Today was the day that the dreaded news came through. My sister in law, Alison died this morning.
We'd been to the pictures to see a preview of a new Disney film called Tangled (about Rapunzle) when we came out there were missed calls on Peter's mobile. We guessed what they were about but we waited until we got home to ring back.
After lots of hugging and crying it was hard to know what to do with ourselves. Eventually I decided to take the dogs for a longer walk. The route we took takes us through our village across fields and onto the tops of some hills where it is always cold even in summer. Over various stiles and across a road and it seems you are a million miles from civilisation. Bear has to be kept on a lead at this point as he has started chasing sheep for some reason but Evie runs and runs and forgets that she is getting on a bit until she is snuggled up at home again.
There is a stream in the bottom of the valley that Evie loves pulling stones out of. Some these stones are nearly as big as her head but still she dives in for them. She comes out looking like a wire haired terrier.
Up the valley to a stile and follow a footpath and you are in Birkenshaw village. Cross the road and along a small street and you get onto a footpath at the back of the church and then up a few more streets you eventually come to the bottom of the moors where we frequently walk them. Up over the moors eventually dumps us back on our doorstep again.
Showing posts with label sad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sad. Show all posts
Monday, 24 January 2011
Friday, 21 January 2011
Day Twenty one. A sad day but not the end...yet!
I has intended getting up at some unearthly hour to go for a run but had a lousy night with coughing and waiting for a phone call. The phone call never came so after a shower and breakfast we set for the hospital an hour and a half away.
When we got there my sister in law was awake and had various drips and oxygen but the hospital said they were slowly withdrawing her medication of turning the oxygen down and eventually taking it off altogether. They said she might go quite quickly or may keep going for 2-3 days.
To begin with my partner (her brother) and I were the only ones there. We sat and talked to her until the staff said they wanted to clean her up and tidy her hair so we went to the cafe. When we returned her mother and stepfather were in the waiting room. When we went back in they had removed all but the oxygen mask. When her three children and estranged husband turned up they removed the oxygen mask. Alison kept breathing for herself. We were all in tears and strangely silent. I wanted them all to talk and remember good times like when my mum was in hospital but we sat in silence.
Eventually I went outside to ring my stepson to see if he was coming to the hospital or going home to be with my 13 year old daughter after she came from school. He opted to go home. While I was talking to him I walked around the hospital grounds. After I finished talking to him I decided to ring my brother who I hadn't spoken to for a while and I was on the phone to him for nearly an hour still walking around the hospital grounds.
Therefore without thinking about it I walked around for about 1 hour 10 minutes.
We left around 5pm. There had been no change in Alison's breathing and we kissed her goodbye assuming that we won't see her again.
I feel exhausted now.
When we got there my sister in law was awake and had various drips and oxygen but the hospital said they were slowly withdrawing her medication of turning the oxygen down and eventually taking it off altogether. They said she might go quite quickly or may keep going for 2-3 days.
To begin with my partner (her brother) and I were the only ones there. We sat and talked to her until the staff said they wanted to clean her up and tidy her hair so we went to the cafe. When we returned her mother and stepfather were in the waiting room. When we went back in they had removed all but the oxygen mask. When her three children and estranged husband turned up they removed the oxygen mask. Alison kept breathing for herself. We were all in tears and strangely silent. I wanted them all to talk and remember good times like when my mum was in hospital but we sat in silence.
Eventually I went outside to ring my stepson to see if he was coming to the hospital or going home to be with my 13 year old daughter after she came from school. He opted to go home. While I was talking to him I walked around the hospital grounds. After I finished talking to him I decided to ring my brother who I hadn't spoken to for a while and I was on the phone to him for nearly an hour still walking around the hospital grounds.
Therefore without thinking about it I walked around for about 1 hour 10 minutes.
We left around 5pm. There had been no change in Alison's breathing and we kissed her goodbye assuming that we won't see her again.
I feel exhausted now.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Day Twenty, Some Good News, Some Bad News
I have been coughing all night on and off but still don't feel 'ill'. It's not a chesty cough just a sore, tickly throat.
Today was swimming day and I nearly talked myself out of going. Did I feel like going? What if I coughed too much in the water? Did I have a headache coming on? etc. BUT I went, later than I normally do but I went. I did 36 lengths (three quarters of a mile)in 32 minutes. So it wasn't a washout after all.
This evening I also went circuit training. My legs felt heavy while running around the room but not too bad other than that.
The bad news is that my sister in law is being taken off the life support machines and drugs and isn't expected to last through the weekend. In fact the latest telephone call said that she is unlikely to survive tomorrow. Depending on the news in the morning we will be going across to the hospital to say goodbye to a beautiful 46 year old woman, a wife, a mother, a sister and a daughter!
Today was swimming day and I nearly talked myself out of going. Did I feel like going? What if I coughed too much in the water? Did I have a headache coming on? etc. BUT I went, later than I normally do but I went. I did 36 lengths (three quarters of a mile)in 32 minutes. So it wasn't a washout after all.
This evening I also went circuit training. My legs felt heavy while running around the room but not too bad other than that.
The bad news is that my sister in law is being taken off the life support machines and drugs and isn't expected to last through the weekend. In fact the latest telephone call said that she is unlikely to survive tomorrow. Depending on the news in the morning we will be going across to the hospital to say goodbye to a beautiful 46 year old woman, a wife, a mother, a sister and a daughter!
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