Our few days away...
I took the boys down to England to visit my Mum and other members of my family earlier this week.
My Mum is 85 years old and is wonderful. She's a bit wobbly on her legs and a bit deaf, but otherwise is amazing for her age. She lives in accommodation for older people which is overseen by Wardens who make sure all is well with everyone there. Being up here in Scotland, it is very comforting to know she is being looked after whilst maintaining her independence.
I noticed a couple of things that made me think - will I do that when I'm older? Things like introducing myself by firstly telling my age, then my list of ailments and finally my name. Have you ever noticed that is what older people do? "Hello love, I'm 82 you know?" Don't be fooled into thinking this is a real stand-alone question - never attempt to answer because they haven't got all the information out for you to respond to yet! You may be forgetting that you have to firstly hear the ailment list. "I've just had my gall-bladder taken out and I told the doctors - just whip it out lovey, I'll do just a well without it. If I survived the war I can survive a little cut, can't I? Would the little ones like to see it? It's just in this jar" This is the time you can respond. There will be an audible pause. Good responses are "You're amazing" or "I hope I look as good as you when I'm 82". Yes, by the way, it probably is in a jar in the handbag - and no, don't let your kids see it!
Another thing I noticed starts even earlier. My good friend Big A was in hospital recently. Big A is only 56, but still did what I notice older people doing. It is basically forgetting that sound travels through air. I was visiting Big A in hospital and he was telling me what a p.i.a. the guy in the hospital bed was - so loudly it was untrue. He said if this guy didn't stop ringing the f*ing nurses' bell he was going to put it somewhere the sun don't f*ing shine. (Few more f*ings, but you know what I mean?) This guy was about 8 feet away. OK his curtain was around his bed, but since when did they provide soundproof curtains on the NHS? We visitors start wishing the chairs we are sitting on would swallow us up like in some crappy horror film!
So will I do all this when I get old? Probably!
My Mum is 85 years old and is wonderful. She's a bit wobbly on her legs and a bit deaf, but otherwise is amazing for her age. She lives in accommodation for older people which is overseen by Wardens who make sure all is well with everyone there. Being up here in Scotland, it is very comforting to know she is being looked after whilst maintaining her independence.
I noticed a couple of things that made me think - will I do that when I'm older? Things like introducing myself by firstly telling my age, then my list of ailments and finally my name. Have you ever noticed that is what older people do? "Hello love, I'm 82 you know?" Don't be fooled into thinking this is a real stand-alone question - never attempt to answer because they haven't got all the information out for you to respond to yet! You may be forgetting that you have to firstly hear the ailment list. "I've just had my gall-bladder taken out and I told the doctors - just whip it out lovey, I'll do just a well without it. If I survived the war I can survive a little cut, can't I? Would the little ones like to see it? It's just in this jar" This is the time you can respond. There will be an audible pause. Good responses are "You're amazing" or "I hope I look as good as you when I'm 82". Yes, by the way, it probably is in a jar in the handbag - and no, don't let your kids see it!
Another thing I noticed starts even earlier. My good friend Big A was in hospital recently. Big A is only 56, but still did what I notice older people doing. It is basically forgetting that sound travels through air. I was visiting Big A in hospital and he was telling me what a p.i.a. the guy in the hospital bed was - so loudly it was untrue. He said if this guy didn't stop ringing the f*ing nurses' bell he was going to put it somewhere the sun don't f*ing shine. (Few more f*ings, but you know what I mean?) This guy was about 8 feet away. OK his curtain was around his bed, but since when did they provide soundproof curtains on the NHS? We visitors start wishing the chairs we are sitting on would swallow us up like in some crappy horror film!
So will I do all this when I get old? Probably!
2 Comments:
Hehehehe... that's so true about older people! My grandmother recently had her 75th birthday and though we were having a party for her out on the patio, she spent most of her time in her bed with each of us going in to visit with her and have her tell us of her most recent hospital stay. It was frightening and surreal. Drinking was really the only option at that point. ;)
I find that drinking is the only option most of the time!! Cheers for your comment!
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