The girls were getting older and starting to enjoy extra curricular activities in their spare time, which also took up my spare time driving them everywhere, like mum's do. Carol had joined a Saturday Morning netball team. I enjoyed going and cheering her on.
Carol first on left in front row.
But it wasn't all smiles and fun. My dad had been diagnosed with bone cancer and he was dying. My mother cared for him for two years but sometimes he went into Calvary Hospital for respite care. I used to fly down to Sydney every school holiday with the children because Bill was at work. I would help Mum at home caring for him and I would drive him to and from the hospital. My mum didn't drive, she had to visit him by train. The following year he entered the palliative care ward in the hospital full time.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Bill came home from volunteering at 4EB Radio Station not looking well. He slumped over the steering wheel as he parked in the carport. I went out and helped him inside. He lay down and complained about pain in his chest. I thought it can't be a heart attach he is only 39. The doctor had a surgery at 2:00pm on a Saturday. We waited two hours until it turned two and I drove him to the doctor's. The doctor examined him and said he has had a heart attack and needs to go to the hospital.
We set off for the hospital when I realised it was voting day, which is compulsory or you get hit with a fine, so I drove into the next polling booth and we went in to vote. By now Bill felt better and didn't have any pain. (To this day I can't believe I did that.)
Bill stayed in hospital for a week and had lots of tests and X-rays. One of the heart arteries had blocked and caused the attack. His heart was scarred and damaged. He came home and had to take it easy but doing little walks each day and increasing the distance each week. He was off work for some time but luckily his company paid him sick leave pay. Bill was very depressed at this time and I kept trying to divert him with doing things like going to art galleries and going for drives but it wasn't until he showed interest in computers that his mood changed. So I encouraged him to buy one. Sonya was learning to use a computer at school and she enjoyed helping her Dad to use the computer. His zest for life returned and he went back to work and happy to come home to his new toy. Computers were very basic in the eighties but Bill has kept up with them. He still loves learning new skills in computing.
Brisbane won the right to hold the Commonwealth Games in 1982. Brisbane got a facelift and new sporting facilities were popping up all around the city. My friendly neighbour, Moira and I and the four kids went to the opening ceremony. It was quite well done but it was a cold windy day which didn't make the day perfect. We didn't go to any other events but watched it on TV.
Later in the year my friend and I took the children to Dreamworld, an amusement park on the Gold Coast.
Finally, professional family photos for 1982. We were so lucky to have Bill still with us after having a heart attack. So now he was on a quite a few medications.
Really nice post. So many years later Bill happily lives on, a credit to the medical profession. I really like the photo of your two girls in their pink and blue jumpers.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteSounds like some very sad and scary times for you and Bill. Your daughters are so pretty. It is great you have all these old family photos. Have a great day!
What a story. With all we hear nowadays about heart attacks in younger people I don't think you would wait two hours to see a doctor and pop in to vote before going to the hospital. Great photos once again. You obviously had an interest in photography in your youth. The professional photo of the family is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have never been interested in sport
ReplyDeleteGood that Bill recovered from his heat attack
Such great photos
Wow, the girls haven't changed much at all. Bill is lucky to have you to help him back then and of course since. Heart attacks can happen at any age thin or fat. I've seen plenty of young people have them in my day and usually slim.
ReplyDeleteThe photos are really lovely Diane..
Gosh that would have given you both such a fright Diane, thank goodness he fully recovered. Here's where Bill and I are different, sometimes I think computers are going to GIVE me a heart attack 😉 Gorgeous photos of the girls ✨
ReplyDeleteWow, that was quite a year for you. Scary times...good times...sad times.
ReplyDeleteLife sure hands us a full plate sometimes.
You have lovely daughters.
Fires still burning in the foothills and mountains.
The air is so bad down where we live too. The wind patterns have pushed all the smoke down here. Everything has that brownish rosy glow to it. Have to have the lights on in the house..its just too dull and gloomy.
Sue
Sorry to read about your dad's passing and Bill's heart attack, Diane, and both events in a single year. The photos of your daughters were lovely to see as was the family portrait.
ReplyDeleteI was so surprised to read that (your) Bill had a heart-attack at such a young age -- you both have seemed so active and healthy ever since I've been reading you -- obviously good Drs, good care, love, (and computers) did wonders ! .... so fun to see the girls grow and I especially smiled at the netball team in their neat little skirt uniforms.
ReplyDeleteYour daughters are beautiful--then and now! I was also surprised to hear that Bill had a heart attack at such a young age so long ago, Diane! I'm glad he has done so well over the years. My husband also loved learning a computer in the early 80's. I waited until it got a it easier to use.
ReplyDeleteAs your title says, there were happy and sad times. Worrying times, too, I'd say after Bill's heart attack. I remember how different Brisbane looked after the Games, all those beautiful trees! I was trying to remember De Costella's name just recently. All I could think of was Deke, couldn't remember his proper name. Unlike Bill, I remember very clearly how terrified I was of computers when I first encountered them in my work in the late 80s. And now I get cross with all the updates and wish they would just stay the same for a while.
ReplyDelete