The thing about chemotherapy is that if you are lucky it works – in my case brilliantly – but whether it works or not it likes to leave an impression. So I am peeing blood, my heart is pounding like the flying Scotsman and I am as stoned as Jimmy Hendrix. So an infection and heart issues – great! Basically I am falling to bits while being rebuilt. My consultant is clearly very pleased with the results, concerned about the side effect but basically of the view that I should stick it out – so I am. At present I have trouble walking to the garden gate (were we to have one) so going to Hull and teaching is, somewhat with regret, out. Needless to say this is really tough on my already overstretched colleagues and I do hope to provide some virtual teaching if it can be set up.

All in all an encouraging consultation but I still feel like a proper 60 year old, you know the type, Grammy leg, dodgy heart, always moaning about their illnesses – I’ll have a Pale Ale.