Funny in this cyber world we live in we seem to get all sorts of friends and families around us. Yesterday I spent some time on my family tree, something I have not been able to do for months. I really enjoy genealogy and even 7 years down the line find new things to dig about in. Anyway I digress. I had been contacted by a chap who proves to be a very distant relative, we share the same Great Great Great Grandparents. We had an email conversation and he shared some information with me and I returned the favour. I get the feeling we will be in touch again. This has happened before and I have a small catalogue of distantly related people that I share stuff with occasionally.
I have also built a small but close group of people with whom I share symptoms and ailments. Originally I met these on a message board which supported people with similar diagnoses. The group evolved and moved elsewhere and then eventually split up. Some people I am still in contact with 6 years later, some I have met in real life, have spoken to on the phone and some remain a daily support and network, there in an instant when you need them and happy to be in the background when you don't. Notably when I had surgery recently these were the friends who sent cards, flowers and general cheer up messages unlike my local friends who stayed away.
My real family is spread thinly and wide. My closest relatives live in the USA and I see them rarely, a source of great disappointment to me as I have missed the best part of my nephew's and niece's formative years. I say the best part, because 2 weeks a year is nothing. The main reason for this is my inability to travel long distances. We go to Greece, sure, but a less than 4 hour flight is no comparison with an 8 hour, then change to another for an hour. I did this once 11 years ago and it almost killed me. When I arrived home it took me 6 weeks to recover. I was in bed solidly for 2 of those. Hence my reluctance to go again. The whole experience was made worse by my catching Parvo Virus whilst there and this affected my heart and then I got arthritis as well so the effects were devastating to say the least. Understandably I am loath to repeat that experience. My other close relative lives abroad too for most of the year and I see her almost as infrequently.
My lack of actual blood relatives was brought home to me recently when I underwent a General Anaesthetic and had to give the name of my next of kin. In the UK. I don't have one! WH may be my nearest and dearest be he's no next of kin. So I put him anyway. It did make me think maybe we ought to make this a more permanant arrangement after over 16 years together, somehow I don't think he's too keen.
I have also built a small but close group of people with whom I share symptoms and ailments. Originally I met these on a message board which supported people with similar diagnoses. The group evolved and moved elsewhere and then eventually split up. Some people I am still in contact with 6 years later, some I have met in real life, have spoken to on the phone and some remain a daily support and network, there in an instant when you need them and happy to be in the background when you don't. Notably when I had surgery recently these were the friends who sent cards, flowers and general cheer up messages unlike my local friends who stayed away.
My real family is spread thinly and wide. My closest relatives live in the USA and I see them rarely, a source of great disappointment to me as I have missed the best part of my nephew's and niece's formative years. I say the best part, because 2 weeks a year is nothing. The main reason for this is my inability to travel long distances. We go to Greece, sure, but a less than 4 hour flight is no comparison with an 8 hour, then change to another for an hour. I did this once 11 years ago and it almost killed me. When I arrived home it took me 6 weeks to recover. I was in bed solidly for 2 of those. Hence my reluctance to go again. The whole experience was made worse by my catching Parvo Virus whilst there and this affected my heart and then I got arthritis as well so the effects were devastating to say the least. Understandably I am loath to repeat that experience. My other close relative lives abroad too for most of the year and I see her almost as infrequently.
My lack of actual blood relatives was brought home to me recently when I underwent a General Anaesthetic and had to give the name of my next of kin. In the UK. I don't have one! WH may be my nearest and dearest be he's no next of kin. So I put him anyway. It did make me think maybe we ought to make this a more permanant arrangement after over 16 years together, somehow I don't think he's too keen.
4 comments:
Jas, you're one of the most caring people I know, and a LOT of people love you, even if technically you don't have a British 'family' as such - we're all inter-related after all! :) Big hugs....
Aww (blush) you say the nicest things Di. Thank you
xx
Jas
Hope your are getting along fine. Sure wished I had know about your surgery. I would have phoned you.
I conceder us cyber-cousins!!
Take care...Loves to you((Hugs too))
Jennifer(
Hi cousin Jenn! Great to see you here. Hope all the little cousins are OK. Thanks for the thought.
xx
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