The rainbow never sets

Mutter broke her leg in January 1988. As it was still a holiday period, and no orthopaedic surgeon was available to do the operation immediately, she was immobilised in traction. The operation was done a fortnight after the break occurred. But by then she had suffered a stroke, and never fully recovered from it.

Eventually Mutter was discharged from hospital and returned to us. Slowly her walking improved, but her orientation was gone. She couldn't even find the toilet by herself. Also her short-term memory was gone. Alison nursed her and saw to her every needs in a most selfless manner. As often as I could I would talk to her in the mornings before work. Her memory of the past was fine, so we talked at length about the good old days, when we were young. Each afternoon someone would take her for a walk. I usually took her at weekends and once or twice during the week. The Department of Community Services provided a companion for her twice a week, to give Alison a break.

When Mutter's health deteriorated considerably in July 1989, we let Gerda know and she immediately came over for a fortnight. This gave her a new lease of life. During this time her only great-grand son Henry also visited with Gunter and Anne. He made such an impression on her, that she didn't forget that he was in the house. When they had gone, she still asked to see him.

The end came swiftly and mercifully. Owing to poor circulation a clot had developed in her leg. She was admitted to Woden Valley Hospital on 11 August, and died in the early morning hours of 16 August 1989. I received the message of her death in Sydney, on my way to an important meeting between the ACC and the Indonesian and Melanesian Council of Churches in Port Moresby. Alison made all the arrangements for the funeral, which took place on the day of my return, 23 August. My good friend and colleague Graeme Watkins from East Belconnen took the funeral. The crematorium was absolutely packed with mourners. In the few years of her stay in Australia, she had made many friends through her out-going and friendly nature. She had been a wonderful mother, mother-in-law and Oma to us all. A plaque in her memory was fixed to a memorial wall in the garden of Wattle Park church, where she always worshipped.

418