It's been several months since I last posted anything on BC. This is because I went to see my doctor about what I thought was a minor medical problem. Within hours I was admitted to hospital with a serious, life-threatening illness. I have spent many weeks in hospital and am now having treatment as an outpatient. It's been quite a roller-coaster, with lots of highs, but some very bad moments of pain, discomfort, and the worst was when my consultant told me the treatment hadn't properly worked and my chances of survival, although still relatively high (compared to being dead!) had dropped by 10%. I have recovered that 10%, but it's going to mean several more months of treatment before I feel reasonably assured about my future.

I don't want to get into a discussion about my illness, because to me, it's a very personal battle. But I would like to add that I know that Britain's National Health Service has many critics from both within the UK and from opponents of Obamacare in the USA. Many of those criticism are justified, although often exaggerated. However, for me the NHS has been absolutely brilliant. No credit card, insurance claim form or the worry that the company will wriggle out of paying, like insurance companies do. I have a team of state-of-the-art specialists, using state-of-the-art equipment, supported by nursing and ancillary staff who are professional, caring and friendly, all of them working to make me better, at no cost to me. I simply couldn't get the same level of expertise privately, without travelling to London, hundreds of miles away.

I hope to post updates to my condition in the forthcoming months, but as someone strictly in the closet, if I don't make it you won't hear about it, unless we meet up whilst stoking those bloody furnaces!

But that would be a terrible way to end a blog. I think the future is bright, and I'm looking forward to not only getting through this but to posting more stories, some of which I've been writing on and off for years. ("Oh no!" I hear you moan. "Isn't it enough just to survive without posting more of those ***** stories?")

Remember: I'll be back.

Charlotte