Back home

Back in The Smoke after a whistle-stop tour of the provinces, I am hot and knackered again, with just a soupçon of headache bubbling under my consciousness.

I went home to see Dad, having weighed everything up and listened to my friends for once. I'm glad I went, especially as I now know that he's in much better shape than the family rumour-mill was suggesting. Yes, he talks bollocks all the time, yes, he forgets and yes he rambles without getting to the point (I think that bit's genetic), but frankly he did all that before his stroke. Most of the time he seems quite lucid, though he does go a bit vague at times. I'm not too worried, he is a rather frail 85 years old, but he still eats like a horse and still hates local government with a passion, so I expect to hear that he's back home in the next few days.

The only change I noticed is a tendency to some slightly delusional thoughts, but you can point out the inconsistency in his thinking and he at least gives it some consideration. He was convinced for a while that the bed-ridden 78 year old just opposite him was planning some kind of heist at the hospital. Dad decided to keep quiet just in case there was trouble.

I rather hate to disabuse him of all this, it's far more exciting than reality. Deep down I'm pretty sure it's all rubbish, too.

Oh well, that's it for now. I'll relate the fun of the journey later, if I cool down enough.

Back home

Back in The Smoke after a whistle-stop tour of the provinces, I am hot and knackered again, with just a soupçon of headache bubbling under my consciousness.

I went home to see Dad, having weighed everything up and listened to my friends for once. I'm glad I went, especially as I now know that he's in much better shape than the family rumour-mill was suggesting. Yes, he talks bollocks all the time, yes, he forgets and yes he rambles without getting to the point (I think that bit's genetic), but frankly he did all that before his stroke. Most of the time he seems quite lucid, though he does go a bit vague at times. I'm not too worried, he is a rather frail 85 years old, but he still eats like a horse and still hates local government with a passion, so I expect to hear that he's back home in the next few days.

The only change I noticed is a tendency to some slightly delusional thoughts, but you can point out the inconsistency in his thinking and he at least gives it some consideration. He was convinced for a while that the bed-ridden 78 year old just opposite him was planning some kind of heist at the hospital. Dad decided to keep quiet just in case there was trouble.

I rather hate to disabuse him of all this, it's far more exciting than reality. Deep down I'm pretty sure it's all rubbish, too.

Oh well, that's it for now. I'll relate the fun of the journey later, if I cool down enough.