Pausing posts

Just a quick note from me to explain why I’ve not been writing anything or present on here for the past month or so.

Hello my friends, and sincere apologies for my absence here. I took a short break, but was aiming to pick up the thread again this month. Then life happened and it means I need to take a longer pause. For anyone with a paid subscription (thank you) I have put them on hold so you won’t be charged.

Mum and dad 3 years ago at Barrington Court

What happened? Well, it sounds simple to say that my mum fell and broke her hip. But anyone with an elderly dependent relative will know the complex cascade of events that one single accident can precipitate. She’s had emergency hip replacement surgery, but there are complications with recovery because she has Parkinson’s disease. The impact is as much mental as physical, and that tricky to navigate in a system that is set up for acute problems, but not for long term holistic care.

My life at the moment consists of going back and forth every day to the hospital with my dad who is 84. He also has a whole raft of health concerns due to Multiple Myeloma. All while simultaneously trying to juggle the end of term events for my daughter leaving Primary School. I’m the only child, the only driver, and the only wage earner in the family. Something had to give, and, unfortunately, that is my commitment to writing here each week.

I’ve got lots of things I could share about leaving one person behind at the hospital and finding another version of them when you return, caring for yourself while trying to care for others, and the strangely emotional process of turning a whole house upside down to create accessible accommodation. But all these themes will have to stay as notes on my phone for now.

See you back here soon, I hope.

Ali xx