Grandad – Got up at 11AM. Felt better. Car went to Sheila’s for dinner & tea.
Mum – Better night. Took 2 Heminevrin, 1 Sinequan, 2 Robaxisol & 4 Paracetamol. Slept after 3.30. Went & saw Dr Bennett. He says nothing wrong really – gave me Paradol -118. They do help. P put another coat on blue on kitchen cabinet. FR rang – had chat. Very depressed all day.
Notes
Grandma Was Keeping Grandad’s Diary at This Point
Grandad had not been very well, see Chapter 116. I think this means that grandma filled in his diary for him although he may have made the odd entry. The evidence that grandma was mostly keeping his diary is the change of handwriting, some of the topics discussed and also that, sometimes, she referred to him as Gordon and not as “I“. Grandma completed grandad’s diary quite a lot when he was sick, see Chapter 113. However, she was not always consistent. Sometimes, she referred to herself in the first person and grandad in the third person while, at other times, it was vice versa. On this occasion, grandad is implicitly referred to in the first person. He got up at 11am and felt better.
Caroline Douglas Came to Ours for Dinner and Tea
Car is a reference to Caroline Douglas who lived next door to grandma and grandad at 168 Drayton High Road. She and my younger sister, Liz, were good friends, see Chapter 122. Sheila refers to my mother Sheila May Drew née Parkin. Caroline came to ours for dinner and tea, although mum did not mention this in her diary.
Mum Had a Better Night
Mum’s health was not good at this time. She frequently experienced various aches and pains, slept poorly and complained of feeling depressed, see Chapter 116. On this occasion, she had had a better night. This may have been because she had started taking clomethiazole (Heminevrin) to help her sleep. She was also taking the antidepressant doxepin (Sinequan) and the painkillers aspirin and methocarbamol (Robaxisal Forte) and paracetamol. She saw Dr Bennett, one of the GPs from the Mile End Road surgery, who told her there was nothing wrong really which is further evidence perhaps that the aches and pains she experienced were related to her poor mental health. He gave her what I think was Paramol (Paradol) 118, a mixture of paracetamol and dihydrocodeine. Of the various painkillers mum had been given, she thought these the most effective.
Mum Painted the Kitchen Cabinet
Mum had been decorating the kitchen for a few days, see Chapter 126. She had painted the kitchen cabinet blue and white the previous day. P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). She applied another coat of blue paint to the kitchen cabinet.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114. On this occasion, he phoned and they had a chat.
Mum Was Still Very Depressed
During this period, mum had severe struggles with her mental health, suffering with depression and anxiety, see Chapter 116. She noted she was very depressed all day.
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