We always knew a difficult part of moving to Australia would be missing our families, especially when they're ill (Sharon's Dad, my Mum), giving birth (Sarah in November), getting new glasses (William) or generally bungling around (Emma Beddows).
Sharon's Dad had a vertebroplasty recently (cement injected into a back bone to strengthen it and reduce pain), and now my Mum has just had fairly major abdominal surgery. It was difficult knowing that if we hadn't left, and I was still working at Manchester Royal Infirmary, I could have been just down the corridor from both of them during their hospital stays. Instead, we're 24 hours of travel and a few thousand dollars away.
When we did leave it was knowing there would always be very good reasons not to leave, and to some extent there's a selfish element in us having decided to go anyway. I sometimes feel a bit guilty, and pretty helpless. I'm aware I'm presuming in the rest of my family to 'be there' for Mum. It's even harder for Sharon, as she's an only child and Brian has less people to look put for him.
Thankfully, Brian is in less pain now, and Mum is reportedly recovering well at home. Not that she'd ever tell us if she wasn't so well - you have to get that kind of info 3rd hand off the rest of the family.
Get well soon.
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