Mum – In Hos. Took “fasting” blood for calcium tests. Mr A came (he’s more talkative when nurse is not with him !!) Janet Bennett, Nancy (pears) mum, A Amy, Ken E, P. & Sue Green came to see me. Also Miss Griffiths (plant & chocs.) Had long chat with Sue – she’s nicer than I thought – Mr A popped in while she was there. Ken E came because I asked him to to talk about P & Andrew. He said people were talking & promised to see both of them & let me know – probably Wed. R & E went to Birmingham with Roy.
Roger – Caught the train to Birmingham this morning with dad & Liz. Got here at ½ past 2 and went to dad’s new house with an office car which we had collected. After that we checked in at the Cobden Hotel where we are staying. We then went next-door to the garden-house to-eat. We then for a walk. Then went back to the garden-house while Lizzy watched the T.V. We talked with Jackie the barmaid and Jess one of dad’s friends. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day as the furniture arrives at 9 a.m.
Notes
Post-op Recovery
Mum was in the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital having had surgery for a renal stone a week ago, see Chapter 116. She noted that she had a fasting blood sample taken to check her calcium levels to see if an underlying abnormality had led to stone formation. I am not sure why she put fasting in speech marks!
Mr Ashken
Mum’s surgery had been conducted by Mr Ashken (Mr A). During this period, mum was working as part-time medical secretary for his private practice and that of another surgeon, Mr Stephens, see Chapter 121. Michael Ralph Handley Ashken was consultant urologist at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital from 1968 to 1996. He was also President of the British Association of Urological Surgeons from 1994 to 1996. He was born in 1931 and he died in 2016. Mum was part-time secretary for his private practice from 1975 to 1980.
Mum noted that he came to see her but she observed that he was more talkative when a nurse was not with him. I suspect that this was because, when he had a nurse with him, he slipped into professional doctor-patient mode but that, when on his own, he interacted as a colleague. It seems he came a second time, probably in the afternoon, when Sue Green was visiting.
Visitors
Mum noted the people who came to visit her. These included Janet Bennett, someone mum knew through St Peter’s Park Lane Methodist Church, see Chapter 124, who worked at the hospital; Nancy. possibly Nancy Papworth who mum also knew through church; Rev Ken Elworthy (Ken E) who was one of the Ministers at church; Sue Green, who I think was probably Mr Ashken’s NHS secretary; and Miss Griffiths, who I don’t know any more about!
My maternal grandmother, Ethel Parkin, also visited as did her long-time friend, Amy Wilson, who was staying with her. We always referred to her as Auntie Amy (A Amy) as, although she was not related to us, we were expected to address all adults either by their surname or as auntie or uncle.
P refers to my older sister Tricia (Patricia). She was the only one of the siblings who visited mum on this day. Liz and I had gone to Birmingham with dad. My younger brother Alan was away at Boys’ Brigade camp, see Chapter 124.
Mum noted the various gifts that different visitors brought. For example, Nancy brought pears and Miss Griiffiths brought a plant and chocolates.
Sue Green
Mum noted that she had a long chat with Sue Green and concluded that she was nicer than she thought. Mum had been working for Mr Ashken for just over a year and I suspect any contact she had with his NHS secretary was probably pretty work-focused, possibly within a pressurised environment. Having the ability to talk in a very different environment possibly helped them to get to know each other a bit better.
Ken Elworthy
Mum had asked to see Ken Elworthy (Ken E) to talk about the relationship between my sister Tricia (P for Patricia) and Andrew Wright who they knew through church. Mum was concerned about this because of the age difference and because Andrew was married, see Chapter 114. Ken was aware of the issue and said that “people were talking“. He promised to speak to both of them and let mum know. She noted that this would probably be on Wednesday.
As far as I know, there was nothing untoward about this relationship. I think Andrew had a role with the church young people and I think Tricia found him supportive at a time when she was dealing with the break-up of our parents marriage, A levels, transition to university etc. In addition, she was 18 at this point so I find mum’s concerns and the church gossip annoying! It is also definitely a case of the “pot calling the kettle black” as mum developed a number of close relationships with married church Ministers as a way of finding support following her separation from dad!
Birmingham
Mum noted that my younger sister Liz (E for Elizabeth) and I (R for Roger) went to Birmingham with our father, Royle Drew, who mum referred to as Roy. In my diary, I noted that we went by train arriving about 2.30 pm.
New House
My parents had separated in 1973 and, at this point, dad was living and working in Birmingham, see Chapter 114. He was in the process of buying and moving into a new house in Walcot Drive in Great Barr, see Chapter 117. When we arrived in Birmingham, we went to his new house, possibly just to see it as we were not staying there.
At the end of my diary entry, I noted that the next day was going to be busy as dad’s furniture was arriving at 9 am.
Cobden Hotel
We stayed at the Cobden Hotel which is located at 166 Hagley Road in Edgbaston. I am not sure why we stayed there as it was not particularly near to the house dad was buying but I assume this was where the Norwich Union had placed dad and where he was staying at this time.
Apparently, the Cobden Hotel had originally been located in the city centre but had moved to Hagley Road in 1959. It took over a nineteenth century Italianate-style villa and converted this into a large hotel.
Garden House
The Garden House pub and restaurant was located at 160 Hagley Road but is now permanently closed. We went there to eat and then, after a walk, we went back there. I think my sister Liz (Elizabeth) watched TV there while dad and I talked to Jackie, the barmaid, and Jess, one of dad’s friends, about whom I don’t know anything. As far as I recall, I have always called my sister Liz and don’t recall calling her Lizzy but clearly I did!
Leave a Reply