At home, at last, part 2

Posted in: Injury Time

Saturday afternoon... ambulance rolled into Hamilton Mews and already a crack taskforce of agents of household transformation were at work: Nik, Eva, my parents, and some passing South African party-goers, building plinthes, shifting boxes, hoovering, gardening, occasionally cursing...

The conservatory was converted into a bedroom, made easier by my recent(ish), and almost prescient futon purchase. The leftover boxes from NZ were put outside under tarp, the lounge cleared for access mostly by pushing the coffee table back. Some immense amount of hoovering, sweeping, cleaning, cleansing, and caring went on. The ground floor, besides being wheelchair accessible(!), looks incredible.

Thank you everyone!

Saul and Stephen joined, and the evening was rounded off with a trip to Calcutta Notebook, a fantastic Bengali restaurant right outside the house. Paying for the dinner felt like so much blowing in the wind compared to what everyone had done.

As I write this Monday 13th, it's been a few hours since my parents left and in effect the first time I've been out of direct care for exactly a month. An odd sensation. Initially, after the accident, I felt awkward with all these people doing things for me, frequently unbidden, and always incredibly helpful and thoughtful. There's no point fighting it (which I think I did a bit), or being mock "oh, really, you mustn't" (which I hope I didn't, at least much). Being able to accept help is something I had at least a slight difficulty with, as I think it is with many people. Rationally, I similarly suspect most people would realise this is daft since they would help out in the exact same circumstances. When I'm asked for help it very rarely feels like an imposition, unless I'm really, really under definite and immediate pressure. I think most people it's the same; there's a gratifying, life-affirming reward from simply helping another. So why should it be that way for anyone else?

Ask for help, you know it makes sense! :-)

Posted by Paul Makepeace at June 13, 2005 23:30 | TrackBack