I hope you don't think I'm heartless with this one - but it really was quite funny afterwards!
Taking Dad to the Drs. A bit of a performance - I have to arrive at parents house at least an hour before the appointment, although Drs is only five minutes away. Mum & Dad both have to have their 'last wee', then there's the search for shoes, finally loading Dad (with AD), Mum and her wheelchair into the car....the off we go.
After a minutes driving, I look at Dad in the back, who is leaning against the side window. 'OK Dad?'....'Yes thanks'.
Another minute - Dad seems to be fidgeting about a bit - still has head right on one side. 'Dad...What's wrong? Are you sure you're OK?' Mum pipes up 'George! Sit up straight!'. Dad whispers.....'I can't breath.....'
He has somehow put his seatbelt round his neck.
What he actually did was instead of pulling the clasp across his body and plugging it in, he put his whole body through the seatbelt, realised that was wrong, looped it round his neck, and then plugged it into the wrong socket!
I stop the car, and try to extricate Dad, with Mum shouting helpful comments from the front seat. 'George! Take your hat off and pull your head through!' .....George, take your glasses off and pull your head through...then finally...'George! Take your hearing aid out and pull your head through! Quick as a flash Dad replied ' What difference will that make! It's a hearing aid, NOT A BLOODY EAR TRUMPET'.
Anyway. I'm now at the point of going into a shop and borrowing some scissors to cut him out, when suddenly he manages it! He's free! We carry on to the Drs.
Dr says...Now then George, how have you been?'
Dad replies ...' Well appart from having nearly hung myself in the back of a Micra, I'm not too bad!'
Dads 'ear trumpet' comment made me howl - it's not often that Dad can manage a quick reply or retort to anything now. We used to have quick-fire banter all the time. Even the simplest questions needs a while for him to formulate a reply now.
So be warned....take care with those seat belts! (Actually I feel guilty now that I didn't make sure that he was correctly strapped in before we set off - I do now, though.)