I know.

If there’s one thing this has taught me,
It is that I am lucky.

It could have been the other of the pair,
And then where would I be.
Without my agonising rock within this strange façade.

I know that I am lucky,
For I have my family –
My family.
Complete with criticism and dementia,
And undying refusal to bend.

And I know that I am lucky,
For I have my friends.
Now this one is a sweeter tune.
Somehow, they put up with all my screams,
Turn them into howls of humour when they can,
And never let me throw in soggy towel.

But if there’s one thing that I know,
It’s that I have to face it all alone.
Because there’s no-one who can swipe the pain, the images,
the contemplation from my mind.