Going Gently

Last night was a case in life imitating blog, as I called into one of the medical wards at work before my night shift on duty.
I found Uncle Bert, deeply unconcious and fading after a major stroke earlier in the week

but he did look very peaceful and settled , and was surrounded by a doting family that clearly loved him.

Suddenly I was reminded of my favourite book that "inspired" the very title of this blog. Going Gently,by David Nobbs, is an affectionate and witty look at family ties, the choices we make, and the situations we're forced to accept as life marches on, and strangely enough centres upon a hospital patient. Kate Thomas, 99 years old, lies paralysed on her hospital bed. Unable to move, she decides to relive the momentous events of her life: four husbands, six marriages and an unexplained death. To solve the mystery she goes back to her childhood in Wales, her sweetheart who died at the Somme, the many men she has known and the four children she has borne, one of whom must be the killer

The strength of this book does not lie in the mystery within the story but with the power of the family relationships portrayed ,Being surrounded by people that love you at the very end of life is something we all kind of want, and need, David Nobbs captures all this so very well in Going Gently, and seeing the reality of Bert with family, Margaret, Karen and Ian was a weirdly strange deja vu sort of moment. It was lovely to see them all together.

There was nothing I could do to help last night, save for the odd platitude and some time and effort.but I was glad I called in to offer at least some support.. The night shift last night was dreadfully busy (when isn't it ?) and I didnt get home this morning until 9.30 am., which meant that I had no sleep again (well until I had a nap at 5pm this evening)- which has totally buggered up my body clock.

Nu rang with the sad news that her sister died today after a long illness. It has been a weird, terminal kind of 24 hours.