Doors closing...again...

 AND....as winter arrives in north Japan....

Covid is back, in yet another form. A few people I know have had it recently, mainly just a few days of bad flu-like symptoms for a healthy adult. It's interesting though, a couple of people have mentioned that the no sense of smell/taste element of this virus does seem to be a constant.

Anyway - Okaasan's care home. The 4th floor got it last week....and this week...the whole home is closing its doors to family visits again. Not surprising.

We've been going once a week recently. Sitting bedside for 25 mins, chatting a bit and playing popular ballads on the mobile phone. Okaasan sometimes moving her head and apparently opening her eyes in an involuntary action - while snoring.

Such visits.

I read in UK news that the new government is going to have another look at introducing assisted dying laws for people who have under 6 month to live, with the independent approval of two doctors etc

Oh, I hope it becomes law by the time it's my time to check out. I really do. Dying in a hospital bed, unresponsive, kept alive by solutions delivered in a tube is not how I want to end all of this.

There was the story recently of a rock musician's wife who had to travel alone to the clinic in Switzerland to die, because even if her husband went with her to the nearest town it could make him liable for prosecution. That's awful.

I fear no sensible assisted dying law will come in Japan, anytime soon. Even as recently as 20 years ago, cancer patients weren't told by their doctors that they actually HAD cancer (so they didn't give up hope and feel bad!). Japan is way behind on progressive thinking about social issues.

Anyway - sleep on Okaasan. Hope to see you in spring!