Friday 16 November 2018

An Update on 'My Dad', MORE chores and a day off dieting.

IGNORING our current sulk Re. the L&L being closed above Gargrave again, I thought I'd stop a while and give you an update on my dad.

As one of you may recall (I forget what I write half the time too), just at the start of our first "season" my father became gravely ill - suffering a perforated bowel and resultant emergency colectomy surgery.  This of course happened when we had guests on board and were a long way from any way of me going home.  There was nothing I could have done even if I'd been able to go home but that didn't stop the feelings of guilt.  Luckily, my brother (and grown up children) live locally to the oldies AND they've a good network of friends/other siblings - ALL of whom took care of mother .

Dad had been struggling for many years with bowel related problems.  There must be some kind of genetic defect occurring as 4 of his siblings (no longer with us) all experienced similar - sometimes cancer related problems in that area and the remaining ones have various lower digestive problems...

He'd been struggling for as long as I can remember but if you've met my dad, you'll also know he's a right stubborn bugger.   headstrong/single-minded and refused to succumb to surgery.  None of us could understand why he'd not let the docs do what was needed a long time ago.  All this became apartment when dad was whisked into hospital and the choice was 23% live or do nothing and die.

THAT stark choice and the agony he was in, for the first time I've ever known, CHANGED his mind.

Of course you could argue that HAD he listened earlier, it could have been done under easier circumstances - with less complications etc. etc.  Hindsight is a pain in the arse wonderful thing.

The thing that DID become apparent to me, just on the other end of a phone, was the reason WHY my dad had been trying NOT to succumb for so long.  It turns out that he'd become the full-time carer for our mother... and obviously, he knew (even if he'd not been prepared to admit it publicly) that she needs constant care due to the combination of various conditions which have lead to mobility and memory issues. 

Being 100 miles away on a boat - often in the middle of nowhere was not the most useful places to be but being mindful of the daily falls and inability for her to get back up again (both knee replacements being useless) I arranged for the "Red button" to be installed so at least when she DID fall, help could be summoned.

Fast forward a few weeks after the operation, his stoma had began working, he was beginning to walk around the hospital and in HIS head, he was going to be back to normal in no time - acutely aware that he NEEDED to be back at home to take care of mum.

NONE of this he actually said of course - stoicism being part of his make up.

ANYWAY - after 6 weeks (I think) recovery, he talked the hospital into letting him home.

We had a break in guests, so the day after he got home, sorted out trains and cars and went to see him.  Talk about the walking dead- he looked totally defeated... knowing he'd come home too early but unable to admit it he did what he always does and that was to "get on with it"...

Fast forward another couple of months and he's just about back to normal - well, better than the normal he'd had for a long time.  He's got colour in his cheeks, can eat and drink anything he wants and - gaping hole where his stomach muscles used to be a side, is building up his strength like the super hero he is.   He's back to doing everything at home to look after mother and all with a kind heart - it's not everyone who'd be able to do that.


Super heros come in all shapes and sizes... even in Ginger and I have to say I'm really proud of my dad - of course I'd never tell him that... well you don't do you? 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Boaty wise, (and STILL ignoring the closure further up the L & L) I've been tinkering here and there.

I attached the chain to the chimney thingy so as NOT to end up trying to fish it out of cut if the wind takes it off.
Putting the chain on, SHOULD of course, mean it'll never blow over - fair enough... I'll take that.

ANOTHER chore that present itself (and which WASN'T on the list) was the toilet solenoid again... it looks like it's going to become a twice a year job this "cleaning" the valve.  Luckily, it's not an unpleasant task, just a pain in the arse as I can't (without my glasses)  - (which are never find-able) see the screws that hold it together.



It's just a matter of wiping around the rubber with a cotton bud and it's NOT even very dirty when you get it apart... it is dirty enough though for it to stick and leak water into the bowl however...

When that was done, I set to and began fitting the little recessed door handles (they've been in a cupboard for months) to the kitchen cupboard doors to replace the temporary ones I fitted AGES ago.

The temporary ones were OK but when you "squeezed" past someone in the galley, you would catch your clothes on them - ripping my favourite shorts on many occasions.



I'll fess up here - I measured the handles using a manual micrometer to ensure I bought the correct sized flat drill bit - ahem, I measured wrong so ended up cutting a 32 mm hole where I SHOULD have cut a 35 mm hole... and it's quite hard to then enlarge.  HENCE the gluing and clamping that went on to remedy the mistake.

It's done now so the days of snagging your clothes are no longer.

Today, (15th) is my mum's and brother birthday - as such, we've had a run up to see mother and take a selection of birthday buns... Sampling 3 of them before we arrived lol ... AND we're not going to the gym either so ner ner!

Until next time...



No comments: