Wednesday 14 September 2011

I am prowling reluctantly off

to the dentist this morning. I have spoken elsewhere of my reluctance to visit the dentist so no more about that.
My reluctance this morning is for other reasons as well. The Senior Cat (my father) finally agreed that yes, going to the doctor might be a good idea. I knew he had bronchitis. He was also running a temperature. He is too old (88) to be taking risks with such things, especially as he has mild asthma as well.
The doctor, as I knew she would, growled nicely at him for not coming earlier. Yes, last Friday would have been a good idea. She would have fitted him in somewhere. She gave him antibiotics, told him to drink a lot of water and to take it easy.
Although we usually avoid antibiotics if we possibly can my father will take them. At his age it is much less of an issue than it would be for me. He will drink the water. He probably will not "take it easy". He detests taking it easy. It is not his style. He was brought up on the great Presbyterian/Calvinistic work ethic. If you are awake and it is daylight then you should be "doing something useful".
I know. I am rather the same. I probably caught it from him. My brother is the same. (My two sisters are less so. ) It is not a bad way to be unless you are ill. It is not a bad way to be if you can relax sometimes.
The problem is that my father is likely to believe he can "do something useful" in my absence. He has done this in the past. It is because he is a thoughtful parent. He is not a small child. I cannot forbid him to do things although I will ask him not to do something.
I think I may have to find some small diversionary "useful" thing which needs to be done while resting. The question is, what? Letter writing perhaps? Paper and pen still have their uses!

5 comments:

Sarah Tokeley said...

I hope your Father recovers soon, and the dentist isn't too much of an ordeal!

Rachel Fenton said...

My son had bronchitis last year - it's horrible to see someone without asthma struggling for breath so I completely understand your worry, Cat. I hope your dad mends quickly now.

I'm much the run until you drop kind, too - the trouble with it is that others think you don't need to rest and they don't allow you a momnet to rest when you should.

Look after yourself, Cat.

widdershins said...

Good luck to you and your dad.

catdownunder said...

Thankyou all of you...he IS improving but I am going to keep watching too!

JO said...

It's so hard when we begin to know what's right for your parents. Or think we do, Yes, of course he should rest - but his head is in a different place entirely. (I have an old aunt, 91. who insists on being the only person who can turn the mattress on her bed properly. I've given up the argument - it feels more important to enjoy her company. But then I don't live with her . . .)

I hope dentist is kind, and your father recovers soon.