Raspberries

# Raspberries

The retired metal engineer
Not yet elderly, 
But with more than one than one operation under his belt
Seen first after a week at home with divers symptoms
Then admitted
Then transferred for CPAP
Then better but still a worry
Bending his mind around the previous seven days 
Articulating his experiences clearly
Helpful attempts to contextualise his symptoms for me gently parried
He improves
The physios persuaded that he will be OK off the CPAP 
(And that he probably doesn't have It but we'd better check one more time)
As he gets better, briefly slight confusion about who was told what and when
But always thankful and accepting
The steel of the inner rationalist 
And when he sees his (friendly-sounding) village is within sight
I gently temper his expectations 
No longer if, but still when
I warn it will take longer than he thinks
To return to form
And that he might struggle with himself in coming weeks
He'll be OK
He has a loving wife and kind neighbours 
And a garden full of raspberries