You all know how I love the sound of my letterbox clattering and the other day was no different.
My singular item that day was a card from Anne, a friend I worked with in Dublin before I was married. We have remained in touch by letter, phone calls and the occasional visit. Anne married a couple of years before me and had a daughter Rebecca by the time I walked down the aisle. She later has a son a little younger than Elly.
The card from Anne was to wish me well during this special month of June. She was encouraging me to savour every day and particularly Elly’s Wedding Day. She enclosed a copy of a letter that she had come across on a recent spring-clean and enjoyed re-reading.As I read the letter tears rolled silently down my face!I think I might like to share it:
Waveney Hospital
Ballymena
Tuesday 9th May
Dear Anne & Tony,
Greetings from the Grannymar Family!
Yes Elly arrived on Saturday at 4.25p.m.She is just gorgeous. At 6lbs 12ozs she was much bigger than I had expected. The Consultant had told me the baby would be small and I had expected a wrinkled little prune! Well there wasn’t a wrinkle in sight.
The Consultant took me into hospital on the Wednesday as my sugar levels were very high.They ran tests and X-rays all day Thursday to make sure the baby was big enough to bring on.The results were through on Friday and they started the ball rolling at 10.30a.m. on Saturday. I must say it was all very easy and couldn’t understand why they kept asking to give me an injection for pain!
Poor Jack had the longest day of his life, waiting and wondering. He was up and finished breakfast before 6a.m. and wandered around in circles all day. By 4p.m. when there was still no news he decided to come on over and wait at the hospital, but by the time he arrived, all was over and he was taken straight to see his little daughter.
I will never forget the look on his face when he came across to my bedside.The tears just ran down his cheeks with joy!
I had a try at breast feeding on Sunday but yesterday I had to stop as my skin is so fair and sensitive. I will try again today but am resigned to the fact that it may not work out. I will at least have tried and what more can I do. Yesterday I had a touch of the ‘Blues’, but am back to myself again today. I was just overtired and slept very little on Saturday and Sunday.
Sister has just made rounds and together we decided to quit the breast feeding. I am much too sore and raw and would run into more trouble. It is better to decide now and not wait until I am home and on my own.
Mammy has phoned to say she will come to see us. Jack persuaded her to wait until next week when I am home and she would have more time with us. I am really looking forward to her visit.
Well now Rebecca, we can take out the little bootees and make good use of them. It seems no time since you were as new as Elly. How time goes by!
Anne I must finish and get some more letters written while Elly sleeps and the mood is on me.
Love to All
Grannymar
We all use emails nowadays for speed and ease.I wonder how they will last as records of events in years ahead.
Don’t give up the Pen and paper!