I'm a terrified writer. Unsure that what I have to say means anything to anyone except me. This column gave me some courage to comment on the time I took my mother to a neurologist in the mid-90's. Her friend had insisted that my mother showed signs of dementia that were similar to an elderly aunt of the friend. However, my mother's family physician told me not to worry about such things - "of course your mother forgets her keys occasionally." At that time, I had a toddler to care for, and I lived in another city, although, not far from my mother. After taking my young daughter to daycare, I drove to Cambridge to take my mother to medical appointments, seemingly on a daily basis. As the youngest child of three, and living in relatively close proximity to my mother, I felt completely incapable of being in this role. My older brother and sister lived in Europe, so it was up to me. My young daughter was unhappy in her daycare, but I continued to drop her off each day because my mother took priority at that time. I regret this. The sometimes inane questions that the neurologist asked required my mother to take time to respond, naturally. My mother was uneducated, having left school in Ireland at the age of twelve. It's only all these years later, that I realize I was not up to the task of this level of responsibility, not able to be fully present while I worried about my young child at the same time. I'm not a fan the medical profession at the best of times, and I hate to think I made decisions on behalf of someone else that I was incapable of making and were not in their best interest.
I did the clock test
The other day
Aced it
So obviously
I can drive
Another two years
The wonders of science!
I'm a terrified writer. Unsure that what I have to say means anything to anyone except me. This column gave me some courage to comment on the time I took my mother to a neurologist in the mid-90's. Her friend had insisted that my mother showed signs of dementia that were similar to an elderly aunt of the friend. However, my mother's family physician told me not to worry about such things - "of course your mother forgets her keys occasionally." At that time, I had a toddler to care for, and I lived in another city, although, not far from my mother. After taking my young daughter to daycare, I drove to Cambridge to take my mother to medical appointments, seemingly on a daily basis. As the youngest child of three, and living in relatively close proximity to my mother, I felt completely incapable of being in this role. My older brother and sister lived in Europe, so it was up to me. My young daughter was unhappy in her daycare, but I continued to drop her off each day because my mother took priority at that time. I regret this. The sometimes inane questions that the neurologist asked required my mother to take time to respond, naturally. My mother was uneducated, having left school in Ireland at the age of twelve. It's only all these years later, that I realize I was not up to the task of this level of responsibility, not able to be fully present while I worried about my young child at the same time. I'm not a fan the medical profession at the best of times, and I hate to think I made decisions on behalf of someone else that I was incapable of making and were not in their best interest.
I love Julian’s sense of humour, even in this, a very uncomfortable and worrisome situation
Rick Walker
He writes well.