My mum didn't have
What it took to care
For my late granny,
I know I shouldn't
Speak ill of the dead. But
My gran needed
Proffessional care at home.
Grey admitted "I can't speak ill
Of my auntie Janet"
And she got flustered
When we got a nurse
And doctor from the surgery.
And I brought up the Gastroenteritis.
Because I didn't realise
That it was caused by the alcohol
More than anything else.
They never heard me.

She should have
Been in a care home.
My mum could never have
Coped with my grandmother. Alone.
She seen her every single night.
My mum had no nursing experience.
She couldn't drive.
And my gran chain
Smoked all day
And it was a flat.
My gran wanted company.
And that was it.
She had no intention,
To care for her health.
She was addicted to alcohol,
And like an addict
The most important thing
In her life was whiskey.
And smoking on top of this.
It was not realistic
Of my gran to expect
My mum to move in
With her and do everything.
The spot light would
Be fixed on my mum.
My mum would have
To face the scrutiny
Every single time
My gran needed medical
Assistance which was very often.
Everyone would think
That my mum wasn't
Doing her job properly.
My gran was a complicated case
We will all admit that.
She was frail but
She was far from timid.

The proffessional carers
Were the only way.
An outside eye.
And when they asked
My gran not to smoke
Until they were done
She would snap: it's my house(flat)
And told everybody who
Wpuld listen that how dare
Someone ask her to
Not smoke in her own home!
My gran appreciated my mum,
Seeing as she was there
Every night without fail.
So my mum actually
Put up with a lot
Of grief when she
Was doing the best she could.

Not everyone realised
That she wanted and needed
Her whiskey and cigarettes
At all costs.
When she ran out
Of drink or cigarettes
She would attempt to
Go and get them herself.
Even though she wasn't strong
Enough physically so
She fell down the stairs
On a number of occasions.
A neighbour convinced her
To not cross the road
And wait for someone, after
She made it outside
And down the stairs .
In another attempt,
She phoned a taxi
And when the driver
Came to the door
She gave them money
To go to the shop and back
And get whiskey, without her.
She would have resorted
To anything she possibly could.
But there was never
More than a fifth of whiskey
Available in the house.
She had been an alcoholic
For decades and did
Not want to stop.
She needed to be
In a place with the
Proper facilities in
Order to quit. But
No one could force her
To a home or hospital.
She was old but the woman
Had rights and did
Not want to stop drinking.
She was offered a bungalow
So she could get
Some fresh air and sit
In the garden. No.
Sheltered housing so
She could speak to other
Residents. And a warden
Around at all times. No.
I think that my gran
Didn't want to be around
For much longer.
So she just wanted to stay put.