On my last day in Paris, it was like the old days, we had special food and talked and laughed a great deal. Next day I left for London after telling my mother not to worry, we will keep regularly in touch by phone, she seemed quite confident. I wished I felt the same but I tried to put a brave face on. Deep down I knew it was only a question of time before I had to come again. 

But this time I had the telephone number of all the neighbours, the concierge, the doctors, neurologist, social workers, etc. If things went wrong not only I will know quickly I could also get in touch with the right person or vice versa. I also made notes of important information especially for administration purposes. French bureaucracy is notorious for being demanding and very slow.

For the next two months I literally spent hours on the telephone with my mother daily, in fact it was like caring at a distance, she would phone me more often, either it was complaining about the home help or she needed to ask me where such and such papers were. Or guiding her step by step on how to use the mixer or other appliances, basically it was a question of reassurance and practical help. I would phone her to remind her of an appointment or what happened when she had seen the neurologist or her GP, find out the date of the next appointment, if I didn't she will forget. In fact I was acting as a secretary as well.