World weary

Once every six months or so we head for Kilmarnock where the bionic boy gets plugged into a computer and he is retuned. Frequencies are checked, levels of (dis)comfort judged and, finally, a new map is uploaded.

Its cool - he can hear... yay cochlear implants.

Its tedious if you're the subject - no matter how many variants on the 'your turn when you hear a beep' game you play. It took Tom 45 minutes before he first uttered 'is it time to go home yet?' and about 47 until 'I'm bored'.

It is also a dreadful dreadful reminder of his deafness and the reason behind it - not least because today his wee brother got his meningitis jag. The very vaccination Tom missed by about six months and a life-changing illness.

Milo screamed all day. Mrs B did not need that. Not today.

Tomorrow will be better.