My darling was 69 yesterday and we are both exhausted after a hectic but very enjoyable few days. His celebrations began Sunday lunchtime with the arrival of our eldest son, wife and two sons, 4 & 6. The boys came in with gas filled balloons, "So grandad can see them when he lies in bed". They let go of them above his head and all laughed as the strings were a bit long and touched C's nose. C made his laughing noise. We cut the strings a bit shorter. By this morning, unfortunately, they had lost all the gas but it was good while it lasted. On Monday we all went to a play park and it was so good having others to help transfer C to his wheelchair. I took the PEG pump with me so was able to enjoy the posh picnic bought by our youngest son and his wife who joined us in the park.
When we got home my brother and his wife arrived as well as a very dear friend who brought C an early birthday present of a tub of ice cream which he has already sampled.
Yesterday 2 of the boys and families were all here when we also had four other friends arrived, my brother and wife called again and we had 5 phone calls. The comment from one of our sons was, "And we were worried you would be alone".
I was really touched at the thought that went into gifts. As well as the ice cream he had a very nice body spray and shower gel. The boys clubbed together to get a photo put on canvas. It was of all the family which was taken at the recent wedding we couldn't attend. They also gave him "The beach in a box". It was a variety of pebbles of different shapes and sizes so C can hold them and feel the shapes, a perfumed sea salt candle, a wooden starfish, again very tactile, 3 CDs all with music and songs connected to the sea, and a stick of rock they said I can put on his tongue so he can taste the mint...not sure about that but will try. He also had new hand and bath towels and a bottle of Bailys. Several of his cards were sound cards, birdsong, and music. I didn't hang them up. He also had 3 ecards I was able to show him on my iPad.
By 3pm yesterday everyone had gone as our eldest son and family had a 3 1/2 hour journey home and we both flopped and slept for two hours. Our middle son telephoned on the evening and was on the phone for an hour. I was sitting outside C's room on the patio in the moonlight and our son was sitting in a field having erected his dome for yet another festival.
So the birthday celebrations have ended for another year and everything is back to "normal" and it was great while it lasted.
X
Sandy left us yesterday.
Wrong and rights
