Our drive to Leeds this weekend was different. We didn’t have to pass any asinine comments about ridiculous ‘Smart Motorways’ because none seemed to be working! I’m not sure what instructions are given to people who remotely control them. They cannot possibly be aware of the bottlenecks and chaos they cause when speed limits are introduced for traffic that is flowing smoothly! Apparently there have been a number of deaths as the hard shoulder becomes a normal traffic lane. Breakdowns have nowhere to pull over and wait for assistance. Surely this must have been discussed when the powers that be made the decision to introduce this ridiculous system!
So our trip to Leeds was a pleasure! We arrived stress free and ready to take my mother in law shopping in Wetherby. I had spent an hour with my mother in the morning. She had not eaten but had taken a few sips of tea. There was no recognition when I arrived and she refused her energy drink. There was little one sided conversation before my mother closed her eyes and nodded off, ignoring my gentle coaxing.
So different to my mother in law who is still as bright as a button and very up to date with current and world affairs. She reads her newspaper every day, leads a busy social life and, despite being physically slightly frail, soldiers on with fortitude and a good sense of humour! My mother was physically fit and mobile until the last few months when dementia has taken a firm hold and she is now in the end stage of this evil, debilitating, cruel disease.
But there are a few evil, debilitating, cruel diseases that remain incurable. My husband’s cousin has just passed away, aged sixty three, from Huntington’s Disease. So desperately sad and such a waste of a brilliant mind and a genuinely lovely person. Life can be so unfair! To add to this nightmare, their daughter has a fifty percentage chance of inheriting this gene and has to live with this awful sword of Damocles hanging over her! It’s like my sister, brother and I. We have dementia in our family from both my mother and my father so there is a very good chance that one or all of us have inherited this gene! I’m not taking the test! I’d rather hope that a cure is just around the corner and try to make the most of my life while I am still fit and well. Or I can curl up in a ball and wait for something awful to happen! I’ve made my choice!
We met my husband’s cousin for dinner and I was really impressed. She was so pragmatic and grateful to be out spending time with us. We don’t meet up often so had a lot to speak about and this, I hope, took her mind off her desperately sad loss. Her husband had been in a care home for a few years so she was used to living on her own. Certainly not an ideal situation but going home to an empty house had become the norm and not something to dread. A small mercy to be grateful for!
On Sunday we drove home via my daughter and her husband’s house. They are in the throes of major renovations but progressed enough for us to have a good idea of the end result! They are making their house a home and ensuring that they have everything they want and of the best quality so that they won’t have to change or renew anything for many years to come! Sensible and encouragement to get through the chaos! There is light at the end of their tunnel!
Another week has passed. We’re into February already. The snowdrops are out and I have filled my house with daffodils! The mornings and evenings are getting lighter and I’ve heard the woodpecker! Always heralding the start of Spring! I know it’s a bit early but the signs are out there and I’m going to run with them! š
Jenny Burrell 