Golden Slippers

I had this idea that convalescing after knee replacement surgery would give me lots of time for creative activity - making things for the East Neuk Open Studios in June, writing, having friends in for coffee, etc.  However the reality has been very different.  This is probably the first day (having had my operation on 21st January) that I've  been able to have some control over my brain, as well as my body.  My new entirely artificial chrome and plastic knee joint is strong and supports me, but my stretched, out of condition
ligaments and muscles are taking a while to catch up.  The strong pain-killers I came home with caused me to slur my speech, drop any stitches I had managed to knit, wipe out any information read in books or shown on television and waking poor Dramaman with hallucinatory declarations in the small hours of the morning!

However, my mother's funeral, four days before I went into hospital, went well and I didn't take any pain meds before reading the Rossetti poem, so made it through relatively successfully.  Lots and lots of people came, former golfing partners, fellow voluntary workers from the hospital, singers from her three choirs, all remembering her as she was before Parkinson's Disease took away her mobility, her voice and, latterly, her understanding.  I had a really therapeutic week staying in the family home with my father, laughing and crying together, looking through old photographs.  I went through quite a lot of her personal things - I had the job of sorting out jewellery for valuation.  I found some amazing things - the bedjacket she sewed for going into the nursing home to have me, several beautiful evening and cocktails gowns from the fifties and sixties- and a wonderful pair of gold evening sandals still with the price on the sole (circa 1972 I'd guess).  And they are a perfect fit!  Not ideal footwear for me right now but I can picture myself wearing them eventually....until then, they're on display in our dining room corner cabinet,

Nothing much about being a dramatherapist here, just my own reflections and processing of experience.  Having a meeting soon with my consultancy supervisor about where my career goes next.  Meantime, best wishes to all my readers out there.  Everything passes.
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