Insomnia

It's 3.30 am and sleep eludes me. My brain will not switch off; it chases thoughts haphazardly and endlessly round and round like some macabre childish game of tig.

I get out of bed and make myself a cup of cocoa in the hope of stilling the turmoil and allow me some hours of sleep before dawn.

The reason for this insomnia was hearing last night, at our book group meeting, of the anguish of one of our members at having had to sit at her elder son's bedside for 3 weeks in far away Newcastle after his near fatal car crash when he sustained catastrophic brain and facial injuries.
He is a strong 30 year old vet, newly married, with a lifetime of service to animals and the world ahead of him.
Instead he lies unconscious with no flicker of responsiveness, save that of breathing unaided with the help of oxygen, since his brain stem is undamaged, .

Yesterday he was moved up to Edinburgh where his family can visit more easily, and our friend felt brave enough to attend our book group meeting to get, as she says, some feeling of normality.

Needless to say the book discussion was short and to the point: thumbs down for "The Prince of Mist" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, the author of 'The Shadow of the Wind'.

I dared to put my head above the parapet and recommended next month's book-
'Before I go To Sleep' by SJ Watson.
I realise now the irony of that title.

Now, five hours later with the quote which MsGable's used on her blip 'The night has passed and the day lies open before us' on my lips, I go about my life as usual, while my friend continues to suffer; but with our collective thoughts, willing her to be strong.