OUT OF THE WOODS & INTO THE TREES

thanks for the email, mr k
much appreciated...
good news!
unplugged
delinked
disconnected from her life-sustaining matrix
barbara oliver
(bo - school nickname 'lifebuoy')
tucks into her first proper meal for months
a plate of hospital veggie lasagne, no less!
suffering no ill effects
she takes this big leap for stomachkind
in her stride
just as she has taken in her stride
long months of worry, hassle and uncertainty
the doctors
the nurses
the consultants
the surgeons
the physiotherapists
the dieticians
the appointments
the cancellations
the tests
the scans
the investigations
the visits
the drugs
the injections
the bed pans
the hair falling out
all the rigmarole and the malarkey
even with the state of the art wizardry
the queen elizabeth has to offer
1 in 20 still don't make it
but i'd bet on old barbara anne pulling through
amazingly she is discharged and back home
just a week after the op
and it's already yesterday
when i go round
things are back to something disarmingly like normal
dad fusses around
does all the housework
waits on barbara hand and foot
gently reminds her
to keep up her hourly breathing exercises
and her muscular stretches
checks she's taking the right pills
at the right time
there's nothing like this kind of event
to make you take stock
i have often criticised
even resented my parents
for their innate conservatism
their inbuilt caution and inertia
their deferential attitude to power and authority
but i have to concede to them
one of their greatest assets
apart from their love
their reliability