As you can probably guess, if you ask me I'll tell you Han's lovely. She caring, sensitive, has a heart of gold and is as mad as a box of frogs. I guess that's what gives her the ability to put up with me and Finn in the first place. Even though I'm 10 years older than her she tends to mother us both and keep us in line. She's allergic to gluten and lactose, loves dogs (we have one) but hates cats (even though we have two)
Her family is great as well. Her dad plays in a band who were pretty big in the 70s and still tours all over the world, her brother is a phenomenal drummer and her sister is just about to release her 4th album. The music room in their house is huge and very impressive. Every family party you end up finding yourself sat next to some member of a band you've definitely heard of and only realising as the impromptu jam session kicks in before progressing to an acoustic chill out around the bonfire. As you can imagine, growing up surrounded by musicians, artists, hippies and alternative therapists is something that was considered a bit out of the ordinary in a small town.
Of course Han has her down sides, everybody does, and if I only told you the good bits then she'd come across as pretty flat and quite a boring person. She does have a tendency to fret about things. She had a tough time at school, she suffers from dyslexia and dyspraxia which sometimes makes her come across as a bit awkward, and this coupled with her slightly bohemian home life made her a target for bullies. Kids can be so cruel.
Being the sensitive soul she is, she's battled through depression, but the whole experience has left her with constant anxiety and a struggle, at times, with self esteem.
I think one of the reasons we work so well together is that, while she supports me unconditionally with whatever crazy project idea I come up with, I help her see the absurdity in many of the things that she frets about and give her the ability to laugh at it.
Why did I decide to tell you all about her today? Well, it's because of something that happened at the hospital the other day and her fretting.
The midwife had sent her to the hospital for a scan so they could take another set of measurements of Bump. Apparently they're a little concerned Han might be suffering from gestational diabetes. There are two hospitals about equal distance from home; one in a town that has a grammar school, girls high school, a university and a real sense of beauty about the place, the other is in a town of "questionable reputation". The consultant baby unit where she's booked in happens to be in the second.
Han and I were sitting in the waiting room waiting to be called through, there was only us there and one other lady across the room wearing a hijab. The midwife walked in, turned to Han and asked, "Are you Fatima?"
Now we're not racist in the slightest, please don't think that for one minute, but I would guess when the only people you have booked in at the time are called Hanna and Fatima, one with some of the palest skin you've ever seen and the other wearing a hijab, it doesn't take Sherlock's powers of deduction to guess who is probably who. Besides the fact that Han initially misheard the midwife and was quite put out at the insensitivity of being asked, "Are you a fatty, ma?" She's now concerned that if they can make that sort of misidentification with fully dressed grown adults, how can she be sure they'll manage with naked newborn babies?
I think she's hoping the local midwives will let her swap hospitals, either that or I can see her demanding we go and practically camp down the road from the nicer one in a few weeks time so that she can walk in and say, "Well I'm already here and it's too late to travel in the other direction now." Let's hope the weather's not too bad for Easter eh?
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