I visited Mum for the first time since November. I had to arrive an hour earlier than my appointment to take an unpleasant nasal test and then wait for the result. It was negative so I dressed up in PPE, i.e. gloves, mask and apron and then was taken to see Mum in her room. This was great. I had never seen her room before and it was nice and private and quiet. Mum was dozing when I got there but she woke and smiled when she saw me. I gave her some daffodils that Sue had picked from our garden and she opened her Mothers Day card, a few days early but nobody is counting.
Although she is looking more frail than when I last saw her in November, mentally she was as alert as she was then. The room looked lovely and it was nice to see the great grandchildren pictures on the wall and other photos in frames displayed. Mum was keen to show me the view of the gardens from her window. She seemed very content and continually praised the staff and told me several times that she was in the best place now. Towards the end of my hour she walked with me to the reception, stopping at other residents rooms and telling me to wave to them and “cheer them up”! She is as caring about others as she always has been. I told her I would visit again next week and whilst I was taking off my PPE in the reception area she was watching and waving all the time. It was a lovely visit and I have another visit booked for Monday.
On the way home I called into the Leisure Centre and the manager showed me around to see the new showers and all the other work going on to prepare for re-opening hopefully in April.
After a couple of days rest since my 10 ascent run of Old Loose Hill, I thought I would take a gentle run down to the river and along the towpath. It was a glorious springlike day so I was looking forward to it. However, right from the start I had a niggling pain in my left knee, which in the past I had been able to run off within a couple of miles. This time it stayed with me, not enough to cause great concern but I certainly slowed up considerably. After about 4 miles my legs became heavy and I was struggling to get home. I made it back after a run of over 7 miles but felt very low and it has made me question my running plans for this year. I will rest up for a few days now but at the least I will keep to shorter runs from now on.
