'Goodbye 2024!' : A New Year Missive

The late Queen Elizabeth II once famously referred to the year 1992 as an 'annus horribilis' for the royal family. Whilst the year 2024 may not quite qualify for that title, in our household it's certainly a close contender.

At the the beginning of the year, the continuing rapid decline in my Mother's health had culminated in her admission to a specialist Dementia Nursing Home with the inevitable exhausting and frustrating battle to optimise her funding.

It was difficult to find opportunities to make the 270 mile round journey to visit Mum, and often when I did so, she would either be in a deep sleep or in a highly confused and distressed state which was very disturbing to witness. Her death in September, though in many ways a blessed release, inevitably came as a painful shock, and she is sorely missed, although, of course, the Mavis that we all knew and loved had not been truly present for almost two years. May she rest in peace.

As with any close bereavement, sorting out the finances of the deceased and dealing with the various legalities has been time-consuming and stressful. The process of selling the family home in order to raise revenue for the Care Home fees was largely underway, with the sale nearing completion when Mum died. As everything then had to go on hold awaiting Grant of Probate, the buyer understandably withdrew. Thankfully, it looks as if we have found another buyer, who seems happy to wait until the sale can proceed.

Unfortunately, Mum was not the only person to experience serious illness during the year. Several of our closest friends - of varying ages - received worrying diagnoses this year, one of whom died and another of whom has had to go into permanent nursing care. Others, thankfully, seem to be making good progress, but receiving bad news and urgent requests for prayer, and being anxious for people who really matter to us has been far too much of a feature of this year.

I've also had health issues of my own. Following emergency surgery last year for a detached retina, I've now developed an Epi-Retinal Membrane (ERM) - which is basically scar tissue which can form as a result of the surgery and which grows across the surface of the retina. For some unlucky patients - of whom I'm one - the ERM then 'puckers' over the macular, severely distorting the central vision. When the vision in my left eye started to deteriorate early in the year we assumed that it was a symptom of a fast-growing cataract - also a common after-effect of the surgery. Only on attending the Cataract clinic at the excellent Birmingham and Midlands Eye Centre some months later did we discover the true diagnosis. As a result I was referred back to the Vitreoretinal Surgeons, with a warning that there was a long waiting list. Thankfully, on Christmas Day of all days, I received a text offering me a consultation in late January. All being well, the problem should be resolvable with further surgery, but it remains to be seen how long I may need to wait for the operation. In the meantime my driving is restricted, reading is extremely difficult, and even recognising faces more than a couple of feet away is a challenge - all serious setbacks in my line of work.

All of this serves as a reminder of how precious and fragile life is, and how easily we take our health for granted. Coupled with the realisation that in one's mid sixties, one no longer has the physical energy, mental acuity or reliability of memory that one once had, it gives one pause for thought, and as a result, I have found myself thinking more positively about retirement. When Mum's estate is settled, Jeremy and I will start to look for our retirement home, probably in Burton-on-Trent where we already have friends and where we will be within easy reach of our old 'stomping grounds' of Derby, Leicester, and of course, Birmingham.

Of course, there have also been many good things for which I give thanks.

Jeremy is generally in good health and enjoying his retirement, and we both love living in Birmingham and having the opportunity to explore this wonderful city more fully. We've enjoyed theatre trips and concerts at the Town Hall and Symphony Hall, and eaten at some excellent restaurants. Jeremy has been a tower of strength throughout the year and I am so grateful for his love, patience and support.

On the work front, I'm still enjoying my ministry at St Matthew's Perry Beeches. It's been a particularly busy year as 2024 was the 60th anniversary of the consecration of the current church building. As part of our Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, we had a wonderfully entertaining evening with author Adrian Plass and his wife Bridget, and it's been a real joy to get to know them a little; we hosted a Pentecost Festival for 'On Fire Mission' and had a glorious Patronal Festival on St Matthew's Day, as well as numerous other events. Throughout all of this, I have been ably supported by my Curate, Br Martin John SSF, whose loyalty, positivity, good humour and readiness to put up with my funny ways has been exemplary.

On balance, I won't be sorry to say goodbye to 2024. I hope that 2025 will be less challenging, although I suspect it may well be a significant turning point in my life and ministry. Time will tell. In the meantime, many thanks to all of you who have supported me with your friendship, prayers and encouragement.

I wish you all a very happy, blessed and peaceful new year.

Trevor