An interesting picture

I hadn’t expected to be at home this Christmas as my bone marrow transplant was originally scheduled for 6^th December. As my ENT treatment and radiotherapy was delayed I am able to spend Christmas with the family but I have to go into hospital almost every day over the next three and a half weeks which has added extra pressure in the run-up to Christmas. However, it is wonderful to be spending Christmas at home. I have been tired but, in fact, it has been our daughter who has been ill. It is incredibly difficult to get a doctor to visit over the Christmas period. Fortunately, she is recovering now but has had a very nasty reaction to the antibiotic.

I did enjoy being able to sing carols by candlelight at our local medieval church and there was a happy atmosphere at the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols last Sunday and at the Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve.

But the pressures do not all disappear. Ray had been promised an interim payment by the solicitors for the Biffa Group in exchange for dropping the Court action scheduled for 15^th December against them for such a payment. At the beginning of December, they promised to make the payment before Christmas. Every day we waited for a cheque; we were convinced they would feel obliged to pay before 15^th December, but nothing. We then became very cynical. Not only had they lied to avoid the expense of the Court action but once more they were playing with us at a very difficult time in our lives.

I am sure that our solicitor, who is being pro-active, will draw the payment out of them but it does make it clear to us that although the Biffa driver has been found guilty in a criminal court of law, the other side are determined to drag this out for as long as possible. They have no ethics.

And now for some news of a different kind. A piece was published about me in the Daily Telegraph on Monday 21^st December. The story was also purchased by the NZ Herald on Sunday for an article which appeared on 27th December, as Dr. Boyd, who organised my conception at his clinic, was a New Zealander by birth. The Herald approached me for photographs of myself which I sent but I asked for a photograph of Dr Boyd as it had been impossible to find one in the UK. I said I thought a lot of donor offspring would be interested!