March 14, 2017
Today I drove my mother to the hospital for her six-weekly injection in the eye (for macular degeneration). The procedure renders her more or less blind for a day but that doesn’t stop her thinking she can see, especially when I’m behind the wheel of her car.
I suggested she close her eyes and take a rest while I drive. ‘I can’t,’ she replied. ‘You’ve got to get into the far right lane before you get to the roundabout. Watch out for cars coming out of the car park near Burger King. The two lanes merge too quickly into one. It gets very congested here.’
We stopped at a fruit and vegetable shop to stock up for her birthday on Thursday. She’ll be turning 84. I’ve promised to cook a fancy lunch which will feature a pavlova.
I asked Mum if she wanted to wait in the car while I shopped for vegetables.
‘No,’ she said, ‘I’ll come inside and have a look.’
But you can’t see, I reminded her.
‘I can still feel,’ she replied.