This morning, Eldest went back to school for the first time since early November. Just for the morning; so as not to tire her out. It's a gradual getting-back-to-normal process.
Things are settling down: now Eldest is no longer confined to bed, we are eating at the table instead of perching around her with dinner-trays on our laps. The other day I went to Dunelm Mill and spent a gazillion pounds on cushions, in an attempt to pretend that the electric hospital bed in our tiny living room - still needed for daytime physio - is actually a perfectly acceptable day bed. The metal cot sides detract from the look, but you can't have everything.
The children are back in their own room. (Littlest refused to sleep in the bunk bed alone, and slept on the sofa next to her sister for six weeks. Any fears we might have that sleeping in the same room would wear off in a couple of weeks have been delightfully unfounded.)
A lot has changed due to Eldest's surgery, and though we can glimpse now what the benefits may well be, there's a lot of road to travel yet. But life is often topsy-turvy; it's time to start focusing on what's normal, not what's not.
And to thank you all for your patience and your kind words during this particular Winter of Weird. Receiving comments from people I have never met, showing such affection and hope for our family, has been incredible.
Delighted to hear Eldest is doing so well. And impressed that you managed to get out of Dunelm Mills with only cushions. I usually end up with sheets, cereal bowls, weird kitchen gadgets, bean bag beans.....
ReplyDeletemay normal continue to...normalise.
ReplyDeleteoh, Lynda - that place is terrifying! I always end up having to convince myself that a coloured mop will NOT change my life.
ReplyDeleteBig baby steps. Your post reminds me of when I got home from hospital when I was 12 to find that my parents had bought me a duvet - we'd only had blankets before that. It felt like sleeping in a cloud. I wonder if Dunelm does a sideline in clouds?
ReplyDeleteLove to hear things are slowly getting back to normal. You are all very very brave!
ReplyDeletetake one step at a time back to normal, with plenty of breaks along the way for coffee... x
ReplyDeleteHooray for getting back to normal (and for sisterly solidarity).
ReplyDeleteI think I am grateful for the lack of a Dunelm Mill in these parts.
The perils of Dunelm Mill!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that normal is making a comeback :D
Thank you for this update - I was just wondering.
ReplyDeleteYes I'm with blackbird - it is so good to hear from you about how it is all going.
ReplyDeleteBuying cushions is a tricky business. What will happen to them when they are not needed for the day bed? There will be a proliferation of cushions, perhaps two or three to every sitting space on the sofa and chairs. Soon they end up jammed willy nilly into corners and crevices, like fabric-based poly-filler.
ReplyDeleteAlways good to read one of your posts.
Normal can be the most wonderful feeling.
ReplyDeleteBe well.
Such a lovely post to read. Although it pains me that you are 'styling' the living room. Hooray for eating at the table and hooray for Eldest's good recovery so far. I bet the girls are both pleased to be back in their room. xxx (Although I imagine that you aren't much fond of the xx kiss but from here, darling, it's the best I can do, I mean well.).
ReplyDeleteThank you for the update, I think about you frequently. It's good that the girls are still sleeping in the one room, you didn't think that would last did you? I guess that going to school for a short while will help your Eldest to get on the road to recovery.
ReplyDeleteI went to a Dunelm just before Christmas, I couldn't find a thing that I wanted, mind you - I hate shopping anyway.
So happy to hear that things are progressing!
ReplyDeleteGood, this sounds like things are going well.
ReplyDeleteApproaching something that might be normal sounds good. I am glad for you all.
ReplyDeleteSo many good things to think about in this post...the electric day-bed with cushions galore...family meals with Eldest...and Littlest devotedly sleeping on the sofa. Can you let go of the worry just a little bit now? I hope so.
ReplyDeleteSo so so pleased that you are haome again, and that eldest has been able to go to school for a short while - yay!
ReplyDeleteSince I have moved offices there is now a dunelm mill on my route to and from work.....fortunately I am so good at losing track of time that I am usually running out of the office with barely enough time to get back to the school gates before the bell rings so I have managed to avoid the lure of the coloured mop...
So happy that all is progressing nicely, even though you still have to deal with the behemoth in the living room. Now it's time to focus on self-pampering and that one pinboard with the award-winning rest areas. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI've been offline for too long and missed so much - I'm glad she's doing well, that you all are and am sending my hopes that this year is gentle and kind to you all
ReplyDeleteThat sisterly thing brought tears to my eyes. Pleased to hear the new normal is ... going well.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that things are changing and that you are all as well as can be. Sending love and kind thoughts
ReplyDeleteThat's great news. I hope things will continue to get more normal.
ReplyDeleteThe sisters sharing is utterly lovely - very special siblings!
No Dunelm Mills in these parts I think, but making a note to run if I ever see one. Sounds a bit scary.
that's good news! (last time I went to Dunelm Mills I went in for pillowcases and came out with a laundry basket I didn't know I needed!
ReplyDeleteWeird.
Could someone invent a bed that does what is needed to be done, but doesn't look so institutional? I think it would be a greater invention than we might have realised.
ReplyDeletexx
Glad to hear Eldest is doing so well
ReplyDelete