Sunday 27 April 2008

The other thing.....

...about having mothers to stay is that you can see where you get your own personality traits from.

My mother is stubborn as a damn mule.

She has a problem with her hip, and has done for a few years. It's obviously getting worse, to the point where she didn't even come for a walk with us this weekend. I could see her favouring it slightly and giving the odd wince as she got up from the sofa. My step-father confided that she almost had to haul herself upstairs and asked me if I'd have a word with her because he was at his wit's end.

"Mum, why don't you go and see the doctor if your hip is hurting you that much?"

"I have."

"When?"

"In December."

"And?"

"He gave me painkillers."

"Mum, that was four months ago, why don't you go and see him again?"

"Because he'll only give me more painkillers."

"But if you tell him how much it's hurting perhaps he can refer you for a hip replacement."

"Oh it's not bad enough for that yet."

"But it is, isn't it? "

"They need to sort my chest out first" (another problem, she gets short of breath and, apart from minor asthma, the doctor can't work out why.)

"But at least he could get the ball rolling. Promise me you will make an appointment."

"Yes OK."

And you know when someone says something just to humour you? I know that's what she was doing and she damn well won't go and see the doctor about her hip. I really wish my step-father had said something before I let her do the weeding yesterday, but she wanted to do it and is never happier than when she's pottering around in the garden.....at least the beds she was weeding are raised so she didn't have to do any bending.

I think I might print out Wake-up's recent posts and send them to her and see if that will give her a metaphorical kick up the butt.

6 comments:

  1. If your mom will come help me "weed out" my tumbleweeds, I will hog-tie her and take her with me when I go find out what's wrong with my back. I think we would get along marvelously.

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  2. I understand her reluctance. Doctors just want to give older adults pain killers - and send us on our way.

    It's like "Hey -- you're getting old, you're supposed to be falling apart."

    I get miffed!!

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  3. My father got sick -- he didn't call me OR his doctor. Thankfully, when my mother convinced him to let her call, the doc was willing to order something over the phone as he was too weak to get to the office for a visit. Thankfully, I live far enough away that I couldn't throttle him :D I hope your mom will get checked out. Stubborn doesn't get one far....

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  4. Hey! Stop talking about me! (Im sure she will be just fine!, We are all aware of our own bodies and what they can handle!)

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  5. I bet she thoroughly enjoyed weeding that garden so that's a good thing. I sure hope she gets the pain looked after. My husband's aunt had hip replacement surgery on both hips and is a completely new woman. She kept putting it off too and kicked herself after for leaving it so long.

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  6. Having watched Panorama last night and seen the state of hospitals with MRSA and C. Difficile I think your mother is wise to stay away from them until she really can't stand the pain any longer. I know it isn't right but she could end up far worse.

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