Skip to main content

Many a Slip


Ah, why did I talk about light at the end of the tunnel? Less than two weeks after we gathered as a family to celebrate my parents-in-law being married for a magnificent sixty years, my poor MiL is in hospital recovering from an emergency hip replacement having broken her hip in a fall. Our immediate concerns are to help both MiL and Dil get over the shock and to do what we can to assist MiL’s recovery.

Comments

Teresa said…
After what you've been through with your Mother in the past years I'm sure you'll pull, and help pull them, out of this stressing times.
These are hard time for all the involved but I trust, and will pray, that soon it will be a memory of what is also part of Family Histories.
Hang in there. I'll pray for all of you, recovery for MiL and strength for all of you.
Teresa
Angela Britnell said…
Hope things are steadily improving and that she'll make a good recovery - I know how challenging it is for you and am thinking of you. Angela Britnell
Chris Stovell said…
Teresa, you're very kind as always, thank you. Your good wishes are very much appreciated. Cx

Angela, thank you - you've had more than your fair share of parental challenges. Cx
Frances said…
Oh Chris, I am so sorry to hear of your Mother-in-Law's fall. Scary stuff, such falls. I'm going to be thinking of you all, and sending lots of positive vibes your way.

(May I mention that I like Tom's painting very much, and wonder if there might be others in this series?) xo
Oh no! I so sympathise. Your poor mother in law. Hope you can all pull together to get to a better place. Remember this so vividly with my fil. Thinking of you all xx
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about her fall. It's a good thing you guys are close by and can help with the recovery process. I'm sending positive healing thoughts her way.
Chris Stovell said…
Frances, the positive vibes are very welcome, as are your words regarding Tom's paintings. There are a couple more in the series, yes! Cx

Elizabeth, thanks - you've been there and know how this feels. Cx

Unfortunately it's a 500 mile round trip every time, Chanpreet, so it's going to be challenging but your healing thoughts are much appreciated. Cx
Frances said…
It's me again, Chris, sending along more of those vibes, and letting you all know I do hope that you'll show all of Tom's series. Greedy? Well, isn't visual greedy a bit different from other greediness?

500 miles round trip is a long way. Stay strong, you all. xo
Chris Stovell said…
Lovely to see you again, Frances - not greedy at all, you're right.
Yes, it's a long trip - one we're going to have to get used to. Thanks for everything, Cx
Pondside said…
I was thinking of you today, Chris, because I am in Edmonton. I wonder if you still have a little family here.
I am so sorry to hear about your MIL 's fall and surgery. What an end to a difficult year! I know that you will all pull together, but still I am concerned for you and your energy. Take good care of yourself too. Easy to suggest, I know, and sometimes hard to do, but the advice comes from caring and from experience!

Popular posts from this blog

Happy Endings, New Beginnings

Blended families come with conflicting loyalties and at Christmas time nearly everyone has somewhere else they feel they ought to be. Throw partners into the equation and it gets even more complicated. Since Tom and I aren’t especially hung up about Christmas we’re happy to let our children go with the strongest flow, but I have to say it was a great delight to have the girls and their partners staying with us this year. When such moments are few and far between they become very precious. My stepsons weren’t far from our thoughts either, not least because we had the very happy news on Christmas Day that my elder stepson and his girlfriend had become engaged. Congratulations Dan and Gill, here’s wishing you every happiness together. Tom and I end a year that has seen the fruition of many years work, both of us crossing important thresholds within weeks of each other. I’m really looking forwards to seeing Turning the Tide published next year and it’s been so satisfying, after al...

Fly Free, Dottie Do

‘How many days to my birthday?’ Ma asks. I do a quick calculation. ‘Eighteen,’ I reply. ‘Eighteen days until your ninetieth birthday.’ Ma pulls a face and shakes her head. Every sentence is hard work for her now, when each breath is a struggle. ‘You’ll have to write a book about this, you know,’ she says, with one of her quick, mischievous smiles. ‘“Carry On Dying”. Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em cry.’ The smile fades. ‘Who knew,’ she adds wearily, ‘that dying would be such a palaver?’  It’s only eleven days since Ma was diagnosed with a high-grade, aggressive lymphoma, four days since she was overwhelmed with pain and breathing difficulties and was admitted as an emergency to hospital. Until a few weeks ago, she lived completely independently; shopping, cooking, cleaning and tending her much-loved garden. The deterioration in her health is shockingly rapid. The eight days preceding her death are a living hell, a constant battle with the ward staff to get Ma the pain relief she’s been p...

Since You've Been Gone

Well, Ma Mère, There have been so many times when I’ve gathered up all the little shiny moments I’ve collected during the day, ready to present to you in our evening phone call and then I remember all over again that you’re not there. But, Mum, so much has happened since you’ve gone - maybe you know, maybe you don’t - that I’ve decided to write to you instead.  A few days after you died, we sold our house! After all those months! We even joked about you rattling cages somewhere. At first, nothing happened and then suddenly everything happened at a breathless pace and the next thing I knew I found myself driving (yes, me, driving!) along the M4 to Bridgend and the Time Capsule House, the one you said you and Dad would have bought. I remarked, when we first viewed it that if it was meant for us, it would come to us. Over a year later, when it had been under offer twice, we moved in. Oh, Mum, you and Dad would have loved this house; it’s peak Seventies and the decor - the pampas ensu...