RABBIT AND SOUR GRAPES

Now don't get excited this is not a RECIPE OF THE DAY post. Mick is a Londoner and uses a lot of cockney rhyming slang. Rabbit means Talk (rabbit and pork = talk) and that is what Mick has done plenty of today. In the last 12 months Mick has not spoken as much as he has today. His first words were "What Love" and from then on every few minutes a word or two would come out as a reaction to something I said. It was marvellous for Lynn as when she phoned he said "Hello Lynn". At one point he and I had a conservation - YES that's right - A CONVERSATION! I said something to him; he responded AND initiated a new topic. At one point this morning he had a very big cough, one that shakes your whole body and he said "I've pissed". I make no apologies for repeating his ineloquent language; he's a man and men say that sort of thing. I told him he shouldn't worry and explained about the padding he has on and he relaxed and said "OK". If this is truly a reaction to the patches then "bring it on". I know they can have side effects and I know if he does start to suffer from them then I shall have stop using them but for the moment I am making the most of every second.

Also the Hospice physio came today. She explained things about the positioning of Mick's head when eating etc and I'm pleased to say I've been getting that right. I asked about any gentle exercise I could do to help Mick to unclench his hands (its very difficult cutting his nails, which if left would dig into the palms of his hands) and to bring his arms down (very difficult feeding when his hand is in front of his mouth). Unfortunately because of the length of time his left arm has been clenched there is little I could do with it but she did show me some pressure areas to gently squeeze when I'm trying to move Micks right arm which has only been clenched for a year.

Now for the sour grapes. I won't go in for a mighty tirade it's been too good a day for that. I would just like to know WHY we couldn't have tried these patches a year ago and WHY couldn't Mick have had physio from the beginning........... Oh, one second, let me cast my mind back; I remember now! We were told it wasn't worth worth doing anything because Mick only had two months at most to live.... And in the words of Forrest Gump;

"That's all I've have to say about that".

painting by Sophie Dunlop (can't be sure if the grapes are sour though)