So the boy is home.I took a few hours off to get him from hospital on Thursday and I arrived at just after 8am to find him fully dressed,sitting on his bed with all his many bags packed around him!Obvioulsy he was ready to leave;).It took me a few trips down to the car to get all his things ready to go and was actually helped by one of the nursing staff with a wheelchair with the heavier bags;amazing how many books and magazines he accumulated during his staff,thanks to many kind donations.
After briefly seeing his doctor,we were given the bill(not dwelling on that ,thank you very much!) and then we left,with strict instructions from the girls’ pediatrician to arrange a date to go out for a meal with a beer or three as he wants to treat us.Splendid stuff!And then we were back home.
I went back to work after preparing the evening meal;amazing how damn easy shopping and cooking is without those pesky kiddies underfoot;)After work,I picked up the girls from daycare and Annie was beside herself;her teacher said that she had not settled down to her afternoon nap as usual as she had been so excited yet terribly worried that Kenichi would fall down the stairs at the hospital as he was leaving and need to spend another month there.Bless her.
We arrived home and Annie was out of the car like a shot and into the house.Kenichi was waiting for the children and Annie flew into his arms as he knelt down.Then I brought Millie and to our surprise she toddled over to Kenichi and her full speed and just threw herself into his arms.It was enough to make me well up.
We had an early evening meal and were presented with a large plate of fresh sashimi by our friend who also happens to be a fishmonger;nothing like good connections,eh! Kenichi and I shared a bottle or two of beer and after a bath,we were all in bed before 9pm.Annie is back on her futon on the floor next our bed(she slept in the bed whilst Kenichi was in hospital) and was quite happy.Millie doesn’t care as long as she has boobs near her when she sleeps.
It is SO nice to be able to pop to the shops alone now or cook in peace now.And to have some adult conversation.Annie is still on Cloud 9 and loves showing Kenichi how much she helps out now nowadays.Millie is rather clingy ,no doubt getting used to having Kenichi around again.And Annie and I managed to get our hair cut this morning which was bliss.I feel a lot better and Annie now has pretty short hair,much to my horror,but she wanted it shorter for winter she says.Hmmm.
And before I go,a wee ”Annie conversation” to add.This evening,we had roast chicken pieces with roast vegetables to accompany a couple of bottles of Beaujolais that a colleague of Kenichi’s popped in earlier today.The smell of the chicken and vegetables was lovely and after a hot bath we were all ready to eat and rather hungry.I took the chicken and the vegetables out of the oven .Annie came over to have a look;
Annie: Mmmmm,that smells lovely Mum.
Me : Good.You must be really hungry .
Annie: Yup,I am,and we’re having dead chickens tonight.Hooray!I love dead chickens!
What a way with words;)
My chickin lovin' gal...
…until Kenichi is home on Thursday.Yes,he is being let out;)
He will continue to do his rehab and has to wear his back-brace 24/7 except for showers.As for work,he insisted on returning ASAP and his doctor gave the OK.So he will back at work next week.I was horrified at first but had a quiet word with his doctor who basically said that the injury is permanent. What a shock.Kenichi will never be able to do any heavy work or lifting again but as long as he has a desk-bound job,all he can do is be careful with his posture and his spine.It is hard to come to terms with the fact that he will never be able to lift up his children again,unless in a sitting position,but hell,he walks and talks;)
There are two elderly gentlemen in the hospital who share a room.Both dress smartly each day and parade up and down the corridors.And both suffer from Alzheimer’s.
This evening,one had his bags packed and coat on ready to leave.The nurses gently lead him back to his room again and again.Then he made his way to the visitors area and walked to the public telephone.He sat down,put down his bag,took off his coat and carefully put a pile of coins next to the telephone ready to make his call.He spent at least 15 minutes trying to make that call but obviously had no idea what he was doing.
Then his roommate appeared and he gave his companion some advice.The two of them then tried and tried,doing the same thing over and over to no avail,making the same mistake of putting the money in first without lifting the receiver.Again,and again and again.
They looked so sweet,helping each other out to solve this great problem of how to make a phone call;in many ways it would have made a wonderful comic sketch.But however comical it may have looked to an on-looker with no knowledge of their illness’,it was quite pathetic to watch these grown men,no doubt proud and hardworking men in their heyday,flounder to do something as simple as pick up a telephone,insert some coins and punch in a number.But how wonderful that despite this all,they still helped each other out.
Laugh or Cry?It’s what life is about really,isn’t it:)
I really don’t have enough words to thank so many people for their overwhelming love and support over these past few weeks;Emails,telephone calls,texts,cards,letters and care packages,we’ve had them all.My local friends have been great and I have many text messages each day as friends check up on us as well as invites to eat out and homemade food delivered to the door.And even a branch from an orange tree,laden with fruit,so that the girls can help themselves.
However,what has,undoubtedly,touched me to the cor,is the fantastic support that I have received from a very special group of women : a few years ago,I joined an online support group for women in bicultural marriages around the world .I have met up with a few when possible in real life and when we meet,it is like meeting an old friend.This network has been my lifeline and helped me through many a dilemma .I always knew that I had friends through this network but never realised how good these friends were.Then,I unexpecdetly received an Amazon gift certificate from a group of ladies based in Japan.It was such a touching gesture and I cried when I read the mail at work .But then I started receiving care packages in the post from the same lovely ladies;books,magazines,CDs for the kids and me,DVDs,a chocolate advent calendar for the girls,writing paper and stamps,clothes for the girls,slippers,snacks,food,stickers ,puzzles and children’s books,homemade bread and muffins…the list goes on.And on.I am still in awe.And still reeling .And still feeling so very lucky that I am part of a new kind of community; a net community that can still offer the love and support to get one through those tough times.Yes,we do live in the middle of nowhere.But we are surrounded by people who love us.And whom we love.
I was talking about the glimpses of the silver lining to this entire episode.And now I have found it.And it is beautiful.
I thank you all.
NB I have closed comments to this entry;nothing can be added and I need no confirmation:)
Good god.The time is just flying past.And it is already November.And quite cold now…for us,that is,as a high of 15C is probably considered as being rather warm and balmy in the really cold parts of the world;)
Well,things remain pretty much the same.My mad routine is still in situ and we try to keep to it all the time,including days off.Work was insane last week but a couple of major presentations went really well which bodes well for the upcoming months and the coming year.A good tonic indeed after a lot of hard work.
Annie is helping me out so much from unlocking the front door for me when my hands are full,to feeding Millie,laying the table,feeding the dog(a lot easier and cleaner than Millie),answering the phone and the door and rescuing Millie when she gets stuck in various places around the house and garden.She is a good girl and growing up rather faster than I thought she would through this experience.
Emilie is still strutting her stuff daily at the hospital and quite the attraction now.Due to the colder weather,she wears a variety of woolly hats on that big old bald head of hers(photos to follow).And it looks rather comical as her legs and torso are still so spindly compared to the big thing on top.And up and down those corridors she goes,chuckling and often shrieking to herself and somehow attracted to the little wards in which lie the very sick oldies who are gasping for breath.
Kenichi is doing pretty well.His painkillers were cut from 3 doses a day to 2(morning and evening) this Monday.On the same day,he has also started some physiotherapy/rehabilitation and allowed to walk a little now.He says that he is sleeping incredibly well due to the “exercise”.He had an X-ray on Tuesday and the doctor says that they will take a further one next week and then on the 16th of this month,they will assess his situation;naturally we are hoping that he may even be allowed to come home although the journey to full health for him is still long and uphill.
His first room-mate went home after a four-day stay following a cataract operation.He was a fascinating character;around 70 years old,born and brought up in this town but went to work for the tuna boats at an early age,sailing the seven seas .He met and married a local woman on Cuba,and lived there for 13 years.They divorced and he left his daughter.He also lived for 5 years in Mexico .He is now retired and back in the town living with his second wife .He had no contact with his ex-wife nor daughter until his estranged wife became sick ,but she died a few months later.He was reunited with his daughter who is now our age and lives near Paris with her 2 daughters.He is planning to visit the there next year.And oh my,he had plenty a tale to tell and many that I didn’t hear but Kenichi will no doubt tell me all about when he comes home.
A second roommate went home on Monday morning;he had been transferred from a city hospital after a serious work injury involving a crushed hand.No more details required and the man in question was very quiet but had a few good waving matches with Millie as she went over to say hello and good-bye to him every visit.
Now he is rooming with an ex-student of mine,a bit of a naughty boy since I have known him,who is in hospital for “unknown” reasons;his mother,who usually talks my ear off when I meet her,has been avoiding me at all costs and I have seen her run in the opposite direction,and the boy’s name is being kept secret.The intruge is killing me and reckon it is a drug related thing.I just hope that is isn’t due to him being caught smoking weed or something as trivial.The boy(well,young man as he is 19) is amicable as ever and chats quite happily but on a drip,and no food since he was admitted last Saturday.
Yet again,may I thank you all for your continued love and support;so many mails have gone unanswered and I am so sorry.I try to reply to all my comments here as it is easier to do it in one fair swoop.Also,I have had cards and even a few parcels have arrived for us;I will be in touch with those who sent them but in the meantime,THANK YOU! It means the world to us and we are so very touched.Just to be thought of keeps us strong.
So that is us.I shall now look through our photo collection and try and find something that adds a bit of interest to an other boring post.
Baked Beans;a rare thing in Japan.Rebecca,you made Annie very happy last week(and me as I snuffled up the few beans left in the pan)
