for the first time and it is memories that this that make life beautiful. Even when there is pain.
My dad met his great grandson Harris last weekend, another generation folding into the way of the past before he stretches with confidence into his future.
How good is that. These are the lovely things that we need to cling on to, and rise alongside.
Margot McCuaig 