Whilst I was living with Michael's parents several things happened that I won't forget.
A Happy Memory
Day to day was sleeping, eating, appointments and therapy and finding everything we needed to survive. One of the things we needed were clothes for Cameron. We went into hospital in Autumn with a handful of clothes while the weather was still warm and came out in Winter, into the cold and rain. Both Grandmothers had found summer clothes for Cameron whilst he was in hospital but now he needed warm clothes so I enjoyed popping out and buying clothes for Cameron. It was a normal thing for a mother to do.
As I typed about Cameron's clothes memories started to flood back about what he wore and then I remembered the particular problem with his clothes in hospital. Cameron had a mainline which went into his body through the top of his shoulder. He still has a tiny little scar there today. The mainline administered medications into his body. It needed to be always visible and not kinked which made dressing him a little difficult because his shoulder needed to be exposed.
Great care was taken to buy and make clothes for him that had press stud openings on his shoulder. That was a challenge for his Grandmothers. It was nice once the mainline was removed and Cameron could wear any clothes I liked again.
A Sad Memory
My parents took a holiday and unexpectedly popped into see us one day while they were in the city - they lived a days drive away in the country. I was out when they arrived so they visited Cameron and Michael's Mum while I was out. I was overjoyed to arrive home and find them there and then shortly after they had to leave. I was devastated. Life was so challenging and I was missing my Mum and Dad. Everyone was being very kind and supportive of me but I needed my family and missed Michael all week. I cried a lot that night.
A Bad Memory
A terrible memory was a phone call. My parents called to tell me my Grandmother had been taken to hospital and the entire family was travelling in from their many locations around the state to be with her - it didn't look like she would be with us much longer. I loved Great Gran (what we called her when the Great Grandchildren started to arrive) so this news was devastating but my physical reaction shocked me.
I couldn't move. The thought of going back into a hospital and watching another family member face death froze me. I went numb and couldn't leave the room I was standing in. My brain froze, I truly didn't know what to do. I wanted to be there but I was terrified. Eventually I moved and started walking in circles trying to make sense of it all and that's how Michael's Mum found me. She realized I wasn't coping and offered to come with me and that was the only way I could take the first step towards another family crisis.
I'm pleased to say that Great Gran pulled through that health crisis and went on to have many more for another 14 years and when she did pass away at 97 years of age she had watched Cameron grow and shared many wonderful memories with him that I'll share in other posts.
A Happy Memory
Day to day was sleeping, eating, appointments and therapy and finding everything we needed to survive. One of the things we needed were clothes for Cameron. We went into hospital in Autumn with a handful of clothes while the weather was still warm and came out in Winter, into the cold and rain. Both Grandmothers had found summer clothes for Cameron whilst he was in hospital but now he needed warm clothes so I enjoyed popping out and buying clothes for Cameron. It was a normal thing for a mother to do.
As I typed about Cameron's clothes memories started to flood back about what he wore and then I remembered the particular problem with his clothes in hospital. Cameron had a mainline which went into his body through the top of his shoulder. He still has a tiny little scar there today. The mainline administered medications into his body. It needed to be always visible and not kinked which made dressing him a little difficult because his shoulder needed to be exposed.
Great care was taken to buy and make clothes for him that had press stud openings on his shoulder. That was a challenge for his Grandmothers. It was nice once the mainline was removed and Cameron could wear any clothes I liked again.
A Sad Memory
My parents took a holiday and unexpectedly popped into see us one day while they were in the city - they lived a days drive away in the country. I was out when they arrived so they visited Cameron and Michael's Mum while I was out. I was overjoyed to arrive home and find them there and then shortly after they had to leave. I was devastated. Life was so challenging and I was missing my Mum and Dad. Everyone was being very kind and supportive of me but I needed my family and missed Michael all week. I cried a lot that night.
A Bad Memory
A terrible memory was a phone call. My parents called to tell me my Grandmother had been taken to hospital and the entire family was travelling in from their many locations around the state to be with her - it didn't look like she would be with us much longer. I loved Great Gran (what we called her when the Great Grandchildren started to arrive) so this news was devastating but my physical reaction shocked me.
I couldn't move. The thought of going back into a hospital and watching another family member face death froze me. I went numb and couldn't leave the room I was standing in. My brain froze, I truly didn't know what to do. I wanted to be there but I was terrified. Eventually I moved and started walking in circles trying to make sense of it all and that's how Michael's Mum found me. She realized I wasn't coping and offered to come with me and that was the only way I could take the first step towards another family crisis.
I'm pleased to say that Great Gran pulled through that health crisis and went on to have many more for another 14 years and when she did pass away at 97 years of age she had watched Cameron grow and shared many wonderful memories with him that I'll share in other posts.
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