{"id":2950,"date":"2018-03-29T22:21:06","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T22:21:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/translatingpain\/?p=2950"},"modified":"2018-03-29T22:21:06","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T22:21:06","slug":"the-cost-of-falling-ill-by-linda-cosgriff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/a-bel-abroad\/the-cost-of-falling-ill-by-linda-cosgriff\/","title":{"rendered":"‘The Cost of Falling Ill’, by Linda Cosgriff"},"content":{"rendered":"

Work as hard as you can<\/span>
\n for as long as you can<\/span><\/p>\n

Then you\u2019re ill<\/span>
\n can\u2019t work<\/span>
\n can\u2019t walk<\/span>
\n can\u2019t bear talk<\/span>
\n or remember how no pain felt<\/span>
\n can count on the hand you can\u2019t lift<\/span>
\n your friends<\/span>
\n and family<\/span><\/p>\n

can\u2019t work<\/span>
\n or provide<\/span>
\n can\u2019t afford pride<\/span>
\n or holidays<\/span>
\n you manage Christmas, on plastic<\/span>
\n can\u2019t walk your children to school<\/span>
\n it\u2019s uphill<\/span><\/p>\n

you\u2019re ill<\/span>
\n can\u2019t work<\/span>
\n can\u2019t live<\/span>
\n can\u2019t provide –<\/span>
\n the part that was you<\/span>
\n the man that was you<\/span>
\n the pride in you<\/span>
\n died<\/span><\/p>\n

Try not to care\u00a0<\/span>
\n that the love of your life\u00a0<\/span>
\n is no longer your wife\u00a0<\/span>
\n but your carer<\/span><\/p>\n

Work as hard as you can<\/span>
\n for as long as you can<\/span><\/p>\n