14th January

Back into the lion’s den today. Yes, I did wonder what it would feel like spending time on a hospital ward again, and actually it’s been fine. I visited my dad today and it was just a little strange, but actually that’s mainly because he was obviously in a male bay, and I’ve only ever visited female wards with Jane. Ok, there have been my kid’s maternity wards over the years as well, but for some reason they’re also female! And emotions in hospital are the same whatever the sex; grumpy or cheerful, complaining or grateful, brave and frightened. I won’t talk about my dad’s room-mates but he’s completely disorientated having little experience of this environment, and wasn’t expecting to be admitted. He even drove himself to hospital and then found his car stranded. And both my parents are finding any suggestion of a definable programme for treatment comes with a certain unsettling fluidity. That can be frustrating and even a little upsetting if you’re not used to it… which I am. With any unprogrammed admission, and even some that are, unless it’s an absolute emergency nothing works according to the original plan. But that’s all right as long as the end result is a successful return home which at the moment is suggested to be towards the end of the week. All tests suggest he’s in basically quite good health apart from the problem with a gall stone. So you have to trust that any changes are to the benefit of a more seriously ill person. Or that a different specialist has corrected the timetable for good clinical reasons. Truth be told I actually feel quite at home with the whole thing. I’ve certainly learned patience. And trying to fight the system never works, just go with the flow and let the professionals do their job. They’re good at it despite the confusing changes. He was originally told to expect his operation the day after admission, currently it’ll be on Tuesday.

We have to be really grateful for the privilege of having access to medical treatment. But one day it will no longer be needed as there’ll be no hospitals in heaven! And when you think about it all manner of activities may well be off the ‘menu’ so to speak. I had a great Thai curry made by my son this evening and we watched the first Lord of the Rings movie for the umpteenth time. Though being the Blu-ray extended edition it felt fresh and new. I can’t imagine it’ll be available in heaven, so that’s one experience Jane’s ‘missing out’ on at the moment, yes I’m quite sure she’s enjoying something much better. But I wonder what… do you think the Thai curry may sneak through the ‘perfection’ filter? The Bible actually only talks in the language of mystery about our time in paradise, but it’ll be a great place I know for sure.

Revelation 22:1-2 ‘Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flowed down the centre of the main street. On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.’ (NLT)