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Grinding On

Feb. 7th, 2015 09:16 am
poliphilo: (bah)
[personal profile] poliphilo
"You're tired," says Ailz.

"Yes," I say, " Bone weary".

 It goes deep- and comes of looking after my mother for a year and three quarters.

My mother sits at the breakfast table with the paper in front of her. These days she rarely gets beyond the front page. It's customary for her to fixate on one particular headline and keep asking questions about it. This morning she's picked on a banner at the top of the page- offering a free copy of the Railway Children in return for something or other.

"This is a book for children? She asks.

"It's E. Nesbit," I say. "It's a very famous childen's book." She looks blank.  I forbear to tell her that she was the one who introduced me to E. Nesbit fifty something years ago.

Date: 2015-02-07 11:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] splodgenoodles.livejournal.com

This disease is about chronic loss, I am sorry.

Date: 2015-02-07 04:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
We know how bad her short term memory is. Once in a while- as happened this morning- we learn how much she's lost of her past.

Date: 2015-02-07 12:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cmcmck.livejournal.com
Sigh :o(

HUGS

Date: 2015-02-07 04:22 pm (UTC)

Date: 2015-02-07 02:34 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] clindau.livejournal.com
I forbear to tell her that she was the one who introduced me to E. Nesbit fifty plus years ago. And life comes full circle.

Date: 2015-02-07 04:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
I feel more and more like the parent of a small child.

Date: 2015-02-07 03:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] porsupah.livejournal.com
Mm, Mum used to be a regular Daily Flail reader (and sadly, often swallowed their bait, leading to many, many attempts by me to dispel the notion of "Sharia Law in London", and all that rot), but that sort of fell by the wayside a few years ago. So, small mercies. =:/

You're being the finest son possible.

Date: 2015-02-07 04:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
It demonstrates just what a fragile. makeshift thing the personality is.

Thank you.

Date: 2015-02-07 04:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pondhopper.livejournal.com
I'm glad you didn't tell her. It would have confused her even more.
Dementia really is about chronic and constant loss.
:(

Date: 2015-02-07 04:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
I had thought her grasp on her childhood was reasonably secure. It seems not.

Date: 2015-02-07 05:59 pm (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
It's so sad. She introduced us to reading all those wonderful children's books, E. Nesbit, A. A. Milne, Betrix Potter et al. She had a love of art and historic places and took us around galleries and castles. We have to treasure these things and be thankful.
Jenny x

Date: 2015-02-07 06:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
And pass them on....

Date: 2015-02-07 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wyrmwwd.livejournal.com
Yes. I had a moment with My Favorite Pilgrim a couple of days ago. You think you are ready for it, and then it happens, it still takes you by surprise.

Date: 2015-02-07 06:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com
Yes, you can never be ready for moments like these.

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