Days of wine and roses

The last few days have been very positive. Things have been pretty good health wise, so there have been some opportunities to get out a little and break the soul-destroying tedium of Hospitalworld.

On Monday, I received a visit from my maternal grandmother. Nan will turn 96 next month, but she is still  fiercely independent. She lives at home and cooks for herself. She played tennis into her eighties. Nan could not entertain the thought of a nursing home. She lives life on her terms. I offered to arrange her a wheelchair to escort her from car to room and she would not have a bar of it. She would walk, slowly and proudly, all the way, by herself.

Nan is a lovely, gentle lady and I was very pleased that she was able to travel from Toowoomba to visit. My uncle Jim and auntie Annette were taking her for a short vacation to the Sunshine Coast, so they were able to stop by the hospital on the way through. It was good to see them. For a time, it looked like Nan would outlive me. Even when I get the transplant, it will be some time before I get to Toowoomba. For many reasons, it was a welcome and timely visit.

Yesterday, I got out for a pub lunch with my best mate, Rhino. It's been and long time since we've enjoyed a beer together and I daresay the only time we've only consumed one each. Rhino was able to make it to Bluesfest to see the Pogues, taking his older kids to experience some classic old people music. They got a good position close to the stage and were near enough for Shane MacGowan to spill a beer on them. Shane was, of course, very drunk but on song. Whilst I am disappointed that I could not get there, I was much pleased that Rhino could. His dear mother took a bad fall recently and it was difficult for him to get away. Rhino has been a terrific mate during this saga. We'll definitely get to Bluesfest next year.

Having a little lunch session at the pub should have been the prelude to a quiet relaxed afternoon, but my physiotherapist had other, more sinister, ideas. Lisa politely suggested a session of hill walking, just a little further and steeper than we had been doing previously. Lisa knows I cannot say no to her and she ruthlessly and mercilessly exploits this weakness for her own sadistic pleasure. Mind you, I cannot complain. She is invariably a pleasure to work with and has produced results.

Today we finished my medical stuff early and my lovely nurse Bridget suggested that Camilla and I check out Redcliffe or Sandgate for a seaside lunch. Bridget is full of good ideas and this was a particularly fine one. I had not seen the ocean for many months and we decided that a salty sea breeze was the perfect accompaniment to a decent meal. These areas were virtually unknown to us and we had never really given them much thought.

We chose to dine at Morgans, a fabulous purveyor of seafood overlooking the marina. We sat on the deck, breathed in the salt air and worked our way through an enormous platter of the freshest seafood, including Pacific oysters, Moreton Bay bugs, tiger prawns and spanner crab. It was divine. We then took a slow drive along the waterfront with the windows down. Then reluctantly it was back to the stark reality of Hospitalworld.

I apologise for being nauseatingly positive today. This Polyanna manner is completely out of character and I will make sure I take a strong dose of cynical pills and resume normal programming next post.


Until next time,