Friday 10 April 2020

Good Friday

Sun, relatively high temperatures (low 20s Celsius) and the need to keep the abdominal ‘wound’ mobile encouraged us to get out.

A gentle 7km taking a relatively flat route. Very healing albeit more tiring than it normally would be.



I’m not at all religious and I couldn’t help reflect how growing up, society in the UK was effectively in ‘lockdown’ every Good Friday. As boring as that was as a child, I wonder now that we have lost something in the passing of those quieter days. This is the first year for decades when the atmosphere feels anything close to that.

It seems I’m in a reflective mood currently. My mother passed away after a brief final illness yesterday morning. I’m sad but not feeling particularly down about it as I think it was a release for her,  troubled and trapped by her dementia as she has been. Of course we mourn her passing and recognise we owe her everything.

It feels not unlike a Good Friday.

14 comments:

  1. Sorry to read about the loss of your mother. My condolences. That is a tough loss to take.

    It is a good Friday in that you are strong enough to make it out for a walk following your recent surgery.

    Thanks for the lovely, bucolic photos.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words Jonathan. We feel like we’ve been dealing with the loss of mum for a couple of years now. However, I’m sure there will be further twists to come in that road.

      The surgery was laparoscopic so relatively uninvasive. The surgeon’s advice was to listen to my body. I’m almost off painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Partly it’s because it doesn’t hurt much and partly it’s because I don’t want to numb the pain so I can use it as an early warning. I’ve kept well clear of the prescribed Tramedol.

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  2. Sorry for your loss. I felt the same about my dad, he had vascular dementia and it was just a relief after the deterioration. Glad your recovering well and I'm with you on pain killers, you need a bit of discomfort to know when your recovering!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain. It’s good to know we’re not alone in feeling like that.

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  3. Blimey, sorry to hear about your recent loss and I’ll health. Hope the current calm and the Spring weather help you regain your equilibrium.

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    1. Thanks JBM. Equilibrium maintained. When I want to get a bit of edge back I look at what a mess has been made of the current crisis and the meeja’s supine stance.

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  4. My pa-in-law went the same way (dementia) and by the time he actually died we had already mourned his passing many times.. best wishes and condolences...

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    1. Thanks Steve. That validation is very comforting.

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  5. The deer photo is superb for camouflage tones. Sorry to hear of your loss. As many have said, Many best wishes and condolences.

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    1. Thanks Mark.

      The colours of the deer change with the seasons and the vegetation. Remarkable when you think about it. We’re so lucky to have this close enough for daily walks (about 2km).

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  6. Condolences from all your readers, I'm sure. You clearly have a lot 'on your plate', which makes your positive and thoughtful blog post most impressive. Hope you are fully physically recovered soon, and always able to remember the good times with your mother, when she was her 'real' self.

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    1. Much appreciated David. The happy memories of her are predominant. To be honest the positivity was relatively easy to come by. We’re all relieved she’s at peace.

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