They were there for the joy of a beating heart and the birth of a beautiful girl.
They were there when she was diagnosed.
They were there in the long days and nights in the special care baby unit, when she couldn’t breathe or feed.
They were there when she needed help with moving, speaking, eating, walking, learning.
They were there when her spine needed bracing and fusing.
They were there when her moods spiralled.
They were there with her medicines and scans.
They were there with their advice.
They were there with their hugs.
They were there for scares about big diseases.
They were there when more black holes on more empty ultrasound screens destroyed hope.
They were there for the joy of another beating heart and the birth of a beautiful boy.
They were there for my mum-in-law as she lost herself.
They were there for my dad when we almost lost him.
They are there for my mum as we are losing her.
They are there for my husband as they check him so he can stick around.
They are 70 today.
They are the NHS.
They are there.
In the madness of now, we need them there, more than ever.
Song is Eels - There I Said It
The little things too.
ReplyDeleteFor me:
My birth. Also that of my older sister and my younger brother.
Childhood illnesses including Pleurisy and a kidney infection.
A few accidental cuts stitched.
A couple of stupid teenage drug-related incidents.
Emergency Appendix removal.
My brother's Testicular Cancer treatment.
His later Prostate Cancer treatment.
His current kidney dialysis.
Births of my sister's 4 children and of her 3 grandchildren (so far).
But more importantly, you are there.
ReplyDeleteSame here .We've been so lucky that it HAS been there .You say it better than I ever could.If there is one thing about this country which makes my chest swell with pride,it's the NHS and it's the one thing I would protest about and take myself off to march in the streets to ensure its survival.
ReplyDelete