Some sad news

A small tribute to my Mum

Hello everyone,

My lovely Mum died on Wednesday. The operation she had - to replace her aorta - was huge and she never really recovered from the surgery. There were a few days when she regained consciousness, but then she slipped back into deep sleep early this week. The nurses and doctors at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, provided her with extraordinary and sensitive care right up to her last breath, and I was at her side the whole way through.

It was a privilege to look after her in her final weeks. Our relationship has often been complicated, but her need for my care made everything very simple. We got to talk about a lot of things, and I’ll be forever grateful for our time together. It’s a privilege, and I know it.

This is my mum. I got my rebellious streak from her, and my love of the sea. She hated having her photo taken but for some reason felt fine about this one in a crochet balaclava. To be fair, she is rocking it.

She wanted absolutely no fuss or ceremony after her death (and yet I devote life to writing about ritual? I know. Mothers and daughters, eh?), but if anyone reading here knew her and wants to mark her memory, I know she would have welcomed a donation to APAC, the animal charity that she and her sister did so much for. Cats in need always found their way to my mum, and she had taken in a new litter of feral kittens just before her final illness. You can donate here. Or, you know, adopt a raggedy old cat; it’s what she would have wanted. (Joking). (Sort of).

I’m going to take a few days to be with my people. Love to you all 🤍

Katherine x