We all need to be heard for a little while.

elsien

Real hugs send me running for the hills, so I'm a bit useless on that front as well. Anyone wanting comfort, I'm really not the best person to have around, so I'm currently heading up the useless daughter front big time.

tea_lover

Not useless!! Not everyone is a huggy type. My sister would probably hit anyone that tried to hug her (apart from her daughter, she can't bear physical contact with anyone else), but she's just as close to our parents as I am.

Sometimes there isn't actually anything you can do, and that's hard.

tea_lover

Typical - the day I'm really listening for my phone (hoping agency rings), the PPI calls are coming thick and fast. Three already today.

elsien

Are you registered with the telephone preference service - a mention of that usually gets you off the call list. (Does for landlines, anyway.)

jobbingmusician

Elsien - just a suggestion. Send your parent a bunch of flowers, with a message something like this.


I know you're having a really hard time at the moment, and just wanted to tell you that I love you and will do anything I can to support you. (Even if you are living or staying with them, it's worth having a bunch arrive at the front door.)


If anyone is too skint to do this, it's possible to do it by buying (or even picking, at a better time of year!) a cheap bunch, filling out a card and labelling it clearly for them, and leaving the bunch with the card somewhere they will encounter it soon (kitchen worksurface?)

tea_lover

Good thinking about the TPS, will try that with the next one (have just been hanging up so far!)

codemonkey

We're registered with TPS but it doesn't stop all the recorded message calls sadly. We get loads of them.

Am feeling blue (uh-oh that just put Colourblind by Darius? in my head. )

tea_lover

Darius was a weird crush of mine at one point . Then I saw that freaky kilt picture and it put me off! :eek: Warning - do not google that at work! :rotfl:.

Pyxis

Elsien, if your parent is at the hospital, could you just be there with them?
Sometimes to them, just not being alone is a great help, even if you sit in silence. Then you could fetch cups of tea, biscuits etc, stay on duty while they pop to the cafeteria to get a snack, etc, fetch things from the hospital shop.

If you're not huggy, just the occasional light touch on an arm or hand says a thousand words.

codemonkey

tea_lover wrote: »

Darius was a weird crush of mine at one point . Then I saw that freaky kilt picture and it put me off! :eek: Warning - do not google that at work! :rotfl:.

True Scotsman :rotfl:

Elsien - So sorry about your relative. I'm sure your parent knows that you care without hugs. There are other ways I'm sure you support them. Plus, sometimes when stuff like this goes on, you need someone to just be normal (whatever that is).