The garden, mother and me

Page 41 Have wheels will go places . Well mother now has a wheelchair and this means I can get her out more. Which is something mother has also realised. “Can we go out to buy me some more trousers” mother asks expectantly. The last time I tried to buy some trousers for mother I could not find the right leg length (mother is challenged in the leg department) and also she needs a wider leg at the bottom, as her legs swell. “Of cause we can now we are able to get you most places, I will put the chair in the car ready” and off I go to dutifully carry out my words. “Which shop are we going to mother?”   “That one I like on the retail estate” mother had made up her mind. (I have already looked in there, still it’s a trip out) For once I managed to find a parking space right next to the doors, mother eased herself out if the car and into the chair and off we went. “I do feel silly sitting in this thing ” mother moaned “Honestly mother you look fine...

Page 40 To enable independence is hard when mother resists. Mothers foot maybe better but the problem she had has taken its toll. Before the gout episodes she was able to walk quite well, but now she struggles to go any distance at all. I have suggested we get a wheel chair for her to use, just so she can get out the house, but no that was dismissed. “Are you coming shopping today, you can sit in the car and watch the world go buy” I say to mother hopefully. “Yes I think I will, take my walker as I need to go to the bank” mother replied. I just agreed and thought to myself how on earth is she going to walk to the bank and back to the car. Mother struggled to get to out the house and into the car, puffing and panting as if she had run a marathon. I put the walker in the car and off we went. All the way to the bank mother sat in silence not a word was spoken, even when I pointed things out to her I just received a, oh yes. As we approached the bank mother asked me...