A quick medical update to start is that Tom is still going for long periods without the ventilator (when off it he is connected to another machine that apparently just assists a little by maintaining pressure in the lungs a little longer than would be the case ordinarily, but otherwise the effort is all his). Unfortunately there’s no other medical news as the doctor was busy in surgery last night so the planned meeting with him did not take place.

I have spoken to many people who want to come and visit Tom this week and I have reluctantly been telling them that its perhaps prudent to hold off for a little while.

The reason for this is that its taking a lot of effort for Tom to overcome this breathing obstacle, and when he’s not concentrating on that and he’s hooked back to the ventilator he is inevitably tired.

Dr Moeng also expressed some concern recently about the amount of visitors.

I know how much all of your visits mean to Sal, and Tom of course, and certainly the message here is that they are encouraged when things return to a more (comparitively) stable plateau. This might not take long, but its so hard to say.

Please continue to check with me, and I will post updates here of course, but in the meantime please understand if the advice you get is not to visit at this particular time… it will only be a temporary thing.

While I’m updating just a quick note to thank Julia W (I don’t even know your surname!), who has tenaciously taken on Jane’s KLM ticket concern and found a solution. Many thanks to you!