Operation Day

It has been a conscious effort on everyone's part for life to go on much as normal over the past month. Since we knew when Dad's op was going to be it has simply been a case of crossing fingers that he remains healthy and bug free so that the operation can go ahead.

Today is the day. He went in first thing this morning and was first on the theatre list. Mole and the halves took him in, which I think was, not surprisingly, very difficult. As I expected, Mole has been very stoic over the past month, as has the old boy, but I think leaving him this morning was very difficult for her.

As I mentioned earlier, Dad is an old fashioned, stiff upper lip character who is not known to wear his heart on his sleeve. I had my last conversation before the op with him yesterday afternoon which was, entirely predictably, exactly like so many others over the last twenty years in tone and content. We spoke about the op and he was reconciled to what he described as "necessary" and "boring", without which he would be "brown bread". I think he was very apprehensive about it and probably felt rather like that feeling of dread that you used to get as a child when going back to boarding school. You don't want to go, but you know you have to.

I sent Mole a text just before 7 this morning (when they were arriving at the hospital) asking her to give him a hug from me. I know that, at least on the surface, he wouldn't approve, but I hope that he appreciated it. Mole rang me when she got home and was very tearful. She has bottled up an awful lot of emotion over the past month and has done everything possible to carry on as normal, at a time when clearly things are not normal. She has been strong for Dad's sake, but she is only human and needs to let it all go from time to time. She is an emotional character........strong, but with a soft side. When she said goodbye to Dad this morning, there were tears in the eyes of both.......

In writing this I realise that I have not thought enough about Mole in the past month: carrying on as normal, insofar as possible, has been the game, but I should have checked in with her more, find out how she is, lend her an ear. I will not let it happen going forward.