Professer is here now - Message Board

I so agree Mare, was a time when i was in hospital every few weeks and i always made time to speak with others, one old lady was so nice full of true stories about her life, i knew it appeared her grand daughter who she wanted to marry off to me lol :)

The nursing staff would say why do you spend time talking to her, shes old and not long for this world, i said if you took time to talk and listen you would find she had a fascinating life, she was born and raised and lifed on a farm, when the first war started she rand the farm but also worked in a factory making shells she had such small hands she used to polish the insides before they were filled and armed, she captured a German pilot in both wars that had crashed, was she frightened hell no she said if he tried anything i would have stuck him with my pitch fork.

she had 5 children in total 20 grand children and 10 great grandchildren, she was so funny with her stories and so honest. she was a really lovely lady, sadly she died 6 weeks after i went home and her grand daughter found where i lived to come and tell me and thank me for spending time with her gran, thats how i knew the old lady wanted me to marry her grand daughter, seems the opld lady only told me half of what she had done, she was offered a honor from the queen but she refused saying i did what i did because i am british and proud of my country. I defy anyone who says the elderly are not worth listening too you do learn so much.

My own Grandmother was a normal down to earth person who it appeared came from a well to do family but was disownedfor marrying my grandfather who was just a farm hand. My gran during the general strike drove ambulances and buses and even worked in a tea room but she never wanted people to praise her for what she said was for her country and it's people.

Reply #881. Sep 29 11, 9:29 AM

tiepolo

I like tea rooms. Please pass the scones, strawberries and clotted cream. They made a gray,chilly day in York as bright as a sunbeam.

Thanks for the story of your grandmother, Professer. She sounds like a strong, caring woman.

Reply #882. Sep 29 11, 10:18 AM

One thing that came to mind was a story my grandmother told me when she was 14 working in a tea room, of a big parade through the town of North walsham of 200 young men 17 to 18 years old, they were marching through the town on their way to the front for the great war.

When it was over the survivors marched through the town a 2nd time only 25, i urge everyone to listen to the elderly you can learn a lot.

Reply #883. Sep 30 11, 1:21 AM

postal315

Elderly people didn't get elderly by being fools.
They were young and strong once. The generation of great-grands had a lot to endure.

My Grandma lived through the Great Depression. I was told that hobos used to knock on her door and she never let a one go away hungrey. Even if it was just a sandwich, she gave them something.

She passed at 86, never learned to drive. Born before airplanes and lived to see a man walk on the Moon.

Reply #884. Sep 30 11, 1:35 AM

I'm just appalled that a group of people who are commonly referred to as angels would say that it's not worth talking to someone who is old and going to die soon. Let us hope that they are not typical.

Reply #885. Sep 30 11, 5:45 AM

I love talking to all sorts of people....old, young and in-between.

How are you, Professer? How's Mum?

Reply #886. Sep 30 11, 9:26 AM

tiepolo

My *parents* lived through the Depression. I feel old (though I am the youngest in my immediate family).

I think that's why I've worn the same dress coat for years, yet I feel I have to treat myself to lots of iTunes. I'm stuck between the Depression-era "save for the future" and the Baby-Boomer "live for now."

Well, at least it's not the "Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." :)

Hi, Professor. Sorry for going on like that.

Reply #887. Sep 30 11, 9:45 AM

tiepolo

Professer, I mean...

Reply #888. Sep 30 11, 9:52 AM

My son's girlfriend says it's fascinating coming to the house - it's just like walking into a 70s time-warp. Actually, 70s to her are probably like 1850s for me. Thinks... the last piece of furniture I bought (possibly the only piece of furniture I bought) was a bookshelf over a cupboard, in 1999. That's almost mint!

Reply #889. Sep 30 11, 10:25 AM

Another day in pain but am awake and happy watching the rugby, caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, being english i should want England to win, but have my scotland shirt on.

Reply #890. Oct 01 11, 1:54 AM

Hi, Professer.

It doesn't matter who you cheer for as long as you enjoy yourself.

Hugs.

Reply #891. Oct 01 11, 7:08 AM

Is a warm day and am struggling to keep my eyes open again, do not like feeling like this.

Reply #892. Oct 02 11, 10:04 AM

honeybee4

My grandmother was a real saint. She had a very tough life but I never heard her complain. She always let us grandchildren stay overnight and I will always remember the last thing she did before going to bed was kneeling beside it and praying. To a kid it seemed like she prayed for hours, covering every person in her life and then some.

Reply #893. Oct 02 11, 11:04 AM

People were saying exactly the same thing about a local woman who died last month. She got breast cancer, which they attributed to her having had HRT: treatment, remission, recurrence, mis-diagnosis and under-treatment, metastases: aggressive treatment (at last) but too late.

And yet, they said, she Never Complained. I wonder if I would have!

My parents never bothered with the bedtime prayers thing. My grandmother and aunt tried to get us to do it but they gave up.

Reply #894. Oct 04 11, 4:51 AM

trojan11

Reminds of my dearest friend. He died some six years ago. A wonderful man. Firsts from Oxford and Cambridge. A doctor of medicine, psychiatrist, former Colonial officer in Kenya, governor of Tristan. Lt Colonel British army. Knew him for many years. An hugely intelligent man. Never heard him complain once, about anything or anybody (other than the state of the NHS).
He suffered a stroke. They drilled into his head in order to remove the clot; he was conscious all the time 'cos his system was unable to cope with anaesthetic. His comment afterwards. "Wouldn't recommend it." He never spoke of it again.
He recovered but a short time later began suffering severe pain in his foot. Being a doctor, he knew precisely what was happening to him. Another thrombosis. His foot swelled to alarming proportions. Gangrene began its onset. His leg was removed up to the upper thigh. Complaints, moans? None! Pain? Lots.
It wasn't too long before the same symptoms began in his left foot. Same thing. To save his life they removed his remaining leg, also at the thigh. He never said a word, but I saw from his face that he wanted to die, to leave this horror.
Defenceless as he now was, his harridan of a wife now had the chance to treat him like a doll, an helpless puppet; propping him up this way and that. She would then turn on the small and antiquated portable TV that she allowed him (no remote and placed beyond his reach), and choose the channel showing the 'Simpsons.'
Still hugely intelligent, but no longer any kind of bread winning champion, he suffered all this in silence and with, would you credit it, good humour. Never letting any one see his fear, despair. Some fool asked him, "Are you afraid to die?" To which he replied. "Why should I be afraid to go where children have gone before me?"
He would hate me for having posted this in his memory. The finest man I ever knew.

Reply #895. Oct 04 11, 7:07 PM

I doubt it. He'd probably be proud to read how you remembered him.

Reply #896. Oct 04 11, 7:10 PM

trojan11

Reply #897. Oct 04 11, 7:17 PM

Hello, Professer. What are you up to today?

Reply #898. Oct 04 11, 7:33 PM

He's been posting and chatting away on Facebook. I'm sure he'll remember us in time.

Reply #899. Oct 05 11, 7:39 AM