Broken Hearts and Broken Bones

Breaking Dad, Breaking Bones.

Nothing like a bit of physical and mental pain.

First my wife's grandfather passed away unexpectedly, which was really sad. 

I then went and cracked my rib, ouch. More on this later, but my sides are sore and I'm on prescription pain killers!

I try to remain upbeat, when life throws out these challenges. Finding the motivation to write blog posts, becomes tougher. 

But that's life, full of unpredictability. The route out of every hole, is always up.  

Dealing With Loss

Her grandad Robin was a fabulous guy. He could talk forever, but he had the stories. That's the tragic part of loss. You never get to hear their stories, in their words, from their perspective, again.

You never get to hear their stories, in their words, from their perspective, again.

All loss is tough, but unexpected loss is worse. You aren't prepared for it, and then it comes. But you always have the memories.

There's a famous scene in Blade Runner, when Rutger Hauer's character Roy Batty dies. Just before he passes, he says: "All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain". So true.

I'm fortunate to be blessed in the memory department. When you remember moments vividly, you never truly lose someone. The stories and spirit remain in your head, recalled at any point.

I always remember a particular story he told me. Let me share it with you.

Robin and Radio Caroline

Radio Caroline

So in the mid-60s, there was a famous pirate radio ship, home to Radio Caroline (see pic). The boat broadcasted off the coast, without a radio license.

Being offshore, meant they exploited a loophole, and fell under no legal jurisdiction. At it's peak, it had 20 million listeners.

At the port, grandad Robin had managed to befriend a Dutch television crew, filming a Radio Caroline documentary. They let him travel with them, on the basis he carried their equipment. A deal was struck.   

When the docking boat reached Radio Caroline, there was no record of him on the manifest. The game was nearly up for Robin, but he had an ingenious moment.

He started to look confused and pretended he was Dutch. For added effect, he lifted the TV equipment up and started waving it. It must have been convincing, because they let him on the ship, no questions asked.

That day, he spent an enjoyable afternoon taking photographs at Radio Caroline and speaking English, in a terrible Dutch accent. Classic stuff.

His funeral is next week, and I will miss these stories.

Breaking Dad

Somehow I have managed to crack my rib.

I was climbing out the bath, then slipped and bashed my side. I thought it was bruised, but the pain never let up. After a rough night, I went to visit the doctor. 

He confirmed the rib was cracked, but he couldn't do anything. Ribs heal naturally, and there's no way to splint or plaster them. Improvement is seen in 3-6 weeks, he tells me.

To ease the pain, I've be prescribed Naproxen, a prescription painkiller. It takes the edge off, while my broken body recovers. I'm hoping by June, I will start to feel myself again.

As consequence, I can't do intense exercise. I'm eating more food, because of the medication. It's fair to say, I'm not feeling my optimum. Unfortunately my kids don't understand, they'll still attack me!

I'm falling apart, but I will be back. When you aren't match fit, you suddenly see how it leads to poor mental health. It's food for thought.

Final Thoughts

Cherish moments with your loved ones. Listen and share their stories, keep the memories alive. 

Life is constantly throwing us challenges, stay positive and upbeat. 

Dips and peaks are part of the game, navigate through them.