06 Jul 2009, Posted by Cat in News, 33 Comments. Tagged dad, life

and then the clouds parted…

Unbelievably, when Mum, Rob and I went to visit Dad last night he opened his eyes and started talking. Not the first time he’s spoken since the assault, but the first time he’s been well enough to hold a conversation when Mum or I’ve been present that actually made pretty good sense. AND he let me feed him three spoonfuls of custard and a few crumbs of chocolate. He’s still on a feeding tube but a few days ago he wasn’t eating anything at all and rapidly wasting away, much to the nurses’ despair.

He was appalled to learn he’s been in hospital for almost five weeks. He doesn’t know quite what he’s doing there and we thought it best not to tell him just yet. His process of healing has been one step forward, three steps back all the way, but I feel so heartened to have caught this glimpse of him last night. To know that it’s still him in there slowly fighting his way back to the surface. He tires so easily so we left him alone to sleep.

Mum was seriously cheered by what we saw — she danced a little jig in the elevator on the way out. We dropped her home then went to Newtown to catch up with some friends for dinner. The fabulous Angie gave me a present to cheer me up:

we listened to it on the drive home to Wollongong. Without a doubt, the worst album ever produced anywhere by anyone.