EXCERPT FROM EMAIL TO FRIEND

“Rose IS back in hospital! Has been since the night of the big storms - pancreatitis again, and other stuff. No idea when she'll get out again - she's having another surgical procedure done this Thursday under general anaesthetic.

Have just walked in the door with the big kids, to spend the night in my own bed - I've been in cuddling Rose since yesterday morning in hospital. Shane’s on duty in there tonight.

To tell the truth I don't have a hope of doing any pre-Xmas catching up this year, what with it being only a couple of weeks away. But never mind - we have our eye on the goal, which is to get rose through transplant, and life should get back to normal once we've got her there.

I’d say come in and visit us in hospital, but Rose is actually in an isolation room this time, and they limit visitors to family only, to try to restrict her access to germs. Every time she's been in a shared room she's caught something in that hospital! . . Shane recently had gastro for 4 days - caught it in there!”