Accidents can happen “just like that” – are you prepared?
Have you considered just how fleeting life can be?…
Let me explain. As many of you know I sail a boat, regularly, well race actually! I go out usually with crew and its fabulous. But, yesterday, whilst my crew and I were transferring from one boat to mine she caught her foot on the edge of the boat – and fell headlong forwards onto the deck of my boat. Ooops! You wouldn’t usually give it much consideration except that I had to make sure that she didn’t fall in totally as her bottom half was in the water. (We got someone to give me a hand to pull her onboard and get her safe.)
Clearly my crew was winded and a bit shocked – no surprise there! She was totally lucid and coherent and hadn’t bumped her head especially. I asked what had happened and she was clear about tripping. But it was an easy decision about NOT going out sailing in the afternoon! She was partly wet – (although the water is apparently warm!) but had a change of clothes so no problem. Her car was on the opposite side of the river to the Clubhouse so after a short interlude she was taken over. I went out to crew for someone else who was short of crew having said “call me to let me know you are ok?”
Once I got back to shore I called her – all the phones and messaged – no answer. Nothing to worry about especially with spasmodic reception for mobiles and a nice, sunny, warm day. But I couldn’t get hold of her in the evening either…
Mmmm, what to do?! I didn’t have any of her children’s contact details and she lives alone. I called the local A&E department – but couldn’t get through – despite trying – new phone system and clearly they were very busy. So I tried again very early this morning – 6am. This time it worked. She had been in, and was then transferred to Southampton General from Chichester the previous afternoon…. uh-oh!
Called Southampton – and got through to where she was – intensive care. “Oh help, that isn’t good!” She had split the liver lining in the fall – which had caused a big internal bleed – and she might need operating on. (Bloody hell!)
And then it hits you!!… Accidents can happen “just like that”. Could I have done anything different? (No) This is serious (maybe she could die! – or at least be out of action for a while post-op… and more thoughts pass by and around your head.
Then – you realise that just ONE little incident / mistake is the difference between life and death!
It makes no difference how old you are, just the odds against you are greater as you get older that you might not survive.
What might that person want to say or do if time is close? ….. It’s a big and important question!
Well I saw this a while ago with my Mum – she wasn’t well and there was lots of “stuff” to sort out. But what I got to see really clearly was that as people get older there is NO STRUCTURE to help them, or their families create a life they love and want, get rid of the effects of the life they have already have and that no longer serve them.
So I created the structure, with Mum’s help. It is called GREAT GUIDELINES FOR LATER LIFE. Sadly Mum died in Feb 2016 so she didn’t get to use and implement all the aspects and topics that I created to help her…but she did use ALL that I had done up until then!
I was so grateful for being able to help in this way, it was a burden off my mind (and hers.)
If you want to find more about Great Guidelines for Later Life then follow the Facebook pages – it’s free – or go to the website: www.greatguidelinesforlaterlife.com which will be live soon.
