The next month or so is going to be very difficult for us. My wife must go into hospital next week for two or possibly three stem-cell harvest procedures, each of which will take approximately five hours as all of her blood is passed through a “harvesting” machine until enough stem cells have been gathered in a separate container and then taken to be frozen.A week later she has to go into hospital for at least a month where all the remaining stem cells in her bone marrow will be zapped by a very high dose of intensive chemotherapy. Once that’s done, the previously harvested stem cells will be re-introduced to her blood steam and, hopefully, will go on to kick-start the manufacture of new and healthy stem cells, without which she will have virtually no immune system whereby even contracting a common cold could have devastating effects! Although I feel positive, I’m not going to say I’m not worried because I’m actually terrified! My wife on the other hand, is far more laid back about it and remains totally upbeat and positive at all times! I don’t know how she does it. She simply refuses to give in to it!Oh well, she’ll be in hospital for a month and even my Daughter will be on a school art trip to Barcelona for a week of it. I guess I’m just going to have to learn the difference between the washing machine and the dishwasher after all!

As you can see from the above picture, Tess is certainly growing, but my wife is also shrinking! She’s lost just over two inches in height as a result of her illness and especially through the collapse of several of her vertebrae which were reinforced recently with a couple of kilos of Blue Circle cement and half a Meccano set!She never stops smiling though and keeps insisting on accompanying me on many of my walks, some of which are quite arduous and long!