Spike Milligan quipped that he wanted this epitaph, which is indeed inscribed on his gravestone in the churchyard of St Thomas in Winchelsea - albeit in Gaelic because the authorities thought it a bit too lighthearted.
Spike was: 'writer, artist, musician, humanitarian, comedian' and most people would at least know of his fame with The Goon Show. He also had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
I've just been offered a new NHS service, a personal care plan, for 'people who are more at risk of an unplanned hospital admission in an emergency situation'.
It will surely sound ungrateful to say I felt indignant but it took 30+ years for me to know my own diagnosis and thus be able to have some responsibility myself.
However I've calmed down and will accept the offer, and googling 'Spike Milligan' I've found more of interest to read.
St Thomas, Winchelsea is a very characterful church and the day we visited, the sky was an incredible, intense blue.
A nice set of shots - He used to come into the Delicatessen that I worked in, in Barnet. He was living in Hadley at the time and popped in in for a bacon sandwich.
So interesting pg Hazel...I knew that was the inscription & there had been bother about it but didn't know that the wording was in Gaelic.
Laughing about your ' care plan' I can relate to that...I get quite indignant when we get phone calls re stair lifts etc. trouble is we are all young inside! Better to be prepared doesn't mean you have to use it!
This is a wonderful collage Hazel, and I have always liked that saying for a headstone, it suits my sometimes dark humour (needed sometimes in my job). It sounds like it took a lot of courage to take the offer of the plan, and it really sounds like you have been on a tough journey.
Pat, all the wording on the gravestone is in a fancy script so even the English is quite difficult to read. I take your point about not having to use something which I do find helpful, thank you, as I also felt a bit disempowered by the letter about the care plan.
Yes can imagine you would sometimes need some dark humour. I guess it's a bit of a bipolar reaction to get as angry as I did about receiving the letter re the care plan! Ray has been the mainstay of this family when things have got tough. I'll try to learn a lesson from this 'episode' and keep calm etc.
Emilie, thank you for comment and I do note what you say : there has always been a bed available for me when needed (even though I personally didn't think I needed it) and last time I was 3 weeks in a private hospital paid for by NHS because they had no beds free.
Spike Milligan - a wonderful man. Always warms my heart to read his "literature"! Good on you Hazel for accepting the offer - it shows that you do indeed know and understand yourself :)
A lovely collage Hazel -- and I for one was a big admirer of Spike and sometimes would have a love-hate attitude towards him !! Hazel accept whatever they offer you -- it doesn't mean you have to use the facility !! Three years ago when I went down with arthritic conditions I did not want to know about any disabled help they could offer me -but now I couldnot do without a bath lift and a facility to help me in and out of bed And I purchased a stair lift and a mobility scooter which I could not have done without . !!It is the facing up to these illnesses and doing the best of what is available ! Just keep calm my friend and keep smiling !! xx
Good to read your comment - and your advice. The letter was on the doormat when we arrived home from holiday so it was not the best time and I was very anti to start with but after I got to bed and before I went to sleep I came to the conclusion that you recommend. I guess deep down I'm still a bit angry about not being told what I had and consequently just feeling I was a feeble person all those years. Thanks!
Nice collage, I hadn't realised the phrase was in Gaelic Shame it looses it's impact translated. I agree about the care plan, take what you can, you don't have to use it and it's always there for backup.
Thankyou for showing these great shots. Hubby and me often have a giggle about the inscription when we are feeling under the weather and no one seems to understand.
We are both happy with the NHS as they seem to offer many new options nowadays and we take whatever comes along sometimes it helps the rest of the family to know there is always someone we can turn to in the hour of need and you are not alone.
Live is like a house with many rooms. When you are young they will open each and more , when you getting older more and more doors getting closed . Or like a famous Dutch artist (Toon Hermans) wrote in a poem:
Death will comes little(bit) by little(bit) and at the end there are no little`s (bit`s) left .
Beryl I guess you will feel surprised to get another reply from me to your comment under my post of Spike Milligan's gravestone back in 2014. I am just revisiting this post for another reason and your comment caught my eye. You wrote about having accepted help needed because of your arthritis and its struck me that I had no idea then that I would need help for the same condition. So far, I have walking poles and also have to use a scooter ( I expect you may have seen!) for going out.
I'll remember what you said 'It is the facing up to these illnesses and doing the best of what is available ! Just keep calm my friend and keep smiling.' I hope you are doing OK Beryl.
June 28th, 2020
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Laughing about your ' care plan' I can relate to that...I get quite indignant when we get phone calls re stair lifts etc. trouble is we are all young inside! Better to be prepared doesn't mean you have to use it!
Ooooo, I love a bacon sandwich too!
Pat, all the wording on the gravestone is in a fancy script so even the English is quite difficult to read. I take your point about not having to use something which I do find helpful, thank you, as I also felt a bit disempowered by the letter about the care plan.
Yes can imagine you would sometimes need some dark humour. I guess it's a bit of a bipolar reaction to get as angry as I did about receiving the letter re the care plan! Ray has been the mainstay of this family when things have got tough. I'll try to learn a lesson from this 'episode' and keep calm etc.
Emilie, thank you for comment and I do note what you say : there has always been a bed available for me when needed (even though I personally didn't think I needed it) and last time I was 3 weeks in a private hospital paid for by NHS because they had no beds free.
Good to read your comment - and your advice. The letter was on the doormat when we arrived home from holiday so it was not the best time and I was very anti to start with but after I got to bed and before I went to sleep I came to the conclusion that you recommend. I guess deep down I'm still a bit angry about not being told what I had and consequently just feeling I was a feeble person all those years. Thanks!
We are both happy with the NHS as they seem to offer many new options nowadays and we take whatever comes along sometimes it helps the rest of the family to know there is always someone we can turn to in the hour of need and you are not alone.
You can say that second sentence again - on second thoughts, don't bother!!!
Many thanks, Wendy, for comments and sensible thoughts.
Death will comes little(bit) by little(bit) and at the end there are no little`s (bit`s) left .
Beryl I guess you will feel surprised to get another reply from me to your comment under my post of Spike Milligan's gravestone back in 2014. I am just revisiting this post for another reason and your comment caught my eye. You wrote about having accepted help needed because of your arthritis and its struck me that I had no idea then that I would need help for the same condition. So far, I have walking poles and also have to use a scooter ( I expect you may have seen!) for going out.
I'll remember what you said 'It is the facing up to these illnesses and doing the best of what is available ! Just keep calm my friend and keep smiling.' I hope you are doing OK Beryl.