Joyeux Noel...

There was a time many moons ago that the rhythm & routine that life offers me now would have been sneered at (shamefully by me).  Now I cherish it, it offers comfort, support, reliability and a cushion to fall onto when life & the universe throw a curve ball.
Since November life has been 'odd'.  Drama, sadness, joy and hope but all along Ive managed to cling to the routines and in some sense a state of normality.

On the 1st November Abba was run over on a zebra crossing (a long story but the driver was in total error), lots of bruising and grazing and the arm that was run over has a horrible break & friction burn.  Now the break is healed and the burn is healing we are waiting to hear from the plastics team to see what can be done for the scarring.  Im thankful that it wasn't worse, glad that Ive taught them all to cross the road and to check, check and check again whilst crossing.
November also saw a never ending stream of viruses clawing their way through the household.  You name it and apart from the flu we've had it.  It starts with one and works through all of us.
Ack the joys of a large family!

December seemed to be going well, right up till Christmas eve.  Then the dreaded call from Grans nursing home, a small fall but the doctor called to check her thought she sounded a bit wheezy.  5hours later in A&E and she was admited with pneumonia - given a 50/50 chance.  We agreed to a 24 hour stay to give her an intense course of IV antibiotics but being Christmas transport to get her home was non existent.  Depressingly the consultants once she was in hospital kept lowering her chances.  Thankfully Gran is the original 'come back kid' and went home on the 27th.  She's still on oxygen, but is alert, perky and now eating and I dont think that it is now just hopefulness when I say that I think she will recover.
It is my sad experience that once you hit a certain age that the medical world give up on you.  They forget to offer you fluids, forgetting that you have no strength to lift a beaker or control to use a regular cup.  That you may be old and your body failing but you still have dignity and would rather use a commode than wet a pad and sit on it till someone can be arsed to change it.  My list could go on and on and on...

Despite not getting home from A&E till 4am on Christmas day, Christmas this year has been one of the best I can remember for years.
The house was warm and full of love, the food was plentiful and gifts were received by all.  I am enjoying things as I used to.  A conscious effort to be more in the moment to acknowlege the small things which for me really do make the memories and life all the more happier.

There has been lots of crafting, crocheting, baking and lots of fun!  Photos will follow...we hope to make it for our annual New Years Day trip to Brighton.  It blows the cobwebs out and there is something special about sea air, so lots of photos to follow that.