Happy retirement mum!

My mum is retiring! Out of context this may not seem a very big deal, but for a very ill woman battling cancer, this is wonderful, fantastic, extraordinary news! I shall explain… St. Christopher’s hospice (yes I know, I went cold when I heard the words ‘hospice’ and ‘I have an appointment’) but my mum was quick to point out that it was nothing like that, they employ advisors that can help ill people (not just terminally ill people) and they worked out that she can afford to retire and that based on the consultant’s recommendations this should be done as soon as possible because her working was seriously impacting on her health and recovery. In the meantime, her hospital doctor has signed her off work (I think he must have said something akin to ‘now listen here missus, you are not well enough to work and if I have to confiscate your travel card and steal all your shoes you will bloody well rest!’)

I felt quite emotional when she told me last night. She actually sounded a little better already. Apparently she is going to be doing some volunteering and take a course. For some people, retirement is a frightening thing; a prelude to a rapid decline into old age and fragility, for my mum, I really do believe it will be the making of her! And of course, she will be healthier, simply because she is resting more.

I will be making a donation to St. Christopher’s hospice and I might take some flowers down because I have the names of the two women who have helped her so much. It is an amazing thing that there are people out there who by dint of their knowledge, understanding, patience and sheer determination can help people with the practicalities of life (benefits, pensions, housing, complimentary therapies) when they are at their most vulnerable. I hope they – and others like them – will always be there to help and make a real difference to people’s lives.

We have decided that when we get to Paris we will take her to a posh restaurant and order champagne and celebrate not just her birthday but her retirement too!

This is great for us as well (selfish gene alert) because it means when we have kids she can baby-sit more and look after our growing menagerie of animals (although the sea monkeys are fairly self sufficient). I may have to buy her a car though, it seems a bit mean making her take the bus, lol!