My 19 year old son has had a full mental breakdown resulting in hospitalization and he is now in support living accommodation some distance away. He had a bad social experience resulting in the thought that he could no longer live in this town. He is severely depressed and I am so, so worried about him. He is still receiving care from the CRISIS team.

My mum has lung cancer. She spent a week in the assessment unit at Chorley Hospital following a trip out (found wandering aimlessly) and it was there that they discovered the cancer. She has Alzheimer’s and does not remember recent events or information, so every time they do tests or give treatment for the cancer they have to tell her the ‘news’ again so that she can give consent to the treatment. This results in her passing the information to her family, and it is hard to show the same shock and compassion on the umpteenth time of telling. We cannot say that we already know. She would be furious if she thought that we had been told first. It is heartbreaking to watch her digest the information. How many times can a person go through the shock, even if they have forgotten all previous shocks? My mother is now in her own home with part-time carers but they ring for some reason or another everyday.

My dad was hospitalized for various things including a suspected heart condition. He refused to stay in the hospital longer than a week and has, therefore, not received full treatment. He is difficult to deal with and I can’t force him.

There was a week in my life when I could have done with a National Hospital Car Park pass, just so that I could move easily between Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Chorley Hospital and Barrow-in-Furness Hospital. I was talking to a doctor in the A&E department of one hospital, close to midnight, when I received a message to get to Blackpool Victoria hospital as a matter of urgency. WTF. Two emergencies at the same time! I left the original emergency in my brother’s hands but he is on chemo therapy treatment and not well at all – so that wasn’t good.

I managed to get through all my work by the end of the academic year and now have a break to look after my family before it starts all over again. My work was surprisingly well organised this year – I must have known something.

There have been many times in my life when I have functioned with the words ‘Just keeping putting one foot in front of the other’ but this time the message is ‘B-R-E-A-T-H-E’

Rubbish photo but ask me if I am bothered about that. :-) But i like the book.